312.544.0721

hello@ahzul.com

Keep scrolling down to learn more about AHZUL

01

07

We find inspiration in culture to advance the
way brands connect with consumers.

why?

Because we believe that research shouldn’t just inform... It should actually INSPIRE.

o

r

u

we
inform

we
provoke

we
inspire

Qualitative &
Quantitative

We do straight-forward market research well, but it’s not what makes us unique.

imagination

To spring-board
from “Inform” to
“Provoke” we tap
into this key value.

Storytelling
& Design

Interpretation, narratives, storytelling frameworks, & information design are at the core of what we do at AHZUL and what we are currently known for.

courage

To spring-board
from “Provoke” to
“Inspire” we tap
into this key value.

Strategy +
Motivated Action

This is our WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO – to not just inform and provoke, but to inspire our clients so that they in return are inspired to act – either to make brands more relevant to consumers, win market share, and/or enter new markets.

02

07

our ethos
& work

our
mission

to inspire permeates
everything we do.

From client & consumer interactions, to research methodologies &
deliverables, to thought
leadership POVs, to
self-sourced research
initiatives.

projects

We believe visualization plays a key role in making insights come to life.

03

07

o

clie

ur

nts

We attract clients who subscribe to the idea of inspired insight generation and who look for a partner to truly join them in that journey.

Our pursuit of inspiration has not been limited to any one industry, client type, consumer base, company size or geographic location. We simply love to take on work that allows us to put our manifesto into practice.

04

07

t

our
eam

A cast of characters that includes a former Northwestern attorney turned researcher, a previous big company VP who was lured into the independent shop world, a past Nestle insights manager, a Wharton School of Business grad, talented bicultural & bilingual moderators & analysts, and a team of designers that believe information can be beautiful.

In addition to our leadership, our team is comprised of a highly sophisticated group of professionals (some internal & some strategically-chosen partners), who share our mission to inspire & our passion to uncover insights. We choose the talent for each project to be a 'perfect fit' - to our clients' styles, needs & personalities.

cast of

characters

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Johana

Principal

Miguel

Principal

Patricia

SVP Qual Studio

Shannon

SVP Quant Studio

Holly

SVP Strategy Studio

Tommy

EVP Insights

Roben

Strategic Marketing | Research Consulting

Maitreyee

Asian Indian Lead & Moderator

Lynn

Field Director

Nick

VP Qual Studio

Ingrid

VP of Qualitative

Danielle

VP Qual Studio

Sebas

SVP Design Studio

Maria

VP Quant Studio

Lyle

Senior Quantitative Analyst

Alini

Senior Research Strategist

Leo

Senior Quantitative Analyst

Natalia

VP Design Studio

Joann

Art Director

Oskar

Information Designer

JuanFe

Director Operations Studio

Ana Maria

Senior Market Research Analyst

Sofía

Senior Market Research Analyst

Aneske

Junior Market Research Analyst

Karla

Quantitative Analyst

Juliana

Operations Analyst

Gregorio

Junior Research Analyst

Alf

Accounting & Operations

Rosie

Executive Assistant

05

07

our

serv

ices

We are a full-service, certified 100% minority-owned & 50% female-owned research firm that provides services to brands who are looking to be culturally relevant to connect with consumers.

At Ahzul, we specialize in ad-hoc projects that are truly tailored to our clients' needs. We don't believe in pre- established, cookie-cutter, formulaic solutions. Because we get that each client is unique (and so is each project), we tailor our portfolio of services accordingly.

s

e

r

v

i

c

e

s

segmentation

brand
development

cultural
explorations

foundational
research

our
services

Our team
has been
involved in...

communications development &
testing

new product
innovation

market
opportunity
assessments

usage & attitude
studies

1

2

3

4

visual

We use information design to help unearth and distill the most salient insights for maximum impact.

strategy

Be it in the form of an internal ideation session or a stakeholder in-person session, we focus on how the insights can inspire go-to-market strategies.

creative

Ahzul-led ideation sessions with exercises meant to use consumer insights as an inspiration input for creative development.

cultural

A Total Market approach developed for U.S. brands who are looking to strengthen their offerings & communications via cross-cultural inspiration.

