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098 | Paul Thomas | Good vs. Bad Market Research: From Bars to Boardrooms | Suntory Global Spirits

In this return appearance on the Maffeo Drinks podcast, Paul Thomas, whom host Chris Maffeo dubs "the king of insights," shares wisdom on how to escape the marketing "ivory tower" and understand real consumer behavior.

Paul advocates for marketers to personally observe products in various venues rather than relying solely on data.

The conversation examines how brands should adopt occasion-based marketing over demographic targeting, striking a balance between aspirational positioning and pragmatic distribution strategies.

Paul critiques the research industry's shift toward "faster and cheaper" methodologies at the expense of quality, encouraging brands to conduct fewer but better studies.

The episode concludes with advice on creating an "insight ecosystem" that balances qualitative observations with quantitative data, emphasizing the value of curiosity in understanding how consumers interact with drink brands in different contexts.


Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction to Maffeo Drinks Podcast

00:19 Welcoming Back a Special Guest

01:00 Diving into Key Topics

02:00 Understanding Consumer Insights

05:46 The Reality of Market Segmentation

07:57 Strategies for Brand Placement

14:09 The Importance of Research

31:56 Balancing Qualitative and Quantitative Data

36:18 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up

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About the Podcast

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The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast
Brands Are Built Bottom-up.

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About your host

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Chris Maffeo

With 20 years of experience working for some of the biggest drinks brands across 30+ markets, I've developed a unique understanding of how brands grow in today's market.
Now, I help drinks brands build sustainable growth through bottom-up demand creation.
My methodology focuses on how brand demand spreads - from initial venue adoption to international expansion.
I teach brands how to create, convert, and sustain demand across the three critical stages of growth: from one bottle to one case to one pallet.
My expertise lies in understanding how brands grow through genuine advocacy, from bar to bar, city to city, and building foundations that enable natural scaling.
Through consulting, training, and speaking engagements, I help brands:
• Build sustainable demand from the ground up
• Systematize their approach to building brands city by city
• Navigate the path from local success to international growth
• Develop strategies based on occasions rather than demographics