Search Results

Utrecht, 26 November 2025 - DVJ Insights has once again been recognised as one of the fastest-growing companies in the Netherlands, winning the FD Gazelle Award for the 8th consecutive year. This recognition follows DVJ’s inclusion by the Financial Times and Statista as one of Europe’s Long-Term Growth Champions 2026, proving that the company’s success is not just a moment in time, but a sustained and strategic journey. DVJ has been able to realise a consistent annual growth for over a decade. The growth has been completely organic without the help of investors or other financial companies. This is a unique performance because the total market for market research is not growing. DVJ has proven that a clear strategy, passionate people and continuous innovation form the foundation for long-term success. By studying growth for more than 10 years via its academic partners in Europe and interviewing marketing professionals on a continuous basis, DVJ has developed a deeper understanding of growth than anyone else. That is why the company has grown, and that is also why it can advise its clients better on how to organise for growth. In 2026, the 10 th  edition of DVJ’s annual Brand Growth Event will take place, celebrating the learnings of the past 10 years. “Growth has never been our goal in itself,” says Lucas Hulsebos, CEO and owner of DVJ Insights. “It’s the result of doing the right things for a long time; building a company where quality, curiosity, and people come first. We grow because we understand growth ourselves, and that’s how we also help our clients grow. That will always remain our focus. I am proud that a Dutch company outperforms the global market with continuous growth while staying completely independent.” “Consistent growth is possible even in a challenging market when you stay close to your values,” adds Marieke van Echtelt, Managing Director at DVJ Insights. “We grow because we constantly innovate, because we listen, and because we care about our people and the brands we work with. That’s what makes us different.” About FD Gazelle 2025 The FD Gazelle Awards, organised annually by Het Financieele Dagblad, recognise the fastest-growing companies in the Netherlands. To qualify as an FD Gazelle, companies must demonstrate consistent revenue growth over a period of at least three years, be financially healthy, and grow organically rather than through acquisitions alone. The awards highlight organisations that combine strategic vision, operational excellence, and sustainable business performance. Being named an FD Gazelle is considered one of the most prestigious acknowledgements of long-term growth and entrepreneurship in the Dutch business landscape.

Humans learn slowly. We spend years studying, specialising, and narrowing our field of vision until we can say we truly know something. A good physicist often knows little about law, and a great lawyer rarely writes code. This limitation shapes how we think about intelligence. We divide people into generalists and specialists because our minds are bounded. There is only so much we can hold and process. When artificial intelligence arrived, we extended this same mental map to machines.We spoke about AI models for medicine, AI for law, AI for finance. We assumed that specialisation was a sign of progress, that if humans become experts by focusing, machines must do the same. The logic felt intuitive: garbage in, garbage out. If we fed the right data, we would get the right expertise.

Through DVJ’s Brand Growth platform, we interview over 2,000 marketers across 12 markets in Europe and the US every year. These conversations offer a fascinating pulse check on the marketing mindset. Over the years, one theme has stood out: caution. We’re seeing more and more emphasis on immediate returns, tighter efficiency targets, and a steadfast belief in consistency above all else.

The Imbalanced Embrace Few concepts have captured the marketing world’s imagination quite like Category Entry Points (CEPs). Introduced by the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute through ‘How Brands Grow’, CEPs provide a powerful way to understand how and when consumers access categories in their minds – the moments of need that trigger brand recall and choice.

What an honour! Our Brand Growth Platform has been recognised in the Thought Leadership category at the Grand Prix Content Marketing Awards 2025! Nine years ago, we started with an ambitious goal: helping brands grow through knowledge. Through our annual Brand Growth Study, vision interviews, and a yearly global event, we share insights that truly help brands grow. This recognition is a wonderful compliment to our team, our academic partners, and our clients, all experts in their field who believe in the power of knowledge sharing and collaboration. Next year marks the 10th edition of our Brand Growth Platform, and this award makes that milestone even more special. About the Grand Prix Content Marketing The Grand Prix Content Marketing is a prestigious awards ceremony recognising and rewarding the very best examples of content marketing. This annual event presents awards for the most successful content strategies and outstanding content productions. The Grand Prix Content Marketing is organised by  MarketingTribune  ( BBP Media ) and the  Society of Content Strategists .

