We write for the Insights Association: From Super Bowl buzz to insight that drives decisions

“Research creates value only when it informs a decision. Until then, it remains potential.” In her recent article for the Insights Association, our Regional Engagement Director Keri Vermaak uses the Super Bowl’s high-stakes advertising moment to spotlight a quieter truth: the ads everyone debates on Monday are rarely won or lost in those 30 seconds, they’re shaped by the insight preparation behind them.

Keri notes that while the public conversation focuses on storytelling and entertainment, the strategic question is more enduring: “Did the work connect with the intended audience in a way that strengthens the brand and advances business goals?” That same standard applies to every campaign, launch and sponsorship decision teams make throughout the year, especially in a marketing environment that “operates at a continuous pace.”

Moving from “handover” to shared discovery

One of Keri’s key themes is that insights shouldn’t be treated as a one-time delivery. As she puts it, “One persistent habit in our industry is treating insights as a delivery.” A study ends, a deck gets shared, and organizations hope action follows. But impact increases when stakeholders can interrogate the data themselves; when they can “explore trends over time, compare segments or examine performance shifts” and participate in discovery rather than receive conclusions secondhand.

What enables action (not just reporting)

Keri outlines practical building blocks that help organizations consistently translate insight into decisions, including:

• “A harmonized data foundation that creates a single, trusted view across markets and waves”
• “Clear, consistent protocols that allow results to be compared confidently over time”
• “Tools that surface meaningful patterns quickly, without requiring advanced technical skills”
• “Space for analysts to focus on interpretation and strategic guidance rather than repetitive reporting tasks”

The payoff is better alignment. When teams have shared visibility and consistent standards, insight functions can shift from administrative output to strategic partnership.

Confidence under pressure is built before the moment arrives

Keri frames the Super Bowl as a useful metaphor because the pressure is real and the judgment is immediate. But “confidence under pressure is rarely the result of a last-minute analysis.” It comes from having an insight environment that helps teams “see clearly, question intelligently and act decisively.” The spectacle may be brief; the system behind it determines whether it delivers lasting value.

Read Keri Vermaak’s full piece, What the Super Bowl Reveals About the Real Value of Insight, on the Insights Association blog here: https://www.insightsassociation.org/News-Updates/Articles/ArticleID/2524/What-the-Super-Bowl-Reveals-About-the-Real-Value-of-Insight