Building trust through thought leadership - how Circana turns data into strategic conversations

For B2B businesses seeking to rise above commodity status and establish themselves as strategic partners, thought leadership has become an essential capability. But what separates truly impactful thought leadership from the flood of content that overwhelms decision-makers daily?

In a recent episode of the Trust and Influence in B2B podcast, host Joel Harrison spoke with Ananda Roy, VP of Thought Leadership at Circana—a market research powerhouse formed from the merger of IRI Worldwide and NPD that recently won gold in the thought leadership category at the 2024 B2B Marketing Awards. Their conversation revealed how thought leadership can evolve from marketing activity to strategic business function.

Thought Leadership as Strategic Function

Unlike many organizations where thought leadership operates as a marketing subfunction, Circana positions it as a core strategic capability with representation at the executive level.

"I get the feeling that I'm an outlier," notes Roy about his senior position. "You don't necessarily see the leaders of thought leadership practices getting a seat at the strategy table. Thought leadership is pretty much central to what we do in our advisory role with our clients."

This positioning reflects Circana's broader objective: transitioning from data provider to strategic growth advisor for its 7,000+ global clients across consumer goods, retail, technology and other sectors.

Beyond data dumping

Despite analyzing $4 trillion of retail sales data annually and investing $500 million in AI capabilities over six years, Circana recognizes that data alone doesn't drive decisions.

"Data is increasingly becoming a commodity," Roy explains. "It's really what you do with it that is the difference between success and significant impact on client behavior."

The company's award-winning approach transforms their comprehensive "Demand Signals" report from dense data into story-driven, commercially relevant insights. Instead of overwhelming executives with statistics, they provide "tools for thinking" and strategic options that inform decision-making.

The Three-Question Framework

Roy shared the elegantly simple framework guiding their thought leadership strategy:

1. What are the big business questions clients are grappling with, and do we have answers?
2. Where do clients go when seeking these answers?
3. Wherever they go, are we the easiest to find?

This approach ensures their content appears precisely where decision-makers look for guidance on pressing business challenges.

Measuring Success Beyond Leads

While traditional thought leadership often struggles with ROI measurement, Circana takes a more sophisticated view of success:

• Invitations to bid opportunities previously closed to them
• Ability to command premium pricing
• Successful negotiations despite competitive disadvantages
• Establishment of domain authority (their content generated 2.1 billion views and engagements)
• Expanded access across client organizations

"We don't attribute sales directly to thought leadership," Roy notes. "But when we are invited to bids where Circana would not have been otherwise invited, where we are able to justify a premium on our fees... those are the areas where thought leadership is one among many enablers towards a decision."

Building Trust in an Era of Data Skepticism

With growing concerns about data veracity and AI biases, establishing trust has become increasingly critical. Circana builds credibility through:

• Evidence-based, independent viewpoints
• Creative, accessible presentation of complex data
• Team-based approach rather than individual "guru" voices
• Cross-functional relevance that extends beyond insights teams

"We are not flash-in-the-pan data analysts," Roy emphasizes. "We take great pleasure in the fact that we get invited again and again to those meetings."

Looking Forward

In 2025, Circana will focus on demonstrating practical AI applications while highlighting potential model biases. They'll also reexamine category assumptions around pricing and media relationships disrupted by recent economic shifts.

Key Takeaways for B2B Marketers

Roy offers several insights for marketers looking to elevate their thought leadership:

Listen before leading: Understanding stakeholder challenges precedes offering solutions

Prioritize evidence: Ground perspectives in solid data and analysis

Connect emotionally: Engage audiences beyond intellectual understanding

Remain authentic: "Be interesting, don't take yourself too seriously"

For B2B companies seeking to transcend commodity status, Circana's approach demonstrates how thought leadership can become a strategic business asset that builds trust, establishes authority, and drives commercial success beyond what traditional marketing alone can achieve.