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\u201cA lot of the assumptions we make are bad assumptions.\u201d When it comes to making assumptions, sometimes we marketers can't help ourselves. To avoid this, we need to ensure that we have a good mix of both quantitive and qualitative research. Dr. Duane Varan is a leader in the field of qualitative research and was my guest this week on the On Brand podcast.\nAbout Duane Varan\nDr. Duane Varan is CEO of both MediaScience and HarkConnect. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the Australian Prime Minister\u2019s Award for University Teacher of the Year, and is a global pioneer in developing new methodologies for the study of audience behavior. MediaScience is a leader in lab-based audience research counting almost every major US television network, social media platform and many global brands as clients. HarkConnect is the world\u2019s most advanced qualitative research platform. Although Dr. Varan is now based in industry, he continues to contribute to academic journals. In fact, in four of the past six years, his work was voted as Best Paper of the year or runner up for Best Paper by the Journal of Advertising Research.\nEpisode Highlights\n\u201cQualitative gives us space to explore.\u201d I kicked off our conversation by asking Duane what makes qualitative research different. He also cautioned against the stigma that it's not as serious as quantitative. \u201cThat's a mistake.\u201d\nHow is HarkConnect different when it comes to qualitative research? \u201cWe have a direct measure of emotion vs. what people are telling us,\u201d Duane said, as he shared how the technology works.\nA balanced diet of metrics. I couldn't resist being a little punny ... Duane stressed that there are actually three data sets that should be in your diet\u2014qualitative research, quantitative research, and your performance metrics.\nWhat brand has made Duane smile recently? M&Ms! \u201cI smile every time I see the characters.\u201d\nTo learn more about Duane, check out the websites for HarkConnect and Media Science.\nAs We Wrap \u2026\nDid you hear something you liked on this episode or another?\xa0Do you have a question you\u2019d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show.\nOn Brand is sponsored by my book\xa0Brand Now.\xa0Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world.\xa0Order now and get special digital extras.\xa0Learn more.\n\n\nSubscribe to the podcast\xa0\u2013 You can subscribe to the show via\xa0Apple Podcasts,\xa0Spotify,\xa0Google Play,\xa0Stitcher,\xa0TuneIn, and\xa0RSS.\n\n\nRate and review the show\xa0\u2013 If you like what you\u2019re hearing, head over to\xa0Apple Podcasts\xa0and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast.\n\n\nOK. How do you rate and review a podcast?\xa0Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes?\xa0Check this out.\n\nUntil next week, I\u2019ll see you on the Internet!\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices