Market Research & AI Glossary

160+ definitions covering market research, consumer insights, and AI applied to research. Clear, actionable definitions written for marketing, insights, and innovation teams across LATAM and the US.

⭐ Popular Terms

AI for Research

Synthetic Panel

An AI-generated population of virtual respondents that simulates the attitudes, behaviors, and demographics of real consumers.

Brand & Equity

Brand Tracker

A continuous monitoring tool that measures brand health over time with metrics like awareness, consideration, usage, and preference.

Pricing & Choice

Conjoint Analysis

Statistical methodology evaluating consumer preferences for product attribute combinations, including price.

Consumer & Behavioral

Demand Spaces

Demand segments defined by the combination of consumer needs, occasions, and attitudes that represent growth opportunities.

AI for Research

LLMs in Research (Large Language Models)

Large-scale language models used in research to analyze text, code responses, generate reports, and simulate consumer responses.

Consumer & Behavioral

JTBD (Jobs to Be Done)

Framework that understands consumer behavior as hiring products to perform specific functional, social, or emotional 'jobs'.

Pricing & Choice

Van Westendorp PSM

Pricing technique using four questions to define acceptable price ranges, the optimal price, and the indifference price.

Brand & Equity

NPS (Net Promoter Score)

Loyalty metric that classifies customers as Promoters, Passives, and Detractors based on their likelihood to recommend a brand.

AI for Research

Agentic AI

AI systems that act autonomously to complete complex multi-step tasks, making decisions and using tools without constant human intervention.

Statistics & Analytics

MMM (Marketing Mix Modeling)

Statistical model quantifying the impact of each marketing channel on sales, enabling marketing budget optimization.

AI for Research (25)

Synthetic Panel

An AI-generated population of virtual respondents that simulates the attitudes, behaviors, and demographics of real consumers.

Synthetic Data

Algorithmically generated data that statistically mimics distributions and patterns of real data without exposing personal information.

Generative AI for Research

Application of generative AI models (GPT, Gemini, Claude, etc.) to automate and accelerate phases of market research.

LLMs in Research (Large Language Models)

Large-scale language models used in research to analyze text, code responses, generate reports, and simulate consumer responses.

Agentic AI

AI systems that act autonomously to complete complex multi-step tasks, making decisions and using tools without constant human intervention.

Multi-Agent Systems

Architectures where multiple specialized AI agents collaborate to complete complex tasks by dividing and coordinating work.

Conversational Survey

A survey format where an AI agent conducts the questionnaire as a natural conversation, adapting questions based on previous responses.

AI Coding (Automated Open-End Coding)

Automated process where an AI model categorizes and codes open-ended survey responses, replacing manual coding.

AI Moderator

An AI agent that conducts interviews or focus groups autonomously, asking probing questions and adapting the guide based on responses.

Sentiment Analysis

NLP technique that classifies text (comments, reviews, verbatims) as positive, negative, or neutral, and detects specific emotions.

Emotion Detection

Technology that identifies emotions in text, voice, facial expressions, or biometrics, applied to research to measure authentic emotional responses.

NLP (Natural Language Processing)

AI field that enables computers to understand, interpret, and generate human language—the foundation of most AI applications in research.

Topic Modeling

Unsupervised ML technique that automatically discovers themes or topic clusters in large text collections.

Embeddings & Vector Search

Numerical representations of text or data in high-dimensional vector spaces that capture semantic meaning for search and analysis.

RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)

AI architecture that combines knowledge base search with LLM text generation, reducing hallucinations and improving accuracy.

Prompt Engineering for Research

The discipline of designing and optimizing instructions (prompts) given to LLMs to obtain high-quality outputs for research tasks.

Fine-Tuning

The process of re-training a pre-trained AI model with domain-specific data to improve its performance on specialized tasks.

AI Bias

Systematic errors in AI model outputs caused by biases in training data or algorithm design that lead to unfair or inaccurate results.

