In the world of consumer insights, the word “insight” gets thrown around a lot but what does it really mean?
To explore this timeless question, we sat down with Stan Sthanunathan. With over 40 years in the consumer insights industry, Stan has seen the landscape evolve, shift and redefine itself many times over.
🤔 “Ask 40 people what an insight is and you’ll get 40 different answers. Ask over 40 years, and you’ll get 400.”
According to Stan, this lack of a shared definition is part of the challenge.
📖 A simple but powerful definition
Amidst all the ambiguity, Stan offers a definition that cuts through the noise:
“An insight is anything that is retrospectively self-evident.”
At first, it sounds like a contradiction. How can something be obvious only after it’s revealed? That’s exactly the power of a true insight. When you hear it, your first reaction is “of course, that’s obvious” but then ask yourself “did I know this before it was pointed out?”. If the answer is no, then you’ve encountered a real insight.
⚖️ Not all insights are equal
It’s important to make a distinction: not everything that sounds interesting qualifies as an insight. If it doesn’t drive a business outcome, then it’s just an observation or a fact – not something that will move the needle.
💪 The rarity and power of true insights
Stan points out that true transformational insights are rare. You might only find one or two a year but when you do uncover one of those rare gems:
Nourish it, cherish it and act on it.
As these are the insights that spark real, meaningful business transformation.
Want to learn more?
🎥 Watch the video
