The challenge 

In an AI-driven world, where generic content is easier than ever to produce, authentic human perspectives have become increasingly valuable in creating content that genuinely stands out and captures attention.

A leading brand and reputation consultancy approached IDR when they needed to recruit highly specialized experts for a client brand project with tight timelines. While they had traditionally relied on conventional research approaches, they were looking for a faster, more efficient way to access often niche senior decision-makers and unlock richer qualitative insights globally.

The solution 

IDR successfully sourced and delivered highly specialized experts for every client brief in half the time of traditional research approaches, connecting the consultancy with niche, senior decision-makers who would typically be difficult to reach.

The research process was also significantly streamlined through IDR's platform, giving the consultancy a single portal where they could access expert profiles, interview recordings, transcripts and live project updates. This improved transparency, reduced reliance on lengthy email chains and spreadsheets and enabled seamless collaboration with their dedicated Client Services Manager.

Projects overview:  

Four projects completed successfully over three months that required access to a range of senior, hard-to-reach, personas – from CISOs to CFOs; heads of payments to HR directors.

The projects spanned EMEA, APAC and the US.

The outcome 

What started as a single engagement has evolved into an ongoing partnership. By combining expert recruitment with an intuitive research platform, faster project delivery and a collaborative service model, IDR has become a trusted extension of the consultancy's research team.

The chief client officer shared, “This is now our fourth project with IDR, and the experience has consistently exceeded our expectations. One of the biggest strengths is the quality of the insights we receive. The in-depth interviews provide rich, qualitative perspectives that are difficult to replicate through other research methods.

Also, the IDR platform has been a real differentiator. Having expert profiles, interview recordings, transcripts and project updates in one place has enabled faster decision-making and seamless collaboration with our dedicated client services manager throughout each project.”