LLM Hallucination

Phenomenon where an LLM generates false information presented with high confidence, as if it were real fact.

Zero-Shot / Few-Shot Learning

LLMs' ability to perform new tasks without examples (zero-shot) or with very few examples (few-shot) in the prompt.

Computer Vision in Research

Application of visual AI models to analyze images and video in research: facial coding, packaging analysis, shelf analysis.

Speech-to-Text / ASR

Technology that transcribes audio from interviews, focus groups, or calls into text to facilitate AI analysis.

AI Personas / Digital Twins

AI representations of consumer segments built with real data that simulate reactions and preferences without surveying real people.

Explainable AI (XAI)

Methods and techniques that make AI model decisions and predictions understandable and transparent to humans.

Foundation Models

Large AI models pre-trained on massive data that serve as the base for building specialized applications through fine-tuning or prompting.

Brand & Equity (15)

Brand Tracker

A continuous monitoring tool that measures brand health over time with metrics like awareness, consideration, usage, and preference.

BHT (Brand Health Tracking)

A comprehensive continuous monitoring system for brand health combining funnel, equity, perception, and experience metrics.

Brand Awareness

Measure of the extent to which consumers recognize or recall a brand, measured spontaneously or aided.

Top of Mind

The first brand a consumer spontaneously mentions when asked about a product category.

Brand Equity

The differential value a brand adds to a product beyond its functional attributes, measured by preference, price premium, and loyalty.

NPS (Net Promoter Score)

Loyalty metric that classifies customers as Promoters, Passives, and Detractors based on their likelihood to recommend a brand.

Brand Funnel

Model showing the consumer's progression from awareness to loyalty: awareness → consideration → trial → usage → preference.

Share of Voice

A brand's participation in total category conversation across paid, earned, or social media.

Share of Search

Proportion of Google searches for a brand relative to total category brand searches, used as a proxy for interest and future market share.

Brand Lift

Increase in brand metrics (awareness, consideration, purchase intent) directly attributable to an advertising campaign.

Brand Salience

Ease with which a brand comes to a consumer's mind in purchase or usage situations, beyond simple awareness.

Brand Associations

The set of ideas, images, emotions, and attributes that consumers mentally connect with a brand.

Brand Imagery

The set of visual, emotional, and symbolic perceptions that consumers associate with a brand.

Brand Architecture

The structure that organizes and relates a company's brands: master brand, sub-brands, and line extensions.

Co-branding

Strategic alliance between two or more brands to launch a joint product or campaign, mutually transferring equity and credibility.

Consumer & Behavioral (18)

U&A (Usage & Attitudes)

Quantitative study analyzing usage patterns, attitudes, motivations, and barriers of consumers toward a category or brand.

Demand Spaces

Demand segments defined by the combination of consumer needs, occasions, and attitudes that represent growth opportunities.

JTBD (Jobs to Be Done)

Framework that understands consumer behavior as hiring products to perform specific functional, social, or emotional 'jobs'.

Customer Journey

Map of the consumer's complete journey from recognizing a need to purchasing and using a product, including all touchpoints.

Market Segmentation

Division of the market into consumer groups with similar needs, characteristics, or behaviors to personalize marketing strategies.

Consumer Persona

Fictional but data-grounded representation of a consumer segment, with name, story, and characteristics to humanize insights.

Drivers & Barriers

Factors that drive or inhibit the purchase, adoption, or recommendation of a product or brand.

Ethnography

Qualitative research method that studies consumers in their natural context, observing real rather than reported behaviors.

Digital Ethnography

Adaptation of ethnography to the digital environment: observation and analysis of consumer behavior on online platforms, social media, and digital communities.

Behavioral Economics

Discipline integrating psychology and economics to understand how consumers make real—often irrational—decisions.

Path to Purchase

Sequence of steps, touchpoints, and decisions a consumer goes through from recognizing a need to making a purchase.

Consumer Decision Tree

Hierarchy of consumer choice criteria at the point of sale: what they decide first (category, brand, size, flavor, price).

