Jackson Associates

What Jackson Associates does

Jackson Associates is a privately-held, founder/management-owned market research data collection and focus group facility operator founded in 1957 and headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia. The company provides B2B professional services to enterprise clients across consumer goods, entertainment, retail, automotive, beverage, airline, food service, and pharmaceutical verticals—including named logos such as Disney, Coca-Cola, P&G, Walmart, Toyota, Delta, and Subway. Its service portfolio spans three core lines: qualitative research (focus groups, mock juries, executive and medical recruiting from a database exceeding 100,000 respondents); sensory and food research (central location testing, sensory evaluation, home use tests, and product development in commercial test kitchens); and full-service research management (moderating, screener development, programming, analysis, reporting, and 48-hour standard transcription turnaround).

The company operates four physical facilities—Atlanta North Point (HQ, 16,000+ sq ft with sensory test kitchen, CLT lab, and 75-seat auditorium), Atlanta Midtown (three studios with proprietary Instant Update system), Los Angeles Beverly Hills (six suites, 70-participant capacity), and Los Angeles Encino (four suites, 12,000+ sq ft)—supplemented by proprietary technology including JACKSONstream video streaming ($750/day), the OWL 360 Camera for hybrid meeting capture, and Instant Update for real-time enrollment visibility. Operations are supported by negotiated hotel partnerships in both markets to facilitate client travel.

Commercially, Jackson Associates runs a sales-led, quote-based professional services model with no public pricing. It acquires clients through direct outreach, one-hour bid request response, conference attendance, and industry association memberships (Insights Association, AMA, ESOMAR, PBIRG, CASRO). Revenue is generated through facility rental, participant recruiting, full-service project management, and technology-enabled services such as JACKSONstream. The company is led by owner/CEO Marisa Pope (30 years in the industry, recipient of the 2006 Shining Star Award and 2010 Distinguished Service Award) and President Melisa Gipson (30+ years tenure), with 11–50 total employees. Jackson Associates has executed two notable acquisitions: AnswerQuest (2005, wholly-owned subsidiary) and Adept Consumer Testing (2015, rebranded as Jackson Adept, doubling company size), and is currently expanding its Sensory Center to Alpharetta in March 2025.

Name

Jackson Associates

Legal name

Jackson Associates, Inc.

Website

https://jacksonassociates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jackson Associates is a privately-held, 60-year-old market research firm providing focus group facilities, participant recruiting, sensory/food testing, and full-service research management to enterprise clients across consumer goods, entertainment, retail, and pharmaceutical verticals from four facilities in Atlanta and Los Angeles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Focus Group Facility Rental: Rental of research facilities including focus rooms, viewing rooms, and client lounges. Facilities include Atlanta Midtown (3 studios), Atlanta North Point (flex/focus suites, test kitchens, display suite, computerized test labs), and Los Angeles (Beverly Hills with 6 suites, Encino with 4 suites).
2. Recruiting and Data Collection: Recruitment of research participants from database of 100,000+ names, screening services, and field management. Includes qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, executive and medical recruiting.
3. Full-Service Research Management: End-to-end project management including moderating, screener development, programming/hosting, analysis/reporting, and transcription (48-hour turnaround standard, same-day available for morning uploads).
4. Technology Services: JACKSONstream video streaming at $750 per day for remote observation, 360 camera recording services, and proprietary Instant Update system.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Jackson Associates operates physical focus group facilities and runs end-to-end market research data collection for enterprise clients. It recruits research participants from a 100,000+ name database, leases focus group and viewing rooms at four locations, and provides full-service research management including moderating, screener development, programming/hosting, analysis/reporting, and transcription. Supplemental offerings include sensory and food research with commercial test kitchens and central location test labs, legal research (mock juries), and proprietary in-room technology such as JACKSONstream remote video streaming, Instant Update check-in screens, and the OWL 360 Camera.

Product overview

Jackson Associates operates as a marketing research and data collection firm with a multi-location, multi-brand portfolio. The company offers three core service lines—Qualitative Research, Sensory/Food Research, and Full Service Management—supported by proprietary technology products including the Instant Update real-time check-in system, JACKSONstream video streaming platform, and OWL 360 Camera. The company operates under two brands: Jackson Associates (Atlanta headquarters with North Point and Midtown facilities) and Jackson Adept (Los Angeles division with Beverly Hills and Encino facilities). The recent Sensory Center expansion to Alpharetta represents a significant infrastructure investment for sensory and food testing capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JACKSONstream: Proprietary video streaming platform for live research streaming with unlimited viewers, interactive chat, and 60-day complimentary archive
• Instant Update
• Sensory Center of Atlanta