isb

inspiration
spring-boarding™

o

q

ur

ual

  • Ethnographies

  • Shop-along & Dine-alongs

  • Affinity Groups

  • Friendship Sessions

  • Gallery Style Sessions

  • Party Groups

  • Online Platforms & Communities

  • Focus Groups

  • Dyads / Triads / Quads

  • One-on-Ones

  • Car Clinics (Moderation & Analysis)

  • Expert Interviews

  • Mock Shelf & Shopping Sessions

  • Interviews in Unique Settings

our
quant

  • U&A

  • Market Sizing

  • Segmentations

  • Brand Equity

  • Price & Demand Elasticity

  • Concept Testing

  • Ad Testing

  • CART

  • TURF

  • Tracking

  • Qualistics™

06

07

POVs &

news

our

POVs

we think of
ourselves as
thought leaders...

and as a team, we strive to come up with relevant POVs that interest (and challenge) our clients.

At Ahzul, we love what we do. We are curious & passionate about people, culture & what that means for business.

And we become so invested in our work that we keep thinking about the implications way past project completion.

Furthering our mission to INSPIRE, our team continuously comes up with Points of View (POVs) on different subject matters & industries. Below are some of our more recent examples.

The trillion dollar blindspot.

Shining a light on the ever-evolving LGBTQIA+ audience.

(click on thumbnail to get downloadable pdf).

Evolving the framework for exploring culture in research.

How research needs to shift to keep up with our understanding of culture.

(click on thumbnail to get downloadable pdf).

Building empathy for deeper insights.

Why gaining an empathetic understanding in research matters, and how to get there.

(click on thumbnail to get downloadable pdf).

Reaching the Unbanked.

Barriers, opportunities, and the impact of COVID-19 on the unbanked.

(click on thumbnail to get downloadable pdf).

Building affinity with multicultural & LGBTQ+ consumers.

Insights from Ahzul's Multicultural Brand Affinity Study.

(click on thumbnail to get downloadable pdf).

A Guide to Sample Size.

Determining the right sample size for your study.

(click on thumbnail to get downloadable pdf).

Gen Z - what drives their beliefs.

A surprising exploration of Gen Z - who they are, what they believe, and how they compare to other generations.

(click on thumbnail to get downloadable pdf).

Getting the most out of segmentation.

A guide for planning, developing and executing a successful segmentation study.

(click on thumbnail to get downloadable pdf).

Trudy’s wristwatch and the battery that never died.

Time, rituals and prosperity, a reflection on changing times.

(click on thumbnail to get downloadable pdf).

Business Opportunities in the Face of COVID-19.

A look at how reduced spending on public leisure activities during COVID-19 might drive growth in other categories.

(click on thumbnail to get downloadable pdf).

Language, culture & why sometimes people feel like they are having parallel conversations.

A discussion on the connections between culture & language, and what is considered persuasive in the Hispanic v. General market spaces.

(click on thumbnail to get downloadable pdf).

Our take on total market as a circuitry of inspiration.

Our POV on what Total Market is, what it is not, and how if done well, it can inspire bigger, better & more strategic insights.

(click on thumbnail to get downloadable pdf).

A POV on how hope can overcome predictability.

In the 2018 Word Cup, unlikely teams full of hope emerged while “predictable” teams were knocked out in early stages.

(click on thumbnail to get downloadable pdf).

Branding Lessons from The Godfather.

A cultural view of building emotional connections with consumers based on linguistic theory and perceptual reality.

(click on thumbnail to get downloadable pdf).

news

07

07

contact

Chicago

Headquartered in CHICAGO, our team is as diverse geographically as it is culturally

To get to know us better...

Call us at 312.544.0721
Drop us a line at hello@ahzul.com
Request a copy of our full
capabilities.

312.544.0721
We find inspiration in culture to advance the way brands connect with consumers.

why?

