One of the biggest challenges in the insight world is getting stakeholders to actively engage with research and work through what actions they should take off the back of it. Even with a super sharp debrief delivered by an all-time great presenter, it’s unfortunately all too easy for stakeholders to switch off during that session and for genuinely great research to end up gathering dust once that final debrief is delivered. While there are various factors that often influence the afterlife of a research study, the way in which that research is activated has a vital role to play.
We’re passionate about moving beyond the traditional paradigm of the classic PowerPoint debrief and have established a dedicated function within Boxclever that focuses specifically on how we activate the insight we deliver. Alice Langthorne is our dedicated Activation Expert, and has led the charge as we’ve embarked upon revamping our offer in this area. Since she assumed the role 12 months ago, Alice has transformed how we think about, approach and talk about activation. So what has she learned in this time?
Over to you Alice…
What even is activation!?
Many clients still aren’t entirely sure what activation really means or how it can transform their projects. Like many agencies, we historically focused on activation as the final element of a project — creating impactful ways to take insight into organisations and ensure it punches hard, resonates loudly, and drives real change. But in recent months, we’ve recognised that activation isn’t just a concluding event —
it’s a mindset that spans the entire research process. Every touchpoint along the project lifecycle offers an opportunity to rally, engage, and inspire insight teams and stakeholders.
That’s why it’s critical to start crafting the activation strategy before the questionnaire or discussion guide is written — not after analysis begins. Activation doesn’t end when the debrief is delivered. In fact, the debrief should be the starting point for embedding insights, sparking change, and creating lasting impact. Successful activation allows insights to live on, evolve, and drive actionable value within the business.
WHY DOES ACTIVATION MATTER SO MUCH?
For some projects, a traditional PowerPoint report may suffice. But for most, activation can elevate the value of insights, ensuring they don’t sit on a shelf but inspire tangible action and cultural shifts. Our approach focuses on designing activation plans that meet the unique needs of the project, the stakeholders, the business challenge, and of course, the budget. It’s about being strategic, creative, and outcome-oriented from the outset.
SO WHAT DOES AN ACTIVATION MANAGER DO EXACTLY?
My role, as Activation Manager at Boxclever and a non-researcher, is to approach activation with fresh eyes — not constrained by research methods but instead focused primarily on how the insights generated by the project will live and breathe within the organisation. My goal is to work with our Insight Directors and client teams to ensure:
• That activation is not an afterthought at the end of a project – and instead is the golden thread woven through every phase.
• That we deliver insights not information, deliver stories not stats and deliver memories, as well messages.
Tell me more
So we’re also on an Activation journey and have developed a flexible toolkit of techniques to ensure every project makes a real impact and a tangible difference to our clients. While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach (because every activation approach needs to be fully tailored to the project objectives, internal culture etc), here are just some of the ways we help to bring insights to life and embed them:
• Human storytelling through video: Creating emotional, human-centred narratives that build empathy and drive action.
• Data dashboarding and visualisation: Delivering succinct, impactful, and emotive data stories that are easy to share and reuse across the organisation.
• Interactive microsites and bespoke playbooks: Developing engaging platforms that combine multimedia content to tell a cohesive story and provide on-demand access to insights.
• Immersion workshops: Delivering immersive, multisensory experiences that bring insights to life and make them memorable, taking clients on a journey that drives understanding and action.
THIS ALL SOUNDS GREAT. IT ALSO SOUNDS EXPENSIVE…
It really doesn’t have to be. We can ultimately adapt and tailor our activation approaches to suit any budget. The key thing is really all about the mindset. Activation is about having a true partnership between us and you.
The success of activation doesn’t rest solely on tools or strategies — it needs passionate insight champions within the client organisation, to work alongside us, rally colleagues and embed insights wherever relevant.
Alice’s work is having a transformative effect on all of us here at Boxclever, ensuring that we carefully consider how we’re going to deliver insight from the outset, working closely with our clients to embed this philosophy and focus throughout each stage of the project. By not just thinking about ‘the deliverable’ in traditional terms, it helps to create more momentum around the insight from day one. The end result is insights that don’t just inform, they inspire, helping to drive change and empower businesses to act on what they’ve learned.
Later on this year, we’ll be launching our Activation Playbook, offering deeper insights and practical guidance into how to effectively activate insight within your organisation. Want to hear more? Drop us a line and we’ll give you exclusive access when it’s ready…
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