Shweta Satpute

Let’s start with you. Who are you, and what lens do you bring to understanding people online?

I am Shweta. I would love to describe myself as an ‘empath’ – someone who loves to understand humans, mentally and emotionally. My empath lenses help me uncover people online as ‘human behind my brand’. It truly helps me identify the ‘why’ behind consumer likes/dislikes/reaction to my product, unlock emotions, motivations and lastly draw relevance of my brand in their day-to-day life.

When I am analyzing conversations online, I decode the social mentions to understand more about consumer demographics, usage occasion, cultural relevance, need-gaps that help me find true insights for my brand. These are not only helpful in product development or innovation but also drive digital marketing strategies to make sure our brands show up and speak language that our consumer really understands.

These lenses really help me uncover human truth and find insights that are foundational for a good brand/product.

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What’s a working theory you have right now about how people behave online?

Based on my social analysis of how the last three generations behave online, is that Millennials and Baby boomers are the only generations that reveal consumer truth. Gen-Z often ‘reacts than act real’ on social media.

Social media today largely is driven by extremities and virality. Most of them are ‘reactions than being real’ consumer experiences, influenced by trends. TikTok videos and Instagram stories are driven more by ‘what will drive attention’ than ‘what do I really feel’ about the brand/product. Hence, it is becoming increasingly challenging to identify consumer truth between all the noise. I do believe Customer Care feedback, online reviews and Reddit are the places that uncover real human behavior and experiences.

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What’s an insight you surfaced that you still think about? What one stuck with you?

A few years ago, I was helping Kraft Heinz validate the partnership idea with Taco Bell for in-home meal kits. Social conversations revealed rising interest in Mexican food and desire of replicating restaurant like experience at home, post pandemic. Kraft Heinz went ahead with licensing of TB meal kits. Fast forward now, I see how that multicultural cuisine interest has led to flavor innovations across different products at Kraft Heinz (Gochujang sauce), as well other F&B Brands like Nestle (Nestle Maggi in US). 

Even today, a lot of trends analysis and cultural insights within the coffee category are driven by consumer need to create coffee-like experiences at home through café inspired flavors, café recipes or crewing techniques. Similarly, the rise of Asian influence within coffee space with Matcha coffee, Vietnamese Coffee or Mochi inspired flavors.

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What’s the weirdest rabbit hole your work has ever sent you down? And what did it teach you?

I was working on a very extensive social intelligence project that required me to identify key usage drivers across all our brand portfolio for summer occasions. I had a very short timeline to deliver. Me being ‘perfectionist’ and desire to include as many details and data for my stakeholders, I went into a rabbit hole of everything that seems to be really important to include on slides but constrained by time & resources. The itch to mine data & dive deeper led to ‘analysis paralysis’. Too much data, that led to blurry insights and storytelling.

Since then, every new research I take up, I make sure to focus on what’s the end-goal and align with my stakeholders frequently in due course to make sure I am delivering what’s important to my stakeholders.

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What skills or mindsets do you think the next generation of analysts will need?

Irrespective of the generation, I guess all the analysts and social intelligence professionals need a mindset to question the ‘status quo’ and find the ‘why’ behind certain findings. That inner desire to dive deep into the data is quintessential. Having said that, one also needs to have a framework of analysis or a drawing board for every research, that drives story telling & better visualization of their findings. 

In terms of technical skillsets, I do feel everyone needs to be updated with advanced digital marketing techniques, artificial intelligence and Agentic AI models, nuances of social media channels to have edge over others in this space

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What’s a niche community, account, or corner of the internet you’re watching right now? And why?

I am watching Shark Tank India – Season 5. It is a reality web series featuring a panel of potential investors or angel investors, termed as 'sharks', who listen to aspiring entrepreneurs' pitch ideas for a business or product they wish to further develop.

 I am an Indian Canadian, having spent more than 50% of my life there, I know it is the land of Jugaad (lifehack, frugal innovation). They say, necessity is the mother of all innovation, and what a better place than India for it to manifest. Innovative minds, advanced technology, and cost-efficiency strategies have led to the birth of some best ideas and products. 

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Last non-work thing you read that shaped your thinking?

Honestly, I am not into reading books. But I love listening to podcasts. I love to hear podcast that inspire good health and mental wellbeing.

Many of those podcasts that inspired me to travel the world, meet people and learn from different cultures. I try to squeeze in time to travel places around me, live the experiences, value those little moments of happiness and smiles with family, especially my 5 year daughter. Travelling with her and making memories has honestly taught me so much. It has helped me bring in fresh perspective and energy at work.

A lot of it also translates as knowledge to my work where I see how consumers or people across the world interact, learn more about their culture. These things keep me grounded …

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