Studio by buzzback Celebrates Qualitative Research Innovation with 2025 GRIT Top 50 Recognition

We're thrilled to share that buzzback, Studio's parent company, has once again been recognized on the 2025 GRIT Top 50 list—this time with our strongest showing yet in qualitative research innovation.

buzzback ranked #2 among the Most Innovative Qualitative Research Suppliers, #25 among the Most Innovative Suppliers overall, and #12 among the Most Innovative Full-Service Suppliers. While we're proud of all three rankings, the #2 spot in qualitative research means the most to us—it reflects over two decades of commitment to making research more accessible, rigorous, and impactful.

→Read the full GRIT 2025 Top 50 report.

What the GRIT Top 50 Measures

For those unfamiliar, the Greenbook Research Industry Trends (GRIT) Report is the industry's definitive benchmark for innovation in market research. Each year, insights professionals worldwide vote to recognize the suppliers pushing the boundaries of what's possible in research methodologies, technology, and client service.

Being recognized as the #2 Most Innovative Qualitative Research Supplier means the insights community sees us as a leading force in evolving how qualitative research gets done—from methodology to access to execution.

A Legacy of Innovation in Qualitative Research

For over 24 years, buzzback has been at the forefront of qualitative research innovation. The team pioneered creative methodologies and tools that helped brands understand their audiences at deeper levels—from developing groundbreaking projective techniques like eCollage™ to launching tech-enabled solutions that made qual research faster and more accessible.

This recognition in the 2025 GRIT Top 50 reaffirms buzzback's commitment to challenging the status quo in qualitative research and delivering meaningful impact for clients. But it's not just about what we've done—it's about where we're headed.

Studio: Reimagining Access to Expert Qualitative Research

This innovative spirit is the driving force behind Studio by buzzback, the qualitative research marketplace that's redefining how qual research gets done.

Traditional qualitative research often means navigating a complex vendor landscape: finding the right moderator through personal networks, coordinating across multiple platforms, managing recruitment separately, and waiting 6-8 weeks from kickoff to insights. For many insights teams, this friction means running fewer qual projects than they'd like—or skipping qual research entirely when timelines are tight.

Studio solves this by making expert qualitative research as accessible as it should be.

How Studio Brings Innovation to Qualitative Research

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Vetted Expert Moderators in One Marketplace

Studio connects research buyers with 50+ vetted qualitative moderators across industries and specializations. Each moderator has transparent portfolios, verified client reviews, and clear category expertise. No more moderator roulette or relying solely on personal networks.

Integrated Workflow, Faster Timelines

What used to take 6-8 weeks now happens in 10-12 days. Studio integrates everything—moderator selection, questionnaire approval, participant recruitment through premium partners like User Interviews and enabling flexible approaches through Recollective and Discuss, and final deliverables—in one centralized platform.

Quality Without the Traditional Agency Markup

Studio provides access to the same caliber of expert moderators you'd find at top research agencies, without the overhead and markup. This means insights teams can run more qualitative research within existing budgets.

Built by Researchers, for Researchers

Studio wasn't built by engineers trying to "disrupt" research. It was built by researchers who lived the pain points of traditional qual research procurement and coordination. We understand what matters because we've been there.

Innovation Grounded in What Matters Most

As we continue innovating in qualitative research methodologies and access models, we remain grounded in what has always mattered most: human expertise and genuine consumer understanding.

Technology should enhance qualitative research, not replace the human connection that makes it valuable. Studio uses technology to eliminate friction in the research process—finding moderators, coordinating logistics, managing timelines—so that researchers can focus on what they do best: uncovering the insights that drive better decisions.

This is the innovation that the GRIT recognition celebrates: making rigorous, expert-led qualitative research accessible to insights teams of all sizes, without sacrificing the depth and nuance that makes qual research invaluable.

What's Next for Qualitative Research

The insights industry is evolving rapidly. AI-moderated interviews, asynchronous video platforms, and automated analysis tools are changing how some research gets done. But we believe the future of qualitative research isn't about choosing between AI and human expertise—it's about knowing when each approach serves the research question best.

Studio's approach reflects this philosophy. We're innovating on access and efficiency while keeping expert human moderators at the center of the work. Because when you need to understand the "why" behind consumer behavior, when cultural nuance matters, when emotional complexity shapes decisions, human expertise is irreplaceable.

Thank You to the Insights Community

This recognition isn't just about the work we've done, it's about the incredible partnerships we've built with clients, peers, and the broader research community who challenge and inspire us every day.

Innovation in qualitative research is a collaborative effort. We're honored to be recognized among so many trailblazers shaping the future of insights, and we're grateful to the insights professionals who trust Studio with their most important research questions.

At Studio, we share buzzback's commitment to innovation in qualitative research and are proud to carry that torch forward. While buzzback's full-service consultancy continues to set the standard in comprehensive insights solutions, Studio is charting new territory by offering a flexible, expert-led marketplace that meets the needs of today's fast-paced insights teams.

Thank you to the GRIT community, our clients, our incredible moderator network, and our team for helping make this achievement possible.

Here's to continuing to push the boundaries of what's possible in qualitative research, together.

Ready to experience the innovation that earned Studio recognition as a top qualitative research supplier?

Book a demo to see how Studio works →

About the GRIT Report

The Greenbook Research Industry Trends (GRIT) Report is published twice annually and represents the collective voice of the insights industry. The Top 50 Most Innovative Suppliers list is determined by votes from insights professionals worldwide, recognizing the companies driving innovation in research methodologies, technology, and service delivery.

About Studio by buzzback

Studio is a qualitative research marketplace that connects insights teams with expert moderators and premium research tools in one integrated platform. Built by researchers who understood the friction in traditional qual research procurement, Studio makes expert qualitative research accessible, efficient, and high-quality. Studio is backed by buzzback, a leader in insights innovation for over 24 years.

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