Moments of Truth (MOT)

Critical instances in the consumer experience where perception of a brand is formed or reinforced: ZMOT, FMOT, and SMOT.

CLV (Customer Lifetime Value)

Total economic value a customer will generate for a company over the entire course of their commercial relationship.

Voice of Customer (VoC)

Methodology for capturing, analyzing, and acting on customer expectations, preferences, and comments in real time.

Empathy Map

Visual tool that summarizes what a consumer segment thinks, feels, says, and does to build empathy in marketing and innovation teams.

Mystery Shopping

Research where anonymous evaluators pose as customers to measure service quality and point-of-sale experience.

Cohort Analysis

Tracking the behavior of consumer groups with common characteristics (cohorts) over time.

Innovation & Product (15)

Concept Test

Methodology evaluating the viability of new products or services measuring appeal, purchase intent, uniqueness, and relevance before launch.

Packaging Test

Evaluation of packaging design measuring visual appeal, benefit communication, shelf standout, and purchase intent.

Sensory Test / Product Test

Evaluation of a product's organoleptic characteristics (taste, smell, texture, appearance) with real consumers under controlled conditions.

Claims Test

Research evaluating the credibility, relevance, and impact of communication claims before using them in advertising or packaging.

Ideation & Co-creation

Structured process of generating new ideas for products, services, or communication, typically involving consumers and internal teams.

White Space

Market opportunity or demand segment not currently covered by any offering in the category.

TURF (Total Unduplicated Reach and Frequency)

Analysis identifying the optimal combination of products, claims, or media that maximizes reach without duplication across segments.

Volumetric Forecasting

Quantitative estimate of the projected sales volume of a new product before launch, based on market research.

Concept Optimization

Iterative process of improving a product concept based on research feedback to maximize its market potential.

MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

Minimum functional version of a product with just enough features to be tested with real users and generate learning.

Design Sprint

5-day process created by Google Ventures to solve problems and prototype solutions with rapid user testing.

Prototype Testing

Evaluation of early tangible versions of a product with real consumers to validate design, usability, and desirability before launch.

Stage-Gate

Innovation management system dividing product development into stages with evaluation criteria (gates) before advancing to the next phase.

HUT (Home Use Test)

Study where consumers test a product in their own home for several days or weeks under real usage conditions.

CLT (Central Location Test)

Research where consumers are invited to a controlled location to evaluate products under standardized conditions.

Pricing & Choice (12)

Pricing Research

Research to determine the optimal price of a product using techniques like Van Westendorp, Gabor-Granger, and Conjoint Analysis.

Van Westendorp PSM

Pricing technique using four questions to define acceptable price ranges, the optimal price, and the indifference price.

Gabor-Granger

Pricing technique measuring purchase intent at different prices to build a demand curve and calculate the optimal price.

Conjoint Analysis

Statistical methodology evaluating consumer preferences for product attribute combinations, including price.

MaxDiff

Technique identifying consumer's most and least important preferences through best-worst comparisons, with greater discrimination than Likert scales.

Willingness to Pay (WTP)

Maximum price a consumer is willing to pay for a specific product or service.

Price Elasticity

Measure of demand sensitivity to price changes: how much demand falls when price rises.

Discrete Choice Modeling

Statistical models predicting choice between discrete options, simulating consumer decision-making behavior.

Brand-Price Trade-off

Pricing methodology measuring how much price premium consumers will pay for a brand versus equivalent alternatives.

Revenue Management

Strategy for optimizing revenue by adjusting prices and availability based on predicted demand, customer segment, and timing.

Dynamic Pricing

Strategy where prices automatically adjust in real time based on supply, demand, competition, or consumer behavior.

Bundle Pricing

Strategy of packaging products or services offered together at a price lower than the sum of their individual parts.

Sampling & Methodology (15)

Online Panel

Group of pre-recruited and verified individuals who agree to periodically respond to surveys in exchange for incentives.

