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We find what you don't see coming
Unexpected insights give you the edge:
Identifying future users
Developing products that sell
Entering new markets
WHAT SETS US APART
1.
PROBLEM FIRST
NOT METHODOLOGY FIRST
2.
EXPERIENCE THAT BRINGS CLEAR, CHALLENGING, AND READY-TO-USE INSIGHTS
3.
WE WILL TELL YOU WHAT MATTERS
BEFORE THE MARKET DOES
Hi, I’m Mike Underhill.
I know tons about market research.
It might not be obvious from my photo, but I'm someone who gets really excited about
86 Victoria University (New Zealand) BA Psychology
88 Victoria University (New Zealand) BCA Marketing
92 FSA (HKG) Heineken· L’Oreal · Visa · Kodak · Accenture · Lee Kum Kee · Pepsi · Shangri-La · Guinness · Pfizer
96 TNS (PEK) Audi · Cadbury · San Miguel · Ting Hsin · Janssen · Nestle · Nutrexpa · Fosters
99 Link Survey (PEK) Siemens · Motorola · Caterpillar · Hormel
03 Ipsos (SHA & PEK) General Mills · P&G · Danone · Edelman · Nokia · Kraft · Wrigley · Bayer
07 All Media Count (PEK) AB-Inbev · Kinetic
16 Kantar (HKG) Ferrero · Cathay Pacific · VF Corp · Galaxy Resorts · Mastercard
20 Port Nicholson Fisheries (WGN) Market expansion · NPD · Quality optimization · New market strategy
SERVICES
Navigating brand strategy, testing new concepts, exploring market opportunities. Our custom research will challenge assumptions and reveal genuinely new insights. We bring a minimal-fluff, method-agnostic approach that combines sharp thinking with the right tools for the job, ensuring the insights you get are clear, unexpected, and immediately useful.
Our syndicated Brand Essentials reports contain fresh, unexpected and affordable insights across key food and drink categories. Designed to spark action, not gather dust, these downloadable reports tackle real brand challenges with data that’s sharp, relevant, and ready to use—no filler, just inexpensive market intelligence that matters.
Reports for 2024 are now available free of charge.
Marketing Analytics
Some business questions aren’t solved with surveys alone and you don’t need perfect data to get useful answers. We work with your data — marketing, operational, internal or external — to disentangle the factors driving results. Whether its comms, CX, product failure or channel leakage, we bring clarity to complexity through smart analysis and clear storytelling.
After more than 30 years living and working in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo, I bring a perspective strongly shaped by real-world experience in key export destinations.
I can speak on markets, brands, and consumer behaviour with a practical, down-to-earth style. I love data, but enthusiastically present without it too. My aim is to spark conversation by sharing ideas people can use straight away — not just inspiration for its own sake.
Each talk is tailored to the audience, supported by clear, relevant insights, and can include workshop exercises where needed.
If you're looking for a speaker with authentic China knowledge, who leaves people thinking differently, I'd love to have a conversation.
SECTORS
01
Alcohol
Uncovers drinking occasions, cultural cues, and brand dynamics in alcohol consumption and distribution.
04
Personal Care / Household
Explores routines, sensory preferences, barriers to trial, and brand trust in everyday categories.
07
Healthcare / Pharma
Connects the dots between consumer behaviour, healthcare professionals, and system access.
02
Automotive
Understands how drivers choose, experience, and stay loyal to automotive brands.
05
Drinks (Non-Alcoholic)
Focus on taste, positioning, and retail/channel strategy across multiple touchpoints.
08
Travel / Hospitality
Captures the emotional and logistical drivers of travel, from consumers and corporate partners.
03
Finance
Supports innovation and trust-building across personal finance and B2B financial services.
06
Food / Snacks / Confectionary
Product usage, shopping behaviour, and brand performance, for both consumers and trade partners.
09
Tech / IT / Telecom
Enables product design, feature targeting, and buyer alignment in a fast-moving category.
INSIGHTS & IDEAS
We combine data-driven analysis, experimental thinking, and real-world case studies to reveal what’s changing in today’s dynamic markets. Whether it's the future of AI in research, unpacking shifts in brand loyalty, or investigating the hidden biases in branding, our goal is simple: reveal unexpected insights for better decisions.
Our blog is about asking unexpected questions, exploring real-world challenges and offering thought-starters that challenge the status quo.
Our published reports go deeper, combining original research with commercial analysis to support better decisions in complex markets.
CASE STUDIES
A live export client faced millions in annual losses from product mortalities due to harvesting conditions, packing and transit to market. We combined internal and external data—everything from location of origin to packaging materials, flight routes, atmospheric conditions and even moon phases—to uncover surprising drivers of product failure. The resulting SOP improvements cut mortality claims by over 50%, saving the company more than $1.5M per year.
In order to better allocate a shrinking marketing budget, an iconic resort in Asia wanted to understand how each business unit—rides, shopping, F&B and accommodation—separately contributed to overall visitation. The analysis blended brand tracking with macro data like inbound tourism flows, economic indicators and the weather, revealing that most visits were driven by a combination of experiences. This insight defused internal tensions and reshaped the company's marketing strategy around leveraging cross-unit synergies.
A global beverage brand stuck in TV-heavy media habits saw declining market share despite generous spend and sporadic digital efforts. A cross-media analysis revealed smarter media mixes that improved efficiency by nearly 20%—for research that cost less than 1% of campaign spend. The result? More in-market impact, less waste, and a way forward beyond defaulting to TV.
WORKING WITH US
Unexpected insights aren’t about flair or luck — they’re the result of a proven process, shaped by years of asking the right questions and knowing where to look.