Products and services

• Qualitative Research Services In-person qualitative market research including focus groups, consumer and medical recruiting, executive recruiting, legal research such as mock juries and perception analyzer tests, with daily quota updates and project management for enterprise clients.
• Sensory and Food Research Services Quantitative market research services including consumer surveys, sensory testing, central location tests (CLTs), home use tests (HUTs), scent testing for fragrance studies, and tactile testing for packaging and product feel, supported by commercial test kitchens.
• Full Service Research Management End-to-end research project management including field management, moderating, screener development, programming/hosting, analysis/reporting, and transcription with 48-hour standard turnaround and same-day transcription available for morning digital uploads.
• JACKSONstream Video Streaming Proprietary live video streaming platform for remote observation of focus groups and research sessions. Includes unlimited viewers, interactive chat, 60-day complimentary archive, full tech support, and session replay capability. Priced at $750 per day with no cancellation fees.
• Instant Update Check-In System Proprietary system that displays real-time participant check-in status on large screens in client viewing rooms, allowing clients to monitor study enrollment at a glance during focus group sessions at the Midtown Atlanta facility.
• OWL 360 Camera System 360-degree conference camera system with intelligent recording that captures each participant as they speak, enabling immersive hybrid meeting experiences in any focus group space.

Quantifiable outcome

• Processed over 100,000 potential participants in database
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• L'Ermitage Beverly HillsminorOthersHotel partnership offering negotiated corporate rates for Jackson Adept clients visiting the Beverly Hills facility. Contracted rates starting at $405/night for Classic Suite versus $795 rack rate.
• Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly HillsminorOthersUpscale boutique hotel partnership offering $270/night for Superior Room with Jackson Adept corporate rate. Located in West Hollywood near Beverly Hills.
• Luxe Rodeo Drive HotelminorOthersBeverly Hills hotel partnership with corporate rates (code: ADEPT). Superior Queen from $279/night depending on season. Includes Luxe Club benefits.
• Luxe Sunset Boulevard HotelminorOthersHotel partnership offering corporate rates (code: ADEPT) near Sunset Boulevard. Superior King from $239/night depending on season.
• Embassy Suites by Hilton Atlanta AlpharettaminorOthersHotel partnership for Jackson Associates Atlanta clients near North Point facility. Corporate rates available through Hilton booking links.
• Courtyard by Marriott Atlanta Alpharetta/AvalonminorOthersHotel partnership offering corporate rates near Jackson Associates North Point facility in Alpharetta.
• The Hotel at Avalon, Autograph CollectionminorOthersMarriott Autograph Collection partnership with corporate rates. Features rooftop pool, fitness center, and restaurant near Alpharetta.
• Hilton Alpharetta AtlantaminorOthersHotel partnership offering corporate rates near the North Point facility in Alpharetta.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Toluna: Digital consumer insights company operating online panels and automated research platforms. Adjacent competitor to Jackson in respondent recruiting and data collection, primarily in online methodologies rather than facility-based work.
• Civicom: Provides qualitative research services and technology, including webcam focus groups, IDI platforms, and global respondent recruiting. Overlaps with Jackson's JACKSONstream and remote viewing capabilities, but with a more technology-led model.

Broad incumbents

• Dynata: One of the world's largest first-party data and research operations companies, with a global online panel and full-service capabilities. Competes with Jackson at the enterprise client level, particularly in quant data collection and panel-based research.
• Ipsos: Global market research and consulting firm with full-service qualitative, quantitative, and sensory capabilities. Overlaps with Jackson at the Fortune 500 client level but operates at vastly greater scale across many more geographies.

Direct peers

• Marketcast: Research and analytics firm serving entertainment, media, and consumer brands. Compares to Jackson on the entertainment and consumer insight client base, including studios such as Disney and major studios served by both firms.
• Plaza Research: Focus group facility company with locations in multiple US markets, focused on qualitative recruiting and consumer research. Overlaps with Jackson Associates in the consumer brands segment and in mock jury / legal research work.
• Fieldwork: One of the largest independently owned focus group facility networks in the US, with offices in multiple metros. Directly comparable to Jackson Associates in qualitative recruiting, project management, and full-service research delivery to enterprise clients.
• Schlesinger Group: Operates a large network of qualitative research facilities and recruiting services across the US and internationally, including mock jury, sensory, and CLT capabilities. The closest direct competitor to Jackson Associates' focus group and recruiting model with multi-metro reach and an enterprise client roster.
• Focus Pointe Global: National focus group facility and qualitative research company with multiple US locations. Competes with Jackson on B2B qualitative recruiting, mock juries, and full-service project management for enterprise and legal clients.
• L&E Research: Privately owned qualitative research and focus group facility operator with multiple US locations and an online panel. Directly comparable to Jackson in facility rental, respondent recruiting, and full-service qualitative research delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/jacksonassociatesresearch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jackson-associates-research
• Xx.com/jacksonresearch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jackson Associates