brand riffs

What brand riffs does

Brand Riffs Inc. is a privately held qualitative market research consultancy founded in 2004 by Patrick Cahill and headquartered in Shandaken, New York. The firm provides custom qualitative research services — including in-depth customer/shopper research, innovation and NPD testing, brand (re)positioning, packaging design development, communications strategy development, and product renovation assessment — delivered through methodologies spanning in-person focus groups, online focus groups, bulletin boards, ethnographies, RV-based field research, shop-alongs, and bilingual Spanish-language interviews. The company operates a small, fully remote team of approximately eight moderators and operations specialists under a 'Synergistic Agility' positioning that emphasizes senior attention on every project. Its primary customers are Insights, Planning, and Strategy professionals at consumer packaged goods companies, retailers, agencies, and adjacent enterprises; the public client roster includes Nestle, Hershey's, Kellogg's, Kraft-Heinz, Aldi, Barilla, Bimbo, Dollar Tree, Purina, ESPN, and Fanatics.

The firm's core proprietary technology is QualChat, a Zoom-based digital interviewing platform with a dedicated tech team that handles backend operations during interviews so moderators can focus on research. Brand Riffs regularly incorporates new technologies into QualChat and frames its approach around projective techniques, storytelling, benefit laddering, and System 1 (emotional/subconscious) response elicitation. Revenue is generated through project-based professional services engagements rather than recurring subscriptions; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is presumably quote-driven per project. Go-to-market is sales-led via direct client engagement with enterprise consumer brands and agencies, supported by a minimal marketing footprint centered on the company website and a LinkedIn company page. The firm has no disclosed outside investors, parent company, or funding rounds, and operates as a founder-led work-from-home shop.

Name

brand riffs

Legal name

Brand Riffs Inc.

Website

https://brandriffs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Brand Riffs is a privately held, US-based qualitative market research consultancy serving Insights, Planning, and Strategy professionals at consumer brands and agencies with custom in-depth research across brand positioning, innovation, packaging, communications, and product renovation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Qualitative Market Research Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910), Marketing Consulting Services (541613)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Market, Shopper & Category Insights / Research Services (CRAOAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brand Consulting, Audits & Research (Brand Health, Equity, Competitive) (BPAFAEAJ), Brand & Portfolio Strategy Consulting (MPAAAFAB), Brand Strategy & Positioning (BPAFAEAA), Shopper Insights & Path-to-Purchase Research (MPAAAJAL)

Keywords

• Qualitative market research
• Consumer insights consulting
• Brand positioning research
• Packaging design research
• Product innovation research

Headquarters

HQ city

Shandaken

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Qualitative Research Services: Professional services revenue model providing qualitative market research and consulting services to consumer brands and agencies. Services include in-depth customer research, innovation and new product development research, brand positioning research, packaging design research, communications strategy research, and product renovation assessment. Revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements rather than recurring subscriptions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Brand Riffs is a qualitative market research consultancy that delivers custom qualitative research projects to consumer brands and agencies. Its offerings span six core service areas—in-depth customer/shopper research, innovation and new product development research, brand (re)positioning, packaging design research, communications strategy research, and product renovation assessment—delivered via methodologies such as focus groups, ethnographies, bulletin boards, RV research, shop-alongs, and bilingual Spanish interviews. The firm supports these engagements through QualChat, a proprietary Zoom-based digital interviewing platform.

Product overview

Brand Riffs is a qualitative market research and consulting firm that provides a portfolio of research services rather than a software product. The offering consists of six core research service areas (In-Depth Customer/Shopper Research, Innovation and New Product Development & Testing Research, Brand RePositioning Research, Packaging Design Development Research, Communications Strategy Development Research, and Product Renovation Opportunity Assessment Research), delivered through seven primary research methodologies (In-Person Focus Groups & 1-on-1's, Online Focus Groups & 1-on-1's, Online Bulletin Boards, Ethnographies, On The Road RV Research, Shop-a-longs, and Spanish Language Interviews). The firm also offers QualChat, a proprietary Zoom-based digital interviewing platform that provides technology-supported moderation. The services are delivered by a team of experienced moderators and are positioned as a small, efficient alternative to larger research organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Depth Customer / Shopper Research Qualitative research service focused on deeply understanding consumers' personal lives, rational and emotional needs to inform marketing success for consumer brands and agencies.
• Innovation and New Product Development & Testing Research
• Brand (Re)Positioning Research
• Packaging Design Development Research
• Communications Strategy Development Research
• Product Renovation Opportunity Assessment Research
• QualChat

Named customers35 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Escalent: Escalent is a top human- and analytics-focused insights firm serving consumer brands, with strong qualitative and brand research capabilities. Comparable to Brand Riffs in custom research delivery for CPG and consumer enterprise clients.
• C Space: C Space is a custom insights and innovation consultancy serving CPG and consumer brands with qualitative and co-creation communities. Highly comparable to Brand Riffs in customer base (enterprise consumer brands), custom research methodology, and project-based delivery.
• Hall & Partners: Hall & Partners is a brand strategy research consultancy that delivers qualitative and quantitative brand insights to global brands. Closely comparable to Brand Riffs in focus on brand positioning, communications, and packaging research for enterprise consumer clients.
• Kelton Global: Kelton Global is an insights and strategy firm delivering qualitative and quantitative consumer research to brands and agencies. Comparable to Brand Riffs in mid-size custom research operations and brand strategy advisory for consumer clients.
• The Hartman Group: The Hartman Group is a consumer insights firm specializing in CPG, food, beverage, and lifestyle categories using qualitative and ethnographic methods. Directly comparable to Brand Riffs in deep CPG specialization and custom qualitative consumer research.
• Bellomy Research: Bellomy Research is a boutique full-service market research firm with strong qualitative capabilities serving consumer brands. Comparable to Brand Riffs in mid-size custom research operations and qualitative methodology focus.
• Bovitz Inc. Bovitz Inc. is a small qualitative market research consultancy providing consumer insights to brands and agencies. Directly comparable to Brand Riffs as a boutique qualitative shop specializing in brand, packaging, and communications research.

Broad incumbents

• Material: Material is a large global insights and strategy consultancy (formerly LRW Group) offering qualitative, quantitative, and analytics to enterprise brands. Comparable to Brand Riffs in qualitative consumer insights for CPG and retail, but operates at significantly larger scale with a broader service portfolio.
• Ipsos: Ipsos is one of the largest global market research companies with deep qualitative and quantitative capabilities across consumer brands. Relevant as a broad incumbent offering the same custom qualitative research services as Brand Riffs but at global scale. Note: former-employer of Brand Riffs team member Brett.
• Kantar: Kantar is a global data, insights, and consultancy company with extensive qualitative brand research practices serving major CPG clients. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping brand, packaging, and communications qualitative research capabilities as Brand Riffs, but at vastly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brand-riffs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 brand riffs