Q&A with a corporate researcher

Editor’s note: Elizabeth Oates was a finalist for the 2021 Transforming Insight award and was recognized for her achievements at the Marketing Research and Insight Excellence Awards Virtual Celebration. To learn more about the awards, visit quirksawards.com. 

Elizabeth Oates

Senior Director, Consumer Insights, Ulta Beauty 

How did you get started in consumer insights? 

I entered the insights field when I decided to get my MBA. I studied at the AC Nielsen Center for Marketing Analytics and Insights at the University of Wisconsin. I knew this was the right choice for me because it put me in a place to have an integral role in the areas of business that were exciting to me – specifically innovation and future-proofing. I was also really impressed with the people in the insights industry. As I evaluated options, the people in insights were analytic and empathetic. It’s an unusual and powerful combination of skills that made this field stand out. 

In my career I have been lucky enough to see the insights industry from many angles, including working on both methodology-based insights and brand-side insights. The opportunity to be on both sides of the equation has made me a better insight professional, learning both how to ask the best questions and how to best apply the learning to the business. I’ve also been fortunate to work in insights across industries – from CPG to financial services and retail. This gave me valuable perspective in making insights actionable – because at the end of the day, the most successful insights across all those fields are the insights that push beyond interesting and guide decision-making.

For me the opportunity to work in insights meant an opportunity to impact the success of a business. It’s also what keeps me in insights. I am passionate about being the voice of the customer and driving customer centricity because it’s customers that make a business successful. Businesses succeed by serving their customers, and thus there is no more important way to drive business success than knowing what customers need, want and expect.

What is the most exciting part of working within insights at a beauty company? 

Just like most roles in insights, a big part of my role is to bring the voice of the consumer to the “table” – and at Ulta Beauty doing so is really fun because our consumers are passionate, engaged and excited about beauty. They love beauty products, beauty shopping, beauty routines, beauty services – essentially all things beauty. I get to bring that passion to life every day.

It’s also exciting to watch the beauty category evolve. We are seeing consumers connect beauty with joy, wellness, self-expression and culture. I have a front-row seat to it all. And, because I am engaged in the retail side of beauty, I’m also at the forefront of bringing new expectations and new experiences to life. This role is impactful, ever-changing and meaningful – and it’s particularly relevant for company success because consumer evolution means I need to help keep our fingertips on the pulse of consumer wants and needs.

Do you have any tips for researchers looking to connect with key stakeholders and make a more tangible impact on their company? 

Insights that are just interesting do not have much impact – but insights tied to the needs of the business do have impact. This means that insight professionals need to build a relationship with their partners. They must understand the choices their partners face and the barriers those partners have when making different choices. I recommend that insights professionals spend a lot more time in pre-research with their partners. Insight professionals can ask things like, “Why is knowing (insert question) important?” and “How will knowing the answer to (insert question) guide an action?” to learn and influence the thinking of their partners. During the planning phase of research, insight professionals should link the outcome of the research to the action to be taken. Leveraging this to dialogue with partners before doing research builds knowledge of the business, empowers stronger connections and creates a springboard to impact once the work is complete!