ad'hoc research

What ad'hoc research does

Ad'Hoc Research is a privately held market research institute headquartered in Lyon, France, operating as a SARL under French law since 1991. The company designs and executes custom ad hoc marketing research studies for advertisers, brands, and public-sector organizations, combining qualitative, quantitative, and hybrid methodologies. Its service portfolio spans four expertise areas — Market Insights, Customer Experience, Brand Experience, and Product & Innovation Experience — and is supported by proprietary methodologies including the QUALICO® SHOPPER EXPERIENCE™ (in-store immersive shopper observation combined with focus group discussion) and Social Network Intercept (rapid social-media-based consumer insight collection claiming access to a panel covering nearly 60% of the world population). Underlying technology includes a multichannel data collection platform (online panels, social networks, face-to-face, telephone) and a data visualization and reporting platform with real-time KPI dashboards for longitudinal studies.

The company operates a sales-led B2B go-to-market model, reaching clients through its website, direct phone/email contact, and LinkedIn, with senior engagement emphasizing upstream advisory work on question framing and methodology design. Revenue is generated per project under professional-services pricing, which is not publicly disclosed. The company serves FMCG, healthcare, mobility/transportation, services, and industrial/equipment verticals, with named clients including Lactalis, SEB, Givaudan, Salomon, RATP, Keolis, Optibus, LFB, and public-sector bodies such as SYTRAL mobilités, SMMAG, and Métropole du Grand Paris. International reach spans 80+ countries via a partner-based skills network, supported by bilingual project managers. Reported scale includes 100,000+ consumers interviewed per year and 200+ brands served over 34 years, with active ESOMAR membership underscoring industry compliance.

The firm is led by Laurent Mallet (Managing Director), holds registered capital of €25,154, and operates from 34 quai Charles de Gaulle in Lyon. No funding rounds, M&A, or public-market activity are disclosed. AI integration is positioned as a complementary tool invoked when it provides concrete benefits in analysis speed, insight richness, or cost optimization, but no proprietary AI models, patents, or named AI capabilities are documented.

Name

ad'hoc research

Legal name

AD'HOC RESEARCH

Website

https://adhocresearch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ad'Hoc Research is a Lyon-based market research institute founded in 1991 that designs custom qualitative, quantitative, and hybrid ad hoc studies for advertisers, brands, and public-sector clients across FMCG, healthcare, mobility, services, and industry in 80+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Market Research Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191), Advertising Agencies (541810)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom Market Research (Ad Hoc Studies, Segmentation, U&A) (MPAAALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Qualitative Research (Focus Groups, IDIs, Ethnography) (MPAAALAE), Product & Innovation Research (Concept, Pricing, Packaging, Conjoint) (MPAAALAI), Market Research, Analytics & Consumer Insights (BPAFAAAM)

Keywords

• Market research services
• Consumer insights
• Ad hoc studies
• Qualitative research
• Quantitative research

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom ad hoc research studies: Ad'Hoc Research generates revenue by conducting custom marketing research studies designed on a per-project basis to address specific client issues. Studies are billed per project engagement and include qualitative, quantitative, hybrid methodologies, and Social Network Intercept approaches. The company serves advertisers and brands seeking actionable insights for marketing, product, communication, and customer experience decisions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ad'Hoc Research designs and executes custom "ad hoc" marketing research studies for B2B clients using qualitative, quantitative, hybrid, and Social Network Intercept methodologies. The firm works with advertisers, brands, public-sector operators, and organizations across FMCG, healthcare, mobility, services, and industrial sectors in France and 80+ countries, delivering actionable insights through its proprietary QUALICO® SHOPPER EXPERIENCE™ methodology and other bespoke approaches.

Product overview

Ad'Hoc Research is a marketing research institute offering a portfolio of qualitative, quantitative, and hybrid research solutions. Their core offerings include dedicated methodologies (Qualitative Studies, Quantitative Studies, Social Network Intercept Studies), four expertise areas (Market Insights, Customer Experience, Brand Experience, Product & Innovation Experience), and supporting platforms (Multichannel Collection Platform, Data Visualization & Reporting Platform). They differentiate through proprietary methodologies including QUALICO® SHOPPER EXPERIENCE™ and QUALICO™ Method for immersive shopper research. The company serves FMCG, healthcare, mobility, services, and industrial sectors across France and 80+ countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• QUALICO® SHOPPER EXPERIENCE™: An immersive in-store shopper study method that questions and observes the consumer in situ while they interact with the product or service offer.
• QUALICO®

Products and services

• Qualitative ad hoc research studies Custom qualitative ad hoc market research studies designed and executed for B2B clients to address specific business and marketing questions across FMCG, healthcare, mobility, services, and industrial sectors in France and 80+ countries.
• Quantitative ad hoc research studies Custom quantitative ad hoc market research studies delivered to B2B clients, providing statistically robust measurement of consumer, shopper, or stakeholder behavior to inform brand, marketing, and product decisions.
• Hybrid qualitative-quantitative ad hoc research studies Combined qualitative and quantitative ad hoc research engagements that integrate both methodologies within a single study design to deliver richer, triangulated insights for B2B clients.
• Social Network Intercept research Ad hoc market research studies using Social Network Intercept methodology to capture insights from target audiences through their social and digital networks.
• QUALICO® SHOPPER EXPERIENCE™ shopper research Proprietary shopper-experience research offering from Ad'Hoc Research, delivered using the firm's QUALICO® SHOPPER EXPERIENCE™ methodology to help FMCG, retail, and consumer-goods clients understand and improve the shopper journey.

Quantifiable outcome

• Results delivered in hours instead of weeks through Social Network Intercept methodology
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Ipsos: Global #3 market research firm headquartered in Paris, offering the full stack of custom qualitative, quantitative and syndicated research across 90+ markets. Ad'Hoc competes for the same French and international custom study RFPs but at substantially smaller scale.
• Kantar: World's largest marketing data and analytics business offering custom qualitative, quantitative and brand research plus syndicated products. Competes with Ad'Hoc for the same enterprise advertiser RFPs but with much broader portfolio and global owned infrastructure.
• NielsenIQ: Global consumer intelligence firm offering custom research alongside its syndicated retail and shopper measurement businesses. Overlaps with Ad'Hoc in shopper and consumer insight work but operates at massive scale.

Direct peers

• Dynata: Large first-party data and research platform providing custom quant research via online panels, with global reach. Comparable in offering survey-based custom studies to enterprise advertisers, though at substantially greater scale.
• Ifop: Paris-based market research institute conducting custom qualitative and quantitative studies for advertisers, public bodies and brands across France and internationally. Closely comparable in vintage (1946-founded), French base and ad hoc custom study orientation.
• OpinionWay: French market research and consulting firm providing custom ad hoc studies in marketing, brand, customer experience and innovation. Directly comparable in service portfolio, French market focus and target buyer (advertisers and public organizations).
• Harris Interactive France: French arm of Harris Interactive offering custom qualitative, quantitative and hybrid research to advertisers and public sector clients. Comparable in custom ad hoc methodology, French base and advertiser client base.
• Toluna: Global online panel and consumer insights platform combining technology-enabled research with custom quantitative studies. Comparable in custom research services and panel-based methodologies, though more technology-led and global in footprint.
• Bilendi: European online panel and digital research provider offering custom quantitative studies, panel access and data collection services. Comparable in panel-based custom research and European market focus.
• BVA Group: French-origin custom market research firm offering qualitative, quantitative and hybrid ad hoc studies with strong FMCG, retail and public sector credentials. Direct peer in geography, methodology mix and customer segments, including work for major French advertisers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/adhoc-research

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 ad'hoc research