MRSI Seminar 2026: Indian Consumer, Beauty & AI Research Wins Across Three Categories

The 34th Annual Market Research Society of India (MRSI) Seminar rolled out its red carpet for a two‑day deep‑dive into the shifting sands of Indian consumer behaviour, the latest beauty trends and the growing hand of artificial intelligence. Branded under the provocative theme “The Next Human,” the event pulled together more than a hundred submissions, but only twenty‑two papers made the short‑list.

When the winners were finally announced, it was hardly a surprise that the spotlight fell on research that bridged the gap between human nuance and digital power. Quantum Consumer Solutions, in partnership with Flipkart Internet, snagged the top prize in the Terrain category for a paper titled “Mapping the Human in High Definition: What Beauty Reveals About India’s Next Human.” The study, they say, paints a vivid picture of how beauty choices are quietly reshaping the Indian psyche.

Not to be outdone, Knowledge Excel took home the Compass award with “Confidence Before Conclusions: Developing the Analytical Insight Confidence Framework.” Their work zeroes in on building trust in analytical outputs – a timely reminder that data is only as good as the confidence we place in it.

Meanwhile, Plum Insights and Strategy earned the Instruments accolade for their field study “The Last Mile of Judgement: A Field Study of How Researchers Negotiate Authorship with AI.” The paper unpacks the uneasy dance between researchers and machine‑generated insights, a topic that feels increasingly relevant as generative AI takes centre‑stage.

Runner‑up honours went to industry heavyweights like Hindustan Unilever, Smytten PulseAI Research and the duo NielsenIQ & Mankind Consumer Products, underscoring that big brands are also keen to experiment with new methodologies.

The seminar opened with a thought‑provoking keynote from Dr A.K. Pradeep, founder and CEO of Sensori.ai. Titled “Extracting Insights and Commercial Wins from the Non‑conscious Mind of the Consumer,” his talk reminded everyone that while AI can churn out endless ideas, the real magic lies in tapping the subconscious cues that truly drive purchase decisions.

Following the keynote, a lively panel – “More Than Meets the Eye: Understanding the Consumer in Full” – debated how rapid AI advances are reshaping the speed at which consumers adapt. The consensus? Technological progress is a double‑edged sword; it speeds up innovation but also throws up fresh uncertainties that researchers must navigate.

One session, cheekily named “The Human has Left the Segmentation. Decoding THE NEXT HUMAN,” pushed the narrative further, urging marketers to move beyond static segmentation and toward richer, context‑driven portraits of consumers.

Speaking on behalf of MRSI, Nitin Kamat, Chief Growth & Partnerships Officer at TAM Media Research, summed up the vibe: “Each year, we witness papers that force brands to rethink their relationship with the consumer. This year’s ‘Next Human’ theme highlighted the need for deeper, more nuanced insights to thrive in a complex marketplace.” He added that India’s research community is poised to cement the country’s status as a global hub for insights.

Other highlights included a forward‑looking session on AI, robotics and creativity led by Niraj Ruparel of WPP, and an imaginative talk by Reshma Tonse, who explored India’s collective subconscious through the symbols and narratives that surface in our nightly dreams.

Closing the event, Puneet Avasthi of Kantar delivered a sweeping “Indian Research & Insights Industry 2026 Update,” while Anju Joseph of Quantum Consumer Solutions offered final remarks that echoed the day’s central message – that the future belongs to those who can blend human intuition with machine precision.