Because people are gloriously complicated.
We help businesses understand why people choose, buy, stay, switch and sometimes surprise themselves. Across categories, cultures and contradictions, we uncover the human truths behind better business decisions.
No jargon. No insight theatre. Just research that helps you move forward.
Where diagonal thinking helps
Getting Started
When you're trying to understand the landscape before making your next move.
Building Better
When you've got an idea and want to know if it's worth betting on.
Figuring It Out
When something isn't quite adding up.
01 — 03
- 01What's changing in culture?
- 02What's happening in the category?
- 03What do consumers really want?
- 04Where are the unmet needs?
- 05How do people currently think, choose and behave?
- 01Is this concept compelling?
- 02Does the product deliver?
- 03Is the pack working hard enough?
- 04Does the name fit?
- 05Is the communication landing?
- 01Why aren't people coming back?
- 02What's the customer experience really like?
- 03What happened after launch?
- 04Where are we losing people?
- 05What's getting in the way of growth?
ThinkCultural studies · Consumer awakenings · Category explorations · Usage & attitude studies · Brand equity · Triggers & barriers · Customer journey mapping
ThinkConcept evaluation · Product testing · Communication evaluation · Pack testing · Logo & name testing
ThinkCustomer experience · Post-launch evaluation · Lapsage studies
Didn’t find your question here?
The best questions usually don’t fit into service menus. Neither do we. Bring us the messy brief. The uncomfortable problem. The contradictory consumer. We love rolling up our sleeves and figuring it out with you.
How we think diagonally.
Curiosity is our favourite research tool.
- 01
Question
Why? Why now? Why not? We ask questions. Lots of them. Sometimes the obvious ones. Often the uncomfortable ones.
Why?Why now?Why not?Why?Why not?Why now?Why?Why not?Why now?Why?Why not?Why now? - 02
Listen
Really listen. Not just to answers. To pauses. Contradictions. Body language. What wasn't said.
what wasn’t said - 03
Decode
Human behaviour rarely comes with subtitles. We make sense of the motivations beneath the words.
what it meansThey’ve already chosen. This is the defence.what they said“…you know, it’s complicated.” - 04
Frame
Insights are only useful if people can act on them. We turn complexity into clarity.
- 05
Land
Good stories get remembered. That's the goal. Always.
DiagonalGood stories get remembered.
Different categories. Same curiosity.
We work with businesses across:
01 — 07Food & Beverage
Consumer Health
Home & Living
Retail
Financial Services
Technology
Don’t see your category on the list? That’s okay.
Curiosity travels well.
Start a conversationClients ask us some pretty interesting questions.
Q01
Q02
Q03
Q04
Q05
Have a problem that isn’t fitting neatly into a spreadsheet?
Launching something new? Trying to understand why consumers do that strange thing they always do? We’d love to have a conversation.
Diagonal was founded by Vanaja Iyer, who has spent over two decades helping brands understand people across advertising, product management, communications and research — with experience at Mudra, Tata Communications, IMRB and Kantar.
The curiosity came first. It still does.
