Message & Content Testing

Communications Research Services

Brandspeak delivers B2C and B2B communications research that evaluates how messages, visuals and formats perform across print, digital and out-of-home channels.

Our work supports the development of clearer, more consistent communications that reflect brand intent and meet audience expectations.

Communications Market Research?

What Is Communications Market Research?

Communications market research explores how audiences notice, process and respond to consumer and stakeholder communication, including static advertising, digital content, direct mail, product packaging, service updates, product documentation, social media materials and in-store or on-screen messaging.

It assesses each communication's structure, tone, clarity and comprehension, identifying which elements attract attention, which are ignored and why. It also evaluates which messages are likely to be retained and the impact of any call to action.

Where design, layout, comprehension or impact issues are found, the research diagnoses the causes and recommends targeted solutions.

The Benefits of Communications Research

Investing in communications research before launch significantly improves the effectiveness of your marketing spend and reduces the risk of costly mistakes.

Optimise Message Clarity And Resonance

Optimise Message Clarity And Resonance

Communications research identifies where meaning becomes unclear and ensures information is easy to follow, quickly understood and more likely to be remembered.

Ensure Alignment With Strategic Objectives

Ensure Alignment With Strategic Objectives

Communications research assesses whether each execution fulfils its intended role within the wider marketing strategy, ensuring communications reinforce priorities and support the outcomes the organisation aims to achieve.

Protect And Reinforce Brand Equity

Protect And Reinforce Brand Equity

Communications research assesses how effectively brand personality, values and cues are expressed, ensuring every execution strengthens credibility and builds recognition.

Communications Research Methods

Brandspeak uses desk research, interviews, focus groups, ethnography, UX assessment and quantitative surveys to analyse communication performance. These methods reveal how audiences navigate, interpret and respond to communications across formats, offering a robust understanding of content effectiveness.

Ethnography & Observational Research

Ethnography & Observational Research

Observe real-life behaviour to understand authentic actions, needs and decision-making moments.

Implicit Testing

Implicit Testing

Measure instinctive attitudes and emotional reactions at scale for clear, reliable evidence.

Workshopping and Co-creation

Workshopping and Co-creation

A collaborative forum for exploring existing ideas and developing new concepts.

Focus Groups & Depth Interviews

Focus Groups & Depth Interviews

Explore audience needs, perceptions and behaviours in rich qualitative detail.

Online Surveys

Online Surveys

Capture robust, statistically reliable feedback to quantify attitudes and behaviours at scale.

Online Communities

Online Communities

Gather deeper insight through multi-day discussions, tasks and real-world activities.

Communications Research Services

Brandspeak's communications research services help organisations refine marketing and sales materials with evidence-based insight at key development and optimisation stages. They include:

Messaging research examines message focus, relevance and audience interpretation. It identifies how effectively communications convey their intended meaning, highlights points of confusion or weak delivery and identifies alternative wording options.

Findings guide precise refinement to improve message strength and support final content decisions.

Visual communication analysis evaluates how layout, hierarchy and design influence navigation and understanding. It pinpoints elements that impede scanning, create distraction or obscure key information.

This supports decisions on structure, visual emphasis and layout optimisation across websites, emails, social content and marketing materials.

Brand communications evaluation explores how well tone, character, values and brand cues are represented in content.

By testing executions with relevant audiences, it identifies alignment gaps and highlights which elements strengthen brand expression across different channels and touchpoints.

How to Get Your Insights

As a full service market research agency we support research in 40+ global markets, working with native-speaking moderators and trusted in-market partners to ensure cultural accuracy and insight quality. Wherever your audience is, we can reach them and deliver insight that drives better decisions.

Step One

Fill in the form and click submit.

Step Two

Our team will contact you within 24 hours.

Step Three

We learn about your needs and goals and how to achieve them.

Upload a Briefing Document or RFP

Brandspeak in Numbers

As one of the UK's most experienced market research agencies, Brandspeak brings scale, consistency, and depth to every project.

