Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research: Brand Marketing Case Studies

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen a brand rely only on survey numbers, launch a big campaign, and then wonder why it failed. The numbers looked great on paper, but they never told the full story. 

This is where understanding the difference between quantitative and qualitative research matters. If you only focus on one side, you risk making decisions in the dark.

The global market research industry was worth about $140 billion in 2024. Out of that, most of the money goes to quantitative methods like surveys and analytics—around 59% in the US—while about 18% goes to qualitative approaches. 

We lean heavily on numbers, but qualitative research is growing too. In fact, qualitative methods grew by $3.5 billion globally in 2022. And almost 9 out of 10 researchers now run at least half of their qualitative studies online.

This mix tells us one thing: you can’t afford to ignore either side.

What is quantitative research?

Quantitative research is the numbers side of brand research. It’s how we measure what’s happening across large groups of people. Think surveys, analytics dashboards, A/B tests, customer satisfaction scores, and usage metrics.

One strong example comes from Veridata Insights. Their client needed to understand the world of social media influencers. Veridata surveyed 500 creators with at least 1,000 followers and used those numbers to segment influencers by content style and reach. That kind of clarity helped the brand decide which influencer partnerships were worth the budget.

Another example is Philomath Research citing Statista data from 2024. It showed that 69% of marketing leaders said using data-backed decision making improved campaign ROI by at least 20%. That’s proof of the commercial weight behind quantitative insights.

The key in quant is measurement. You’re looking at sample sizes, confidence levels, and error margins. You’re asking: does this number represent the bigger market? And you’re tracking KPIs like customer satisfaction or conversion rates.

What is qualitative research?

Qualitative research is about stories, not scores. It digs into why people think or act a certain way. Instead of surveying 1,000 people, you might interview 20, run a focus group, or ask people to keep diaries of how they use your product.

Northpeak explains how qualitative research can uncover hidden barriers like product complexity or misunderstood value. Through interviews and focus groups, companies found they needed to simplify their messaging and user experience to boost retention.

Another brand-level example is Starbucks, profiled by Drive Research. Through its My Starbucks Idea platform, the company collected customer feedback, tested ideas, and refined products based on both online community input and in-store trials. 

This was essentially a large-scale, ongoing focus group combined with direct feedback loops. The result was menu changes and product launches grounded in customer voice.

Measuring qual is different. You code responses into themes, look for patterns, and stop when you hit saturation—when no new insights are coming up. It’s less about percentages, more about meaning.

Key differences

Aspect	Quantitative research	Qualitative research
Goal	Measure what’s happening	Explore why it’s happening
Scale	Large sample sizes	Small groups or individuals
Data type	Numbers, statistics	Words, images, behaviors
Speed	Faster, often automated	Slower, more manual
Output	Dashboards, charts	Stories, themes

Numbers give you the ‘what.’ Stories give you the ‘why.’

Combining both in practice

Some of the strongest examples come when brands mix methods. Adidas TERREX is one. They combined customer feedback (qual) with quantitative testing of product concepts. The result was a parka that not only won awards but also sold well.

Samsung offers another example. To understand CSR perception across nine Asian markets, the company ran large-scale quantitative surveys to measure awareness, then paired them with qualitative studies to learn how cultural values shaped perception. That mix told them not just what people thought of Samsung’s CSR, but why.

How to measure and source data

For quantitative research, measure with statistics. Ensure your sample size is large enough, check margins of error, and benchmark KPIs like NPS or churn rates. Data sources include online survey platforms, research panels, customer databases, and analytics tools.

For qualitative research, measure with coding and theme analysis. Look for repetition until you hit saturation. Data sources include recruited focus group panels, in-depth interviews, diary studies, customer support transcripts, and social media conversations.

The Starbucks and Northpeak cases both show the power of using real-world conversations as a data source, not just abstract feedback.

The future of brand research

The line between quant and qual is blurring. More qualitative research is moving online. More quantitative tools now pull in real-time feedback. AI is speeding up analysis on both sides—automating survey design and coding interview transcripts. And communities of customers are becoming ongoing, digital focus groups.

SaaS brands are producing more written case studies as well—14 on average in 2023, up from 12 in 2022, with larger firms creating up to 75 in a year. These are not just marketing pieces but also research-backed content built on customer stories. That trend shows how much qualitative storytelling matters alongside quantitative data.

Closing thoughts

Quantitative research tells you what is happening. Qualitative research tells you why. If you’re a brand, you can’t afford to rely on just one. Numbers without context mislead. Stories without scale misdirect. Together, they give you a full picture.