River Sampling

Recruitment technique where participants are invited to surveys in real time as they browse associated websites.

Probability vs. Non-Probability Sampling

Fundamental methodological distinction: probability sampling guarantees each unit has a known selection probability; non-probability does not.

Quota Sampling

Sampling technique defining how many respondents are needed from each demographic group to ensure sample representativeness.

Stratified Sampling

Probabilistic technique dividing the population into homogeneous strata and randomly selecting within each stratum.

Snowball Sampling

Qualitative technique where participants refer other participants with similar characteristics, useful for hard-to-reach populations.

Weighting (Post-stratification)

Statistical adjustment of survey data to correct imbalances between sample composition and target population.

Sample Size & Margin of Error

Number of respondents needed to obtain statistically significant results at a defined confidence level and margin of error.

Representativeness

Degree to which a survey sample accurately reflects the distribution of characteristics of the target population.

Panel Quality

Set of metrics evaluating the reliability and authenticity of respondents in an online research panel.

Attention Checks & Speeders

Trap questions and time filters to detect respondents who are not reading questions carefully, contaminating data.

Mixed Methods

Research approach combining quantitative and qualitative methods for a more complete understanding of the studied phenomenon.

Longitudinal Study

Research measuring the same variables in the same sample or population over time to detect changes and trends.

Cross-Sectional Study

Research measuring a population at a single point in time, like a 'snapshot' of the market at a given moment.

Mobile-First Survey

Survey specifically designed to be answered on smartphones, with formats adapted to small screens and touch interaction.

Statistics & Analytics (16)

Statistical Significance

Probability that an observed result is due to chance; a result is significant when that probability is less than 5% (p < 0.05).

Confidence Interval

Range of values within which the true population value is estimated to fall, with a 95% confidence level.

Regression

Statistical technique quantifying the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more predictor variables.

Multivariate Regression

Extension of regression including multiple predictor variables to understand which factors best explain a target variable.

Logistic Regression

Statistical model predicting the probability of a binary outcome (buy/don't buy, churn/no churn) based on predictor variables.

Factor Analysis

Statistical technique reducing multiple correlated variables to a smaller number of underlying latent dimensions or factors.

Cluster Analysis

Statistical technique grouping cases (consumers) with similar characteristics into mutually exclusive clusters or segments.

MMM (Marketing Mix Modeling)

Statistical model quantifying the impact of each marketing channel on sales, enabling marketing budget optimization.

MTA (Multi-Touch Attribution)

Methodology assigning conversion credit to multiple touchpoints in the consumer's digital journey before a purchase.

Bayesian Analysis

Statistical approach that updates probabilities based on new evidence, combining prior knowledge (prior) with observed data.

Driver Analysis

Statistical analysis identifying and quantifying which factors most impact a key metric like overall satisfaction, NPS, or preference.

Correspondence Analysis

Multivariate technique graphically representing relationships between categories of nominal variables in a perceptual map.

ANOVA

Statistical test comparing the means of three or more groups to determine if there are significant differences between them.

Chi-Square

Statistical test evaluating whether there is a significant association between two categorical variables in a contingency table.

Time Series Analysis

Statistical technique for analyzing chronologically ordered data, identifying trends, seasonality, and making forecasts.

Causal Inference

Statistical methodology for establishing cause-and-effect relationships between variables, beyond correlation.

Advertising & Media (10)

Ad Testing

Research evaluating the effectiveness of ads before or after airing, measuring recall, persuasion, brand linkage, and emotional response.

Pre-test & Post-test Advertising

Measurement of brand metrics before and after an advertising campaign to evaluate its incremental impact.

Recall

Consumer's ability to remember having seen a specific ad (ad recall) or to spontaneously mention a brand (brand recall).

Persuasion & Purchase Intent

Measure of how much an ad increases the consumer's willingness to buy the advertised brand.

Communication Test

Research evaluating whether a communication piece's message is understood, believed, and relevant to the target audience.

