Consumer Paradoxes and Market Shifts with J. Walker Smith of Kantar

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks with J. Walker Smith , Knowledge Lead at Kantar . They discuss shifting consumer sentiments, the paradox of strong spending amid uncertainty and changes in market insights. Key Takeaways: (02:14) Experience in trends and futures at Kantar aids in predicting consumer values. (04:37) Consumer spending is strong, but sentiment is recessionary amid uncertainty. (07:57) Consumers seek familiarity and reassurance from brands over novelty. (10:55) Consumers prefer brands focused on well-being and personalization. (13:55) Gen Z prioritizes mental health and values digital convenience. (17:20) Gen Z’s tech-driven shopping requires marketing to algorithms. (19:33) Curating market data to refine key insights and filter noise. (21:48) AI will automate research tasks, shifting insights to focus on growth. (25:36) Future insights roles will prioritize strategic growth over pure research. Resources Mentioned: Kantar Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to

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Consumer Paradoxes and Market Shifts with J. Walker Smith of Kantar is an episode from Data Gurus by Sima Vasa.

This episode is 27:32 long.

This episode was published on Jul 15, 2025.

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