Because we believe that research shouldn’t just inform... It should actually INSPIRE.

o

r

u

we
inform

Qualitative & Quantitative
We do straight-forward market research well, but it’s not what makes us unique.
imagination
To spring-board from “Inform” to “Provoke” we tap into this key value.

we
provoke

Storytelling & Design
Interpretation, narratives, storytelling frameworks, & information design are at the core of what we do at AHZUL and what we are currently known for.
courage
To spring-board from “Provoke” to “Inspire” we tap into this key value.

we
inspire

Strategy + Motivated Action
This is our WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO – to not just inform and provoke, but to inspire our clients so that they in return are inspired to act – either to make brands more relevant to consumers, win market share, and/or enter new markets.

our ethos
& work

our
mission

to inspire permeates
everything we do.

From client & consumer interactions, to research methodologies & deliverables, to thought leadership POVs, to self-sourced research initiatives.

projects

We believe visualization plays a key role in making insights come to life.
Performance Vehicle Conceptual Deep Dive
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
International Soccer Tournament Ad Performance
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Olympics Media Planning
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Cultural Codes & Truck Ownership: Qualitative Deep Dive
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Luxury Opportunity Finder: Category Exploration
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Pharma CPG Marketing Effectiveness
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Qual+Quant Opportunity Assessment
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Market Opportunity Assessment + Storytelling
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
CPG Exploration + Cultural Modeling: Ethnographic Deep Dive
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Millennial Shopper Insights
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Olympics: Cultural Frameworks + Media Opportunity Mapping
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Competitive Analysis
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Ideation & Concept Creation: Untapped Opportunities Around Mobility
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Brand Health Modeling
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
New Concept & Attribute Mapping
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Brand Equity and Performance Indicators
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Competitive GAP and SWOT
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Relevance of U.S. Brand Marketing in Int’l Arena
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Technology Patterns Infographic
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Size of Prize Analysis
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Target Exploration & Category Mapping
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)
Cultural Frameworks in Social Media
(Data omitted/changed due to proprietary reasons)

o

clie

ur

nts

We attract clients who subscribe to the idea of inspired insight generation and who look for a partner to truly join them in that journey.
Our pursuit of inspiration has not been limited to any one industry, client type, consumer base, company size or geographic location. We simply love to take on work that allows us to put our manifesto into practice.

our
team

cast of

characters

A cast of characters that includes a former Northwestern attorney turned researcher, a previous big company VP who was lured into the independent shop world, a past Nestle insights manager, a Wharton School of Business grad, talented bicultural & bilingual moderators & analysts, and a team of designers that believe information can be beautiful.

Johana

Johana M. Gomez
Principal
Johana is a rare breed. A Northwestern lawyer turned qualitative storyteller, Johana channels her analytical skills, curiosity & passion to understanding ethos, people & business strategy_

Miguel

Miguel Gomez Winebrenner
Principal
Miguel believes things can always be done better. His mission is to use insights as a tool to inspire brands to continually innovate and truly connect with consumers_

Patricia

Patricia Cardenas
SVP Qual Studio
After graduating from Wharton, Patricia got the research bug. As our VP of Qual, she now applies her business background to exploring the ties between consumers, brands & culture_

Shannon

Shannon Saunders
SVP Quant Studio
Shannon is a consultant at heart. As a career-long quantitative researcher, she enjoys building programs that deliver the insights clients need to make meaningful decisions_

Holly

Holly Mourgues
SVP Strategy Studio
Holly's mission is to unearth powerful cultural, brand, and human insights that drive attention and business results for clients, which she did for years in advertising agencies, then as a consultant, and now at Ahzul_

Tommy

Tommy Stinson
EVP Insights
Tommy is an anthropologist who left academia over 20 years ago to dive head-first into consumer culture. He's been an insights addict ever since, studying people and culture all over the world, from dentists in the US to coffee fanatics in Mexico to mid-day snackers in India_

Roben

Roben Allong
Strategic Marketing | Research Consulting
Roben Allong is a market research consultant with over a decade of marketing, consumer trend analysis, and moderating experience. Lightspeed Research_

Maitreyee

Maitreyee Angelo
Asian Indian Lead & Moderator
26 years in consumer research comprise in-depth experience in project implementation, moderating, analysis and reporting. Angelo Associates_

Lynn

Lynn Gutstein
Field Director
Lynn is the type of person you want on your team – creative, responsive & an expert in fielding even the toughest projects_

