Conversations with corporate researchers

Nina Guest 

Manager, Consumer Insights, Olive Garden  

How does your love of cooking shows like the Great British Baking Show influence your work in consumer insights? 

I will admit, I watch many different types of food shows not just baking ones, though the Great British Baking Show is my favorite. I also love Top Chef, No Reservations and The Final Table. I feel like watching these shows is a way to explore the world through how people cook and what they like to eat. Since I have the privilege of providing insights in the food industry, it is a great way for me to stay grounded in what people find comforting to eat, which evolves over time – and in contrast, which foods are new or innovative. Now that cooking shows are more mainstream, they can influence what foods emerge for the consumer as well. While indulging my passion for cooking and food I am also increasing my awareness of food trends so I can share with others. 

What new methodology do you see yourself leveraging in the next year? 

Though not new to the space, I am interested in real-time surveying via mobile. I feel like the targeting technology has gotten to the place where reaching broader populations is now more feasible. The prospect of getting nearly immediate answers to polls and targeting consumers as they are actively engaging with the brand has great potential to augment other methods.

Of all the market segments you’ve researched throughout your career, is there one that seems more open to participating in the research process than others?  

Generally speaking, I find moms of school-age kids to be the most open to giving their opinions to brands. As a mom, I am encouraged that parenting is a much more open topic these days. From blogs that give great tips on parenting hacks and lifestyle advice to honest conversations on social media about parenting challenges and solutions, moms often share to help others. Communicating with brands is part of this paradigm. This group is actively participating to share their thoughts and experiences to shape brand strategies that fit their needs. 

What excites you about coming to work each day? 

Every day is an adventure and an opportunity to make an impact. It is exciting that every day is different, based on the current topics at hand and methodologies being utilized. Finding the best way to answer a question is always a great challenge, especially given all of the new tools in research. In addition, I believe that consumer insights is in a unique position to enable the voice of the consumer to be amplified and incorporated into business decisions in a very real way. My work is always meaningful and has a direct correlation to the bottom line. Given one of my passions is cooking, working at a restaurant company and with food is enjoyable for me.