London, 4 November 2025 – DVJ Insights has been recognised by the Financial Times and Statista as one of Europe’s Long-Term Growth Champions 2026. This recognition is a special reward for the 300 companies in Europe that have shown exceptional growth over the past 10 years. The recognition comes at the same moment as the company’s 8th consecutive FD Gazelle, also showing the consistency of its growth. The UK was the first market that was part of the European expansion and the success in the UK has helped to build that European footprint. A strategy that is focused on quality and added value with the support of senior consultants to work on growth strategies for their clients is distinctive in a market research world that has too much focus on efficiency and automation. DVJ has been able to realise a consistent annual growth for a period of 10 years. This is a unique performance because the total market for market research is not growing. DVJ’s long-term growth has been completely organic without the help of investors or other financial companies. DVJ entered the UK market seven years ago, establishing a local presence to serve clients more closely and to combine British marketing expertise with DVJ’s international perspective. The company’s continuous growth in the UK has contributed strongly to its overall European success. By studying growth for more than 10 years via its academic partners in Europe, and interviewing marketing professionals on a continuous basis, DVJ has developed a deeper understanding of growth than anyone else. That is why the company has grown, and that is also why it can advise its clients better on how to organise for growth. “Growth should never be the target. Growth is the result of a strong strategy, the best solution in combination with the best people. Our constant focus on making things better every day is the starting point,” says Lucas Hulsebos, CEO and owner of DVJ Insights. Integrating academic principles has helped us to become better every day”. Jemma Toynebee-Smith, Global Account Director and Market Lead UK, adds: “Joining DVJ was a clear choice for me. It’s rare to find a company that not only studies growth but lives it every day. The UK market values creativity and rigour, and DVJ combines both in a way that truly helps brands grow. Being part of a global community that is diverse and focused on positive values is inspiring” About FT Europe’s Growth Champions 2026 Europe’s Long-Term Growth Champions 2026 report is published and researched by the Financial Times and Statista. The list comprises the top 300 companies in Europe that have achieved the highest percentage growth in revenues between 2014 and 2024. To be included in the report, a number of criteria have to be met. See the full report here.

We are proud to share that DVJ Insights has been recognised by the Financial Times and Statista as one of Europe’s Long-Term Growth Champions 2026. This recognition is a special reward for the 300 companies in Europe that have shown exceptional growth over the past 10 years. DVJ has been able to realise a consistent annual growth for a period of 10 years! This recognition comes at the same moment as our 8th consecutive FD Gazelle, also showing the consistency of our growth. We believe that this is a unique performance because while the total market for market research is not growing, our growth is consistent for a very long period and is completely organic without the help of investors or other financial companies. By studying growth for more than 10 years via our academic partners in Europe and interviewing marketing professionals on a continuous basis, we understand growth better than anyone else. That is why we grow ourselves, and that is also why we can recommend to our clients better how to organise for growth. “Growth should never be the target. Growth is the result of a strong strategy, the best solution in combination with the best people. Our constant focus on making things better every day is the starting point,” says Lucas Hulsebos, CEO and owner of DVJ Insights. Marieke van Echtelt, managing director at DVJ Insights, adds, “The only way to grow consistently is to continue focusing on the people in the organisation and adjust to this growth. This requires flexibility and commitment. I am proud of all the teams that make this happen.”

