Our Roadmap for Fostering Effective Partnerships in the Age of AI

As I type, in boardrooms all around the world, many CPG companies are considering how to seamlessly integrate AI into their operations. Increasingly, they are opting to forge partnerships with AI companies to achieve this.

But navigating partnerships can be daunting. Rather than milling about as two entities collaborating by chance, you know, the true potential lies in the fusion of expertise, capitalising on joint opportunities and realising the promise of AI-driven innovation together. But how do you get to such a close partnership? Where do you even start? What should you look for in a partner?

At MMR, we see such business partnerships as being a core part of how we accelerate innovation and elevate the value we deliver to our clients. Leveraging our extensive experience, we’d like to offer an insight or two into the dynamics of a successful partnership. May this empower you, our clients, especially those contemplating an AI partnership right now, to foster your own strong and impactful technology partnerships. Think of it is our way to help you find your Mr Smith.

In early 2023, MMR and Nexxt Intelligence came together in a partnership to bring chatbots to our clients, at scale and with agility. Similar to how Mr and Mrs Smith uncovered their hidden talents when working together, our teams are unlocking new possibilities and accelerating innovation through this strategic partnership.

Did you know that as far back as 2021, the World Economic Forum predicted that AI specifically would add $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, illustrating its potential to reshape the business landscape, including partnerships? And this is no different in the research industry, where AI is fast becoming the linchpin of progress.

Here are the 3 key questions we always ask ourselves:

• Does it add value to the business? True partnership means that there is something in it for both of us. For MMR, it means fostering accelerated innovation in areas we have prioritized as a business. Yet, through very close collaboration, we also know that we are helping to steer the Nexxt Intelligence capabilities to the next level. There is really nothing like a demanding partner! Like the synergy between Mr and Mrs Smith, a collaborative partnership can lead to a powerful fusion of expertise, resources, and perspectives where together we create something new, something better, something with tangible value to our clients.
• Does it align with your core values? Would we ever be able to combine our strengths in this way if we did not share the same core values? In our case, we share a vision of how the world of research is changing the increasing blend of quantitative and qualitative approaches to underpin deeper consumer closeness, along with a desire to fundamentally understand people better. This means that it feels as though we are “in it together”. And this is why together we can be greater than the sum of our parts. Together we can now capitalize on opportunities that serve both partners and our clients.
• Does it make sense financially? Partnership is not for convenience. Partnership is for innovation. Partnership is for growth. This means that at its core a successful partnership must realise innovation potential, offering our clients enhanced capabilities and access to cutting edge solutions. Forging such an alliance isn’t merely a static arrange; it’s a dynamic commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation. For MMR and Nexxt Intelligence, we recognise that this requires an investment in collaboration along with a deep commitment to transparency, to create a dynamic partnership that not only meets but exceeds our clients’ expectations, today and in the future, ensuring sustained financial benefits over time.

So, just as in Mr and Mrs Smith, it is clear, the roadmap for an effective partnership in the age of AI lies in the harmony and collaboration between two entities, each contributing something extraordinary to the mix. MMR and Nexxt Intelligence view our partnership as more than just a collaboration; it’s a strategic alliance to harness our complementary strengths. And yes, just like in the movie, it is not just about us. Our shared commitment and unique competitive edge only have meaning to the extent that it allows us to accelerate innovation, unlocking deeper, more actionable insights to our clients.

Still pondering that AI partnership? Remember that you do not need to navigate this roadmap alone. Our in-house innovation team, Nova, is dedicated to exploring, uncovering, and pressure-testing new technology partners to identify the ones that will make a tangible difference to the quality and depth of insight we deliver. With such a clear focus on relevant and reliable solutions, and tangible insight value, Nova effectively mitigates the risk of early-stage AI partnerships. As such, Nova is well placed to bring the latest technology partners, once vetted and validated, to you – introducing you to your Mr Smith.

Dr Ansie Collier, Global Innovation Director, Nova, MMR Research
Phil Sutcliffe, Managing Partner, Nexxt Intelligence