INSPIRE: the social insights solution to keep you ahead of the game

In today’s fast-moving markets, consumer behavior is evolving at the speed of a swipe. Social media trends take off overnight, niche communities shape mainstream demand, and what was relevant yesterday can feel outdated tomorrow. Traditional research methods, while valuable, do miss the unprompted, unfiltered nuances that reveal what people really think and feel across online conversations.

So, what does it take for brands to match this pace and adapt with agility?

A clear view of shifting conversations in real time.

The good news is, that’s exactly what our INSPIRE solution delivers. Toluna’s Discovery Observation team built INSPIRE for one reason: to help brands truly listen, decode, and act on the raw voice of consumers. This isn’t just research – it’s a commercial advantage in an attention-scarce world.

From data chaos to market clarity

Let’s be honest: the digital world is messy. Opinions are scattered across TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, review sites, and niche forums. It’s noisy, fragmented, and sometimes contradictory.

That’s where INSPIRE comes in. Think of it as a Michelin-star chef in a kitchen full of raw, scattered ingredients. INSPIRE’s framework combines AI-powered tools that gather and structure unprompted consumer conversations with human expertise that turns that data into actionable insights you can actually use.

We don’t just tell you what people are talking about – we show you why it matters, what to do next, and how to get ahead in your category.

Why social insights matter now more than ever

The case for tapping into unprompted user-generated content (UGC) is clear:

It’s authentic: You’re hearing consumers’ perspectives in their own words, without the filter of survey questions.
It’s unbiased: No leading prompts, no pre-set answer choices. Just raw sentiment.
It’s dynamic : It reflects real-time needs, preferences, and frustrations.
It’s revealing: It exposes unmet and under-met needs long before they show up in sales data.

By harnessing this kind of insight, you can spot opportunities early, adapt faster, and build strategies that truly connect with your audience.

The blueprint of INSPIRE

At its core, INSPIRE is a category market exploration solution. It’s designed to work whether you’re entering a market, seeking new growth angles, or optimizing your portfolio.

But here’s the secret: INSPIRE isn’t a one-size-fits-all analysis. It comprises three modules, each with its own analytical framework, purpose-built to answer different business questions. Let’s dive into them.

The three modules: Explore, Understand, and Identify

Explore: see the landscape clearly

This is where we map the territory. Using thematic analytics, we scan the digital conversation space to identify key themes, size them, and visualize how they intersect.

What you get:

A clear picture of the category environment
Thematic relationships that show where the action is happening
Emerging opportunities before they hit the mainstream
A foundation for deciding where to dig deeper

Why it matters: Explore is your market radar. It gives you the early signal before competitors even realize a shift is coming.

Understand: go beneath the surface

When you know your category’s landscape, you can start uncovering what drives (or blocks) consumer behavior. Using sentiment analytics layered with our 6W framework, we break down functional drivers, barriers, motivations, and perceptions.

What you get:

Granular analysis of likes, dislikes, and motivations
Clear identification of functional drivers and barriers
Attribute-level insights within a strategic framework
A roadmap for product, service, and messaging refinement

Why it matters: Understand delivers the ‘why’ behind consumer choices, so you can align offerings to their real needs – not just your assumptions.

Identify: prioritize for growth

This is where strategic empathy meets competitive advantage. We use emotion analytics to code consumer emotions and uncover how specific product or service attributes shape experiences (of both you and your competitors).

What you get:

An emotion-based growth opportunity chart
A view of strengths and gaps vs. Competitors per product or service in scope
Empathy-driven recommendations for innovation and renovation
Actionable steps to build long-term loyalty

Why it matters: Emotion drives loyalty and dissatisfaction. Identify pinpoints which levers to pull for the biggest business impact.

Reasons why explore, understand, andidentidy are the three framework of INSPIRE to investigate the social insights

Why three frameworks?

Different business challenges require different lenses. Thematic analytics are perfect for scanning broadly and spotting patterns. Sentiment analytics help decode the functional and emotional drivers behind those patterns. Emotion analytics go even deeper, revealing what makes people stay, leave, or advocate for your brand.

By sequencing these frameworks, INSPIRE moves from macro to micro; from the big picture to granular detail. This ensures no insight is left shallow or unexplored. Plus, it can be combined with other research methods.

Why we don’t recommend ignoring this solution

In crowded markets, you can’t just react to what’s happening. You have to anticipate it. INSPIRE helps you:

Spot trends early so you’re first to act, not last to catch up.
Understand the emotional drivers that turn customers into loyal advocates.
Identify and fix weaknesses before they hurt your brand.
Seize innovation opportunities grounded in authentic consumer needs.

This isn’t just about “keeping up.” It’s about owning the category conversation before your competitors do.

Whether you want a quick pulse check or a deep-dive investigation, INSPIRE flexes to your pace:

Explore: 1–2 weeks
Understand: 2–4 weeks
Identify: 3–4 weeks

You can use them individually or stack them for a comprehensive, progressive insight journey.

When you use INSPIRE, you’re not buying a static report. You’re investing in a competitive intelligence engine that helps you:

Create marketing campaigns that resonate on a deeper, emotional level
Make product decisions based on what really matters to your audience
Back strategic moves with insights that are fresh, relevant, and directly from the consumer’s mouth

In short: less guesswork, more growth.

If you want to win in your category, you can’t just track what’s happening. You need to understand why it’s happening and determine what’s next.

That’s exactly what INSPIRE delivers. Powered by UGC, driven by AI, and refined by human expertise, INSPIRE turns the noisy digital universe into clear, actionable strategies.

With INSPIRE, you’re not just staying in the game, you’re setting the pace.