Blog post by Lisette Kruizinga-de Vries, based on the master thesis of Rong Shen (HEC Paris - MSc Data Science & AI For Business) The Battle For Attention In today’s media landscape, attention is one of the hardest things to get from consumers. Younger audiences in particular dislike long ads and often skip them or do other things at the same time (Duffett, 2017). Traditional TV advertising, once seen in a passive, one-screen setting, has now become time-shifted, watched on multiple screens, and often optional (Voorveld et al., 2018). In this setting, persuasion is no longer just about exposure. Online, people often respond quickly and emotionally, especially those who are very used to media (Phillips & McQuarrie, 2010). This means ads are often processed faster and with less attention. Older persuasion models, such as the Hierarchy of Effects (Lavidge & Steiner, 1961), the Elaboration Likelihood Model (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986), and the Limited Capacity Model (Lang, 2000), assume a clear step-by-step process: attention leads to thinking, which shapes attitudes and later behaviour. But recent findings show this does not always apply, especially for younger users. They can form attitudes and intentions after very little exposure, guided by emotion, identity cues, or quick pattern recognition (Calder et al., 2009). This suggests traditional models may no longer fit, and shortcut processing strategies are becoming more common. Compressed Processing Paths This study introduces “compressed processing paths” to describe this new way of reacting to ads. These paths don’t replace older theories but refine them, showing that younger generations use a style of persuasion that is faster, emotional, and less cognitive. Young people, raised in a multitasking, digital world, are especially likely to follow this path. According to generational cohort theory (Strauss & Howe, 1991) and the idea of “media habitus” (Livingstone, 2002), media preferences are shaped by one’s upbringing. This explains why younger users often prefer ads that are intuitive, tied to identity, and visually engaging. Conditions that support compressed processing. This study therefore examines whether and how generations differ in ad engagement, emotional and cognitive reactions, and behavioural intentions. The main question is whether younger generations need less exposure to ads to reach similar or stronger persuasion results, which is a clear marker of compressed processing. The Study Set-Up And Model-Free Evidence DVJ Insights collected data through online surveys in different countries. In total, 279,825 responses, from almost 35,000 respondents, were gathered, based on realistic TV ad exposure. The dataset includes demographics (age, gender, country, mobile use), ad exposure measures (percentage watched, retention after 10 seconds, whether the ad was fully watched), brand impact (brand recall, recognition), and emotional and cognitive reactions. Respondents were assigned to different generational groups: Baby Boomers (1946–1965), Gen X (1966–1980), Millennials/Gen Y (1981–1996), and Gen Z (1997–2012). The data shows that younger generations watch less and skip ads more often than older ones (see Figure 1). Beyond skipping, we looked at how generations respond emotionally, cognitively, and behaviourally. Results show a clear generational pattern. Younger generations, especially Gen Y and Gen Z, had stronger emotional reactions to ads than older ones. For instance, emotional scores rose steadily from the older generations to Gen Y. Gen Z dropped slightly but stayed above average. Behavioural intention showed a similar trend. Cognitive evaluations, however, stayed high across all generations with little difference. This means emotions and behaviours are more tied to generational traits, while cognitive assessments stay fairly stable. Figure 1: Watch behaviour by generation Modelling Approach And Findings To test these patterns, we used linear mixed-effects models. We included interactions between generation and engagement metrics to see if the effect of engagement on ad response changes across age groups. The results confirmed a clear decline in full ad viewing from older to younger generations. This hypothesis is tested by predicting the likelihood of fully watching an ad based on generational groups and cultural factors, while controlling for demographics and context.​ The results show that younger generations are significantly less likely to fully engage with ads compared to Boomers. ​ Gen Z had the largest drop in engagement (β = -0.98, p < .001), followed by Gen Y (β = -0.50, p < .001) and Gen X (β = -0.09, p < .001). ​ This indicates a clear generational decline in ad viewing, aligning with the idea that younger audiences engage less with traditional ad formats. ​ The study tested how full ad exposure (fully viewed vs. skipped) and generational differences affect affective and cognitive responses using statistical models. ​Results showed that older generations, like Boomers, rely more on full ad engagement to form emotional responses (β = 0.735), while younger generations, such as Gen Y (β = –0.203) and Gen Z (β = –0.299), can form positive emotional reactions even with limited exposure. ​This supports the idea that younger generations follow a "compressed ad reaction pathway," requiring less engagement. ​ In short, younger generations not only differ in how they view ads (i.e., skip more) but also in how they process them, compared to older generations. They rely less on full engagement, and form reactions more quickly. Managerial Implications A key contribution of this study is the empirical validation of a compressed processing path among younger generations, particularly Gen Z and Gen Y. These cohorts demonstrated lower levels of ad engagement but higher overall responsiveness, suggesting that traditional persuasion models may no longer hold for digital-native consumers. Practically, the findings offer guidance for developing advertising, namely: Tailor ad content, format, and delivery to match generational preferences. Older generations are still attracted to traditional TV advertising, with its long-form, emotionally immersive messaging. For Gen Z and Gen Y, shorter but information-rich and intriguing content, specifically designed for mobile, fast-paced media, works probably better to keep consumers engaged and evoke ad liking. References Calder, B. J., Malthouse, E. C., & Schaedel, U. (2009). An experimental study of the relationship between online engagement and advertising effectiveness. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 23 (4), 321–331. Duffett, R. G. (2017). Influence of social media marketing communications on young consumers’ attitudes. Young Consumers , 18(1), 19–39. Lang, A. (2000). The limited capacity model of mediated message processing. Journal of Communication , 50(1), 46–70. Lavidge, R. J., & Steiner, G. A. (1961). A model for predictive measurements of advertising effectiveness. Journal of Marketing , 25(6), 59–62. Livingstone, S. (2002). Young people and new media: Childhood and the changing media environment . SAGE Publications. Petty, R.E., Cacioppo, J.T. (1986). The Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion . In: Communication and Persuasion. Springer Series in Social Psychology. Springer, New York, NY. Phillips, B. J., & McQuarrie, E. F. (2010). Narrative and persuasion in fashion advertising. Journal of Consumer Research , 37(3), 368–392. Strauss, W., & Howe, N. (1991). Generations: The history of America’s future, 1584 to 2069 . William Morrow. Voorveld, H. A. M., Noort, G. V., Muntinga, D. G., & Bronner, F. (2018). Engagement with social media and social media advertising: The differentiating role of platform type. Journal of Advertising , 47(1), 38–54.

We’re proud to share that DVJ Insights has been shortlisted in two categories at the MRS Awards 2025  — a recognition of our continued commitment to turning research into real-world impact. Our nomination in Media Research highlights our breakthrough work in retail media, where we combined innovative exposure measurement with creative testing to show how in-store advertising truly drives sales. By linking shopper behaviour directly to purchase data, we revealed that strong creative executions can deliver up to 265% higher sales uplift, helping global brands transform retail media from a “black box” into a measurable, strategic channel In the Applications of Research category, DVJ was recognised together with Philips  for developing a scalable, shopper-led framework that helps brands evaluate and optimise their in-store materials. This approach combines creative diagnostics, behavioural insights, and predictive AI to show what captures attention, drives recall, and converts into sales. The collaboration has given Philips teams around the world a clear, evidence-based way to make creative decisions faster and more confidently. Both nominations reflect the same principle that drives everything we do: using research not only to understand markets and behaviour, but to inspire better creative, smarter decisions, and stronger business results. We’re incredibly proud of our teams and grateful to our partners and clients for their trust and collaboration.