Creative Effectiveness

Comprehensive measure of how well a creative piece achieves its communication, persuasion, and brand-building objectives.

Brand Linkage

Degree to which a consumer correctly associates an ad or campaign with the advertised brand.

Likeability

Degree to which an ad is enjoyable, entertaining, or positive for the target audience.

Emotional Response

Measurement of the emotions evoked by an ad, packaging, or brand experience using declarative scales or emotion detection technology.

Eye Tracking

Technology recording where consumers' eyes look to measure visual attention in advertising, packaging, or shelves.

Retail, Shopper & Geomarketing (12)

Geomarketing

Analysis of geographic, demographic, and mobility data to optimize location, territory, and local marketing strategies.

Shopper Insights

Deep understanding of consumer behavior, motivations, and barriers in the purchase process in physical or online stores.

Shelf Test (Virtual Shelf)

Evaluation of packaging or planograms in a simulated digital shelf that replicates real store conditions.

Planogram

Visual representation of how products should be organized on a shelf or commercial space to maximize sales.

Trade Area

Geographic zone from which the majority of a store or point of sale's customers come.

Retail Audit

Systematic measurement of point-of-sale indicators: distribution, price, facings, shelf share, and display conditions.

Store Audit

Evaluation visit to stores to measure compliance with operational, image, and display standards at the point of sale.

Category Management

Strategic process managing a product category as a business unit, maximizing value for the consumer and the retailer.

Trade Marketing

Marketing strategy directed at distribution channels (retailers, distributors) to improve execution and visibility at the point of sale.

Promotional Effectiveness

Measurement of the impact of price and trade promotions on volume, profitability, and consumer behavior.

In-Store Heatmap

Visualization of traffic and attention within a store, showing which zones concentrate the greatest shopper flow or dwell time.

Footfall

Number of people visiting a store or commercial area in a given period, a key indicator of point-of-sale appeal.

Qualitative Research (10)

Focus Group

Moderated group discussion with 6-10 consumers to explore attitudes, perceptions, and reactions to a topic or stimulus.

IDI (In-Depth Interview)

45-90 minute individual interview with a consumer to deeply explore their experiences, motivations, and perspectives.

Diary Study

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Online Community / MROC

Digital platform where a selected group of consumers interact for days or weeks to co-create insights with the brand.

Projective Techniques

Indirect qualitative methods that bypass the respondent's conscious defenses to reveal deeper motivations and attitudes.

Laddering

Interview technique chaining 'why?' questions to connect product attributes with consumer benefits and personal values.

Card Sorting

Research technique where participants organize cards with concepts or categories to understand their mental models.

Co-creation Workshop

Collaborative session where consumers and internal teams work together to generate, develop, and refine product or communication ideas.

Triad Interview

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Bulletin Board

Asynchronous online research platform where participants respond to moderator questions over several days at their own pace.

Survey Design (10)

Likert Scale

5 or 7-point response scale measuring degree of agreement or disagreement with a statement.

Semantic Differential

Attitude measurement technique using pairs of opposite adjectives to capture nuanced brand or concept perceptions.

Skip Logic / Branching

Survey functionality showing or hiding questions based on respondent's previous answers, personalizing their experience.

Open vs. Closed Questions

Fundamental question type distinction: closed questions offer predefined options; open questions allow the respondent's free response.

Question Order Bias

Survey response distortion caused by the order questions are presented, activating cognitive frames that influence subsequent responses.

Acquiescence Bias

Respondents' tendency to agree with statements regardless of their content.

Social Desirability Bias

Tendencia de los encuestados a responder de forma socialmente aceptable en lugar de revelar sus actitudes o comportamientos reales.

Survey Fatigue

Degradation of response quality when a survey is too long or respondents take too many surveys too frequently.

Mobile-First Survey Design

Principles and best practices for designing questionnaires optimized for smartphone completion.

Gamified Survey

Questionnaire incorporating game elements (points, levels, narrative) to increase engagement and response quality.