We are a boutique qualitative agency that
 provides strong strategic direction, grounded in well observed consumer truths.

We offer exploratory research, brand strategy, communication,
 packaging and innovation research.

What we do

We tailor make our methodologies, to create a nurturing environment where consumers are recognised and can share openly and honesty.

We employ the following methodologies:

  • Focus Groups
  • Individual interviews, friendship pairs and triads
  • Ethnographies
  • Customer journeys
  • Online communities
  • Virtual focus groups and IDIs
  • Workshops with clients, consumers and influencers

We work across a wide spectrum of products, sectors and markets,
from moms hand-washing to young men drinking.

Some brands are market leaders, while others are entering the market for the first time.
We work closely with our clients to ensure strategies that allow brands to make a difference.

Our Clients

We are passionate about what we do, inspired by our consumers and dedicated to our clients.

The long standing relationship with our clients is a testament to the importance
we place on collaboration and the high quality service we provide.

 

Testimonials

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We consider Urban Legend Research as one of our key partners, adding a wealth of experience & insight. Julie Zander shares our values of truly keeping the consumer at the heart of everything we do and embraces every project with energy and the utmost integrity.

Lucien van Huyssteen. Consumer Planning Manager – Brandhouse/Diageo

Julie Zander’s core strength as a researcher lies in her ability to extract meaningful business insights from consumers and communicating these to the brand teams succinctly and clearly. Urban Legend Research quickly identifies core themes from consumers and relates these back to the business issues at hand.


Céline Dallas, Strategic Planning Director – JWT Cape Town

Urban Legend Research and Julie Zander can always be relied upon to provide excellent consumer insights beyond that of your average research agency. Insights and results that aid in taking action! Her extensive experience in the advertising world as well as her breadth of client experience (both cross category and cross geography) positions Urban Legend Research uniquely as a business partner rather than just a service provider.


Angela Banks, Marketing Director Brand Development Laundry – Unilever

I’ve worked with Urban Legend Research for over 15 years, on categories as diverse as alcohol, personal care, laundry and women’s empowerment campaigns. I’ve only had great experiences. Julie Zander is not only a brilliant moderator, but brings a sharp strategic planner’s brain to every insight challenge. She’s an expert in unpicking the nuances of South African culture, and is always a great sounding board for ideas. On one project for a global laundry brand, it was one of her insights from the research that became the ‘ah-ha’ moment in the project and changed the whole direction of the creative work.

David Burrow – Zeotrope

Urban Legend is one of the finest qualitative researchers I have