Nick

Nicolas Trillos
VP Qual Studio
Nicolás or “Nick” as he’s known to some of our clients, recently emerged from Millward Brown to do what he does best - Qual_

Ingrid

Ingrid Riley
VP of Qualitative
Ingrid's specialization lies in ethnographic, qualitative and trend research, where she is on a constant search to challenge research techniques, never settling in the hunt for consumer truths. She is thrilled to be part of the Ahzul team_

Danielle

Danielle Ramirez
VP Qual Studio
Danielle joins Ahzul with many years of experience in market research and advertising, with specific expertise in the Hispanic Market. She also has undergraduate and graduate degrees in economics from the University of Southern California_

Sebas

Sebastian Angarita
SVP Design Studio
Sebas is Ahzul’s Lead Designer and brings unparalleled passion and inspiration to information design and visualization_

Maria

Maria Londoño
VP Quant Studio
A wide experience in market research together with a deep analytical mindset give Mari a perfect approach to her responsability in the Quant Studio. Her multicultural outlook is an added value evaluating projects from different perspectives_

Lyle

Lyle Personette
Senior Quantitative Analyst
Lyle is our data whisperer… solving the puzzles in our datasets provide clients with deeper insights. His passion for analytics, GIS mapping, and demographics is only exceeded by his love of music, food, and family_

Alini

Alini Walker
Senior Research Strategist
Alini is an avid research strategist with a passion for media and pop culture. Her love for understanding "Why?" led her to consumer insights research. In her free time, she's at her local roller rink skating the night away_

Leo

Leonardo Moreno
Senior Quantitative Analyst
Leonardo is passionate about market research. He is an Industrial Engineer with more than 20 years of experience in marketing. He is a born quantitative analyst who delves into every figure to generate the best strategies for each project. He defines himself as a happy person and willing to help others_

Natalia

Natalia Romero
VP Design Studio
Natalia is passionate about making design a core capability. Her commitment and resilience, harness the power of design to create positive impact and inspire_

Joann

Joann Triana
Art Director
Creator of new and different graphic mixtures that arouse reactions of visual pleasure. ‘Life taster’, ninja enthusiast and lover of La Vie en Rose and any other french cliché_

Oskar

Oskar Martinez
Information Designer
Oskar with k seeks to convey concepts and ideas through his design work, known for the outstanding use of typography, colors and shapes - without letting down his main source of inspiration: Movies and a couple of good old classics_

Juanfe

Juan Felipe Villegas
Director Operations Studio
Juanfe is Ahzul's Operations Director - he has a passion for systems and thinking how things should be done. In his free time he enjoys running, mountain biking and travelling_

Ana Maria

Ana María Rodríguez
Senior Market Research Analyst
Ana joined the team as an intern and is now with Ahzul full-time. She has an innovative mindset, and finds motivation in being able to have a positive impact with her work. She loves new experiences and traveling_

Sofía

Sofía Durán
Senior Market Research Analyst
Sofia is a psychologist and is pursuing a master's degree in neuromarketing in Valencia, Spain. She is passionate about understanding human behavior and applying psychology and neuroscience to market research. She's characterized by her inquisitiveness and analytical thinking and always welcomes new learning and lively discussions_

Aneske

Aneske van Eeden
Junior Market Research Analyst
Aneske has a postgrad in Economics & International Trade. She has a passion for cross-cultural understanding and thrives on new challenges - she also loves a good Springboks rugby game!_

Karla

Karla Espinoza
Quantitative Analyst
Karla is an enthusiastic economist who enjoys working with data analysis and visualization - which makes her a powerful aid for the Quant Team. She's also passionate about intercultural exchange and visiting new places_

Juliana

Juliana Rojas
Operations Analyst
Juliana brings optimism and enthusiasm to the Ahzul Team! She studied International Marketing and Logistics Management and has an analytical, creative and insightful mind -- as well as a passion for learning, languages, art, and design_

Gregorio

Gregorio Duque
Junior Research Analyst
Gregorio's background as a Music Producer and Engineer working with top Latin artists in Miami provided him with valuable insights into the dynamic intersection of consumer and cultural landscapes. Seeking new opportunities to contribute to real-world challenges, he transitioned to market research. His passion for learning and creativity enable him to offer fresh and unique perspectives within the rapidly evolving consumer landscape_

