Interview With James Turner of Delineate

For years we have predicted the convergence of the market research and data analytics sectors and assumed that would give rise to new business models for a slew of emerging suppliers. That prediction came true a while back with companies like AbsolutData, Signal, and Black Swan (just to name a few) moving purposefully into the traditional MR space with offerings that leverage a “data agnostic” approach to advanced analytics using AI and ML predictive technology coupled with a consultative layer to help buyers take action on those predictions. This approach is fundamentally different from the traditional MR focus on data collection methodology and descriptive/prescriptive analytics; in this new world data is only viewed as useful in that is helps to drive answers to the business question, and the provenance of that data is secondary to it’s usefulness. Attitudinal data plays a role, but it very well may be secondary (or even tertiary) to behavioral, intrinsic, social, or sales data.

And that brings us to today’s interview with James (JT) Turner, CEO of delineate.

Delineate is very much on the leading edge of this new Analytics Tech-led supplier wave, leveraging AI and multiple sources to inform a real-time intelligence stream to guide decision making. Here is how they describe themselves:

“Delineate has one simple mission: to deliver real time data and rich customer and audience insight to marketers and communicators. We cut to the chase by blending the best of always on opinion research, data science and artificial intelligence to provide solutions for real world marketing and communication challenges.”

They have also been snapping up talent left and right, pulling in industry heavyweights like Ben Leet from YouGov as Chief Customer Officer and Jeff McDonald of System One Group as CEO of Americas. In short, delineate is growing rapidly and pulling in the talent to drive the business in the future.

Just as they are re-inventing the paradigm for insights & analytics firms, JT also has an unorthodox background as an engineer focused on analytics who got his start working with sales and behavioral data at IRI before steadily parlaying that experience into transformational roles with many firms; JT has held senior management positions at Black Swan Data, was Chief Operating Officer in Europe at Edelman Berland, the strategic insights division of Edelman. Prior to Edelman, he worked at BT, ICM, and FreshMinds. He is also a delight to chat with; friendly, witty and very engaging.

In this interview, JT and I explore this rapidly developing new segment of the market, discuss what is driving the shift and how delineate is different. Delineate and the other companies in this space are growing rapidly amidst the chaos of 2020 and will be exerting tremendous competitive pressure on the rest of the research space in the coming years; after listening to my chat with JT I think you’ll understand why.

Here is the interview; enjoy!