Z-Files

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman has a knack for using metaphor to simplify (or, some might argue, over-simplify) complex global issues. On Sunday, he used the metaphor of an…

Jennifer Barba from our ZMET Global Partner Frame Consulting in Mexico City passed this along some weeks ago but it remains relevant. We often hear “insights” about human thought in…

I initially saw this article about the Ice Bucket Challenge on the blog of Olson Zaltman's global partner, TMRC in China. The campaign has been incredibly successful and has raised…

Here is a lesson in corporate strategy from Radio Shack. As the article mentions, this should be a Harvard Business School case -- how a once dominant firm missed some…

I have become mildly obsessed with the concept of gamification. Here’s a great example from a start-up called Peloton. Exercising at home is dreadfully boring. People start out with good…

Even the most seemingly tangible things are subjective. This article describes how sensory perception is different based on language and culture. For example, English speakers tend to have a very…

When I was in grad school one of my older classmates made a condescending, elitist remark about not knowing who Jay-Z was. This was when Jay-Z was fairly fresh on…

Evolutionary psychologist Steven Pinker gives an RSA talk on what our everyday language reveals about us and our relationships.

The New York Times yesterday featured an article on Mason jars. It was an article that ties very closely to our recent research on Millennials and the handmade movement. Ball…

Jennifer Barba from ZMET Global Partner Frame Consulting in Mexico City has passed along an article that says a lot about our culture -- specifically, the intersection of technology and…

The latest issue of Olson Zaltman's newsletter Deep Dives features insights from a ZMET study on Millennials and a market researcher's guide to implicit techniques.

The New York Times highlights a potentially brilliant use of consumer insight by the Ohio Lottery. Its new campaign focuses not on the excitement of winning but on the joy…