Alf

Alfonso Moyano
Accounting & Operations
Alfonso, affectionately known as "Alf," handles many of the logistics and supplies at Ahzul_

Rosie

Rosie Rivera
Executive Assistant
Rosie is our right-hand when it comes to admin & coordination. She is in charge of Ahzul’s "air traffic control" and "concierge" services_

our
services

We are a full-service, certified 100% minority-owned & 50% female-owned research firm that provides services to brands who are looking to be culturally relevant to connect with consumers.
At Ahzul, we specialize in ad-hoc projects that are truly tailored to our clients' needs. We don't believe in pre- established, cookie-cutter, formulaic solutions. Because we get that each client is unique (and so is each project), we tailor our portfolio of services accordingly.
Our team has been involved in...
segmentation
brand
development
cultural
explorations
foundational
research
communications
development &
testing
new product
innovation
market
opportunity
assessments
usage &
attitude studies

isb

inspiration
spring-boarding

1

visual

We use information design to help unearth and distill the most salient insights for maximum impact.

2

strategy

Be it in the form of an internal ideation session or a stakeholder in-person session, we focus on how the insights can inspire go-to-market strategies.

3

creative

Ahzul-led ideation sessions with exercises meant to use consumer insights as an inspiration input for creative development.

4

cultural

A Total Market approach developed for U.S. brands who are looking to strengthen their offerings & communications via cross-cultural inspiration.

our
qual

Ethnographies_
Shop-along & Dine-alongs_
Affinity Groups_
Friendship Sessions_
Gallery Style Sessions_
Party Groups_
Online Platforms & Communities_
Focus Groups_
Dyads / Triads / Quads_
One-on-Ones_
Car Clinics (Moderation & Analysis)_
Expert Interviews_
Mock Shelf & Shopping Sessions_
Interviews in Unique Settings_

our
quant

U&A_
Market Sizing_
Segmentations_
Brand Equity_
Price & Demand Elasticity_
Concept Testing_
Ad Testing_
CART_
TURF_
Tracking_
Qualistics™_

POVs

& news

we think of

ourselves as

thought leaders...

and as a team, we strive to come up with relevant POVs that interest (and challenge) our clients.

our
POVs

At Ahzul, we love what we do. We are curious & passionate about people, culture & what that means for business.
And we become so invested in our work that we keep thinking about the implications way past project completion.
Furthering our mission to INSPIRE, our team continuously comes up with Points of View (POVs) on different subject matters & industries. Below are some of our more recent examples.
The trillion dollar blindspot.
(click on thumbnail to preview PDF).
Evolving the framework for exploring culture in research.
(click on thumbnail to preview PDF).
Building empathy for deeper insights.
(click on thumbnail to preview PDF).
Reaching the Unbanked.
(click on thumbnail to preview PDF).
Building affinity with multicultural & LGBTQ+ consumers.
(click on thumbnail to preview PDF).
A Guide to Sample Size.
(click on thumbnail to preview PDF).
Gen Z - what drives their beliefs.
(click on thumbnail to preview PDF).
Getting the most out of segmentation.
(click on thumbnail to preview PDF).
Trudy’s wristwatch and the battery that never died.
(click on thumbnail to preview PDF).
Business Opportunities in the Face of COVID-19.
(click on thumbnail to preview PDF).
Language, culture & why sometimes people feel like they are having parallel conversations.
(click on thumbnail to preview PDF).
Our take on total market as a circuitry of inspiration.
(click on thumbnail to preview PDF).
A POV on how hope can overcome predictability.
(click on thumbnail to preview PDF).
A cultural view of building emotional connections with consumers based on linguistic theory and perceptual reality.
(click on thumbnail to preview PDF).

news

contact

To get to know us better...
Call us at 312.544.0721
Drop us a line at hello@ahzul.com
Request a copy of our full capabilities.
Headquartered in CHICAGO, our team is as diverse geographically as it is culturally
Chicago_

Seattle_

Miami_

New York_

Los Angeles_

San Francisco_

Philadelphia_

Washington, D.C._

Nashville_

Bogotá_

Mexico City_

Sao Paulo_