3,000+

Focus Groups

25

Years

750+

Quantitative Studies

40

International Markets

1 Million+

Survey Participants

45

Languages Covered in Global Research

5,000+

Depth Interviews

Association for Qualitative Research (AQR)MRS Evidence Matters

Brandspeak is proud to be a member of both The Association for Qualitative Research (AQR) and The Market Research Society (MRS) — demonstrating our commitment to quality, ethical practice and industry-leading research standards.

Brandspeak Blogs

Read the latest trends, insights and best practices from the world of Market Research. Choose a topic below to read more.

Client Feedback

Lauren Williams

We worked with Brandspeak on a brand awareness project and we were extremely pleased with the quality of service and the process. They understood the complexity of the briefs and asked plenty of questions to make sure they fully understand the objectives. They interacted with all levels of people in our business and understood the differences within the market and suggested ways to tie the research together so it was still comparable. The results were delivered with easy to digest summaries that could be used across the business. We would highly recommend using them.

Lauren Williams

Sarah Twist – Marketing Manager

Very informative, easy to work with and a really friendly team. I would recommend Brandspeak to help any business grow. They are great quality for money, help niche sectors and present their findings in an understanding manner. They have provided a brand review, market review post-covid to ensure we are still up to date, along with two very valuable website reviews. Working with them for qualitative and quantities research has a been fantastic for us. Thank you for all your help!

Sarah Twist – Marketing Manager

Zanya Fahy

It's been an absolute pleasure to work with Brandspeak on our qualitative assessment of different ads across 5 EU markets. Throughout this project, Brandspeak have been expert, professional and so flexible with our requirements and timings. The research analysis that they provided us with was extremely valuable and insightful. I look forward to working with them again – highly recommend!

Zanya Fahy

Georgie Burks, Brand Marketing Lead

Great service from Brandspeak – highly recommend for thoughtful and detailed brand measurement and tracking.

Georgie Burks, Brand Marketing Lead

Brandspeak have been fantastic to work with. They are a very professional agency who really understand the importance of quality research. Their team were very responsive, knowledgeable and easy to work with and provided us with excellent insights.

Mark Wilson

Animal Friends Insurance

We wanted to understand how elements of our brand were perceived by consumers and identify opportunities where we could make improvements. Brandspeak clearly understood the brief and worked closely with us to develop a research approach that would answer our questions. The insight has been used to inform the development of our creative and also applied to other areas of our marketing communications. It was a pleasure to work with Brandspeak.

Strategy & Insight Manager | Animal Friends Insurance

Tönnjes

Brandspeak helped us with getting invaluable market insights! They showed great flexibility and professionalism throughout the entire process and provided us exactly with the results we needed. I would recommend working with Brandspeak to anyone and anytime.

Tom Suberg

From the moment I contacted Brandspeak I can't thank Jeremy and his team enough. Offering a professional approach they took the time and effort to make the whole process easy and effortless. I highly recommend Brandspeak and look forward to working with them again in the future.

Verity Kimber

From their initial proposal they displayed an understanding of financial services and a clarity of thinking that made them stand out. Since then they have consistently delivered to demanding timescales. But what really sets them apart are their actionable and business focused recommendations which give them the credibility to influence senior internal stakeholders. I have really enjoyed working with them and look forward to doing so again.

Leading life and pensions provider

It is always a pleasure – and a relief! – to work with researchers who get the whole thing – effortlessly... a heartfelt thanks.

DLKW

Work with Brandspeak

With offices in London, Bristol, and Birmingham – and partners across the world – we provide global reach with local expertise. Our team is ready to discuss your business challenge and show you what's possible with the right insights.

Get in Touch

London

+44 (0) 203 858 0052

1st Floor, 239 Kensington High St, London W8 6SN

Bristol

+44 (0) 1174 07 0187

2430 / 2440 The Quadrant, Aztec W, Bristol BS32 4AQ

Birmingham

+44 (0) 121 314 4647

The Lewis Building, Bull St, Birmingham B4 6AF