Anjali Lai

The American showman P.T. Barnum understood the value of online consumer reviews well before the arrival of the internet when he said, “Nothing draws a crowd quite like a crowd.” While consumer reviews generate buzz, they stop just short of being a circus because they’ve won immense levels of consumer trust. But two of the […]

We’ve been researching values-based consumers for several years now, and conversation in the C-suite has progressed from “Are values really important?” to “How do we strategize accordingly?” But every now and then, lingering questions crop up that lead to misguided decision making around values. Here are two common misconceptions — and why they are wrong. […]

My parents were recently gifted their first Amazon Echo — and as you might guess, I’ve been thrilled to observe first-hand how a household of relative tech Luddites responds to the device. Delighted fascination, tempered by security concerns, drives these Baby Boomers to test the depth of Alexa’s knowledge by asking one-off random questions. My […]

I’ve just returned from a trip through India where I had the opportunity to experience the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai. One of the most gripping aspects, even beyond the impressive design and meticulous customer service, is the property’s history: The story of how one man’s personal endeavor yielded a global brand that’s iconic […]

From introducing popular features that appeal to young users to designing entirely new platforms exclusive to youth, social networks are fighting to engage teens. But social media’s pursuit of teens is precarious. On the one hand, teens represent a valuable segment: They are exceptionally receptive to social networks, with over half of US online 12- […]

Let’s face it: We all know the feeling of logging into a social networking site and reacting with myriad emotions ranging from intrigue and delight to shock and shame. And no matter how hard we try to limit our time on social media or pull away – we just can’t bring ourselves to disconnect. Why […]

Thanks to the rise of empowered consumers, products and experiences that once seemed improbable, such as (literally) instant delivery, are now integral to our lives. But this era of innovation has also seen its fair share of flops: From Pokémon Go to Google Glass, technologies that looked like promising disrupters stalled quickly or generated more […]

Microsoft Paint would have died a slow, quiet death if it hadn’t been for this week’s swell of voices on social media advocating for its revival. On Wednesday, Microsoft issued a press release announcing that it wouldn’t discontinue the Paint app in the wake of users’ “outpouring of support and nostalgia” for the product. Microsoft’s […]

The many automated “out of office” messages that return when I send emails each day are a sure sign that summer vacations are in full swing. Whether people are enjoying life unplugged or preparing for a seasonal destination, one topic seems to dominate thoughts and conversations: the leisure getaway. The conversation that occurs between friends […]

I’ve spent the past few weeks traveling around Europe, and during my trip, I became keenly aware of how much I rely on my phone to connect me with the physical world – especially when navigating unfamiliar streets. But as I strolled through major cities and charming countryside towns, I passed groups of locals and […]

Recent incidents remind us that knowledge is power. Earlier this week, US President Trump shared classified information with foreign delegates — and by doing so, he potentially declassified it. When The Washington Post exposed the headline first, the article became the most viewed digital news story in the publication’s history. This comes only a few […]

If Thursday morning’s controversial tweet from McDonald’s is any indication, brands are no longer safe. I’m not just talking about the threat of a data breach or hack — I’m talking about the threat of consumers who force brands to expose their ethics and beliefs or remain at the mercy of consumer perception and interpretation […]

I love watching the annual Academy Awards — not only for the fashion show and blunders exposed on live TV but also to learn about how content resonates with audiences today and how cinema is evolving. In a world where people frequently face information overload and crave smaller bites (and bytes) of content, I’ve often […]

Happy 2017! Settling in to the New Year often renews hope and excitement for the future, and rekindles anticipation for the brands, products, and experiences on the horizon. This year, it’s hard to think about imminent innovations without considering a modern imperative that is rapidly moving to the forefront of conversation: customer empathy. We are […]

The holidays have a way of bringing people together in more ways than one – and every holiday season I’m reminded of just how universal the power of human emotion is. Regardless of lifestyle, background, and world view, people everywhere are truly emotional beings, moved by fundamental feelings of joy and sadness, hope and fear, […]

Here in Boston, we are at a precious moment in the year: The early onset of cool, dark evenings sets the stage for the imminent holiday season — but doesn’t eclipse the warmth of the autumn sun quite yet. As the seasons change, we have a few rare days of mild weather that I can’t […]

If you follow my blog regularly, you already know that I love to travel. And while I’ve had my fair share of travel hiccups (missed flight connections, last-minute assignments to the dreaded middle seat, lost luggage – you name it), I’ve always glossed over these snafus and accepted the fact that traveling inevitably comes with […]

Consumers in Asia Pacific are in the midst of a digital transformation. Within the past decade, online penetration in China grew from 8% to 54%, while mobile internet access grew more than sevenfold. Today, the rate of customer evolution is gaining speed, as consumers are increasingly willing to experiment with new products, rely on devices, […]

Charles Dickens once wrote that: “Change begets change. Nothing propagates so fast.” In today’s evolving marketplace, where innovators are setting new customer expectations and companies are racing to meet rising demands, Dickens’ words ring true. The first step on a company’s path to thriving in this environment is understanding customers accurately – specifically, identifying how […]