What We’re Taking Away From CRC 2026

Three days in Chicago. A packed schedule. Dozens of conversations about where market research is heading.

And for the Prodege Insights team, one clear takeaway rose above the rest: corporate research teams aren’t looking for another transactional vendor. They want a true research partner who understands their broader business objectives.

That sentiment set the tone at the 2026 Corporate Researchers Conference (CRC), held September 15–17. The event brought together insights leaders to tackle everything from AI adoption and behavioral science to consumer understanding and proving business ROI.

Prodege Insights had an active three days – between our exhibit booth, our session on Gen Z with First & First Consulting, and a rooftop client event. But the most valuable insights came directly from our peer-to-peer conversations.

1. Researchers Need Collaborative Partners, Not Order Takers

At the booth and across the show floor, we heard a consistent challenge: research teams are being asked to deliver more impact with fewer resources. They don’t just need raw datasets sitting in a drive; they need clear answers that drive confident business decisions.

That necessity is reshaping vendor expectations. The legacy model – hand over a brief, await a deck, and part ways – no longer cuts it.

Today’s corporate researchers need partners who:

• Understand the core business problem before designing the methodology.
• Flex across methodologies, seamlessly shifting between DIY tools and full-service support – which is what we’ll be talking about with Cox Automotive at TMRE this year.
• Synthesize findings into action, helping turn consumer data into board-ready strategy. 

In short: research leaders want an extension of their internal team.

2. Move Beyond AI Hype to Practical Business Impact

AI was naturally top-of-mind throughout CRC, but the dialogue centered on practical application rather than novelty. Attendees focused heavily on what actually works, where limitations exist, and how emerging tools generate measurable ROI.

The conversation has evolved. The primary question isn’t “How can we use AI in research?”

It’s: “How can intelligent tools help research teams answer critical questions faster without sacrificing data rigor?”

Prodege’s Chat With Your Data tool helps you do this quickly and easily, delivering board-ready insights you can trust.

Technology alone doesn’t solve business challenges – context does. Pairing advanced automated tools with human expertise ensures speed never compromises research integrity.

3. Case Study: Unpacking the Gen Z Health Paradox

We explored this balance between human context and data in our session with First & First Consulting: “The Gen Z Health Paradox: Green juice in one hand, a vape in the other.”

Prodege’s Andrea Scheuerman joined First & First Consulting’s Devon Zdatny to unpack how conflicting behaviors define Gen Z’s approach to health and wellness. Drawing from custom research conducted by Prodege, the session highlighted why stated attitudes often clash with actual behavior.

And the partnership behind the presentation was just as important as the research itself. As Devon shared:

“Working with the Prodege team is wonderful. They act as an extension of our team handling this project with speed and accuracy that allowed me to just sit back and enjoy going through the data, finding the best insights and working on the story we wanted to tell.”

It’s a great example of the kind of research partnership we heard researchers asking for throughout CRC: a team that can handle the work efficiently while staying close enough to the business and the data to help uncover the insights that matter.

Key insights from the session include:

• Contradiction is the baseline: Wellness routines co-exist alongside unhealthy habits; financial anxiety sits alongside high experience-driven spending.
• Context drives the ‘Why’: Quantitative data reveals what consumers are doing, but qualitative context explains why those behavioral gaps exist.
• Strategic positioning requires nuance: Brands that oversimplify Gen Z risk missing the underlying drivers of consumer choice.

4. We Took the Party Off the Conference Floor

After a full day of sessions, conversations and research talk, we traded the conference floor for Reggie’s Chicago and turned things up a notch.

Clients, friends and industry colleagues joined us for a night of drinks, music, and good food. What started as a chance to catch up quickly turned into one of those nights where nobody seemed quite ready to call it.

It was the kind of conference party that reminds you why getting together in person still matters. New connections, old friends, unexpected conversations and a lot of fun all in one place.

If you missed it this year, we’ll see you at the next one.

We also can’t forget – the fun started earlier that day at our booth, where we brought a little friendly competition to the show floor with a game of golf pong. After plenty of swings, misses and some impressive shots, Marissa Crooke from Lincoln Financial Group came out on top and took home a pair of AirPods. Congrats, Marissa!

Fueling Smarter Decisions Beyond CRC

If Chicago proved one thing, it’s that corporate research teams need partners who operate at the intersection of speed, scale, and strategic depth.

Whether you need full-service execution for a complex study, agile DIY options, or direct access to high-engagement audiences backed by QualityShield™, the goal remains identical: make research more actionable for decision-makers.

Ready to elevate your research approach? Connect with the Prodege Insights team today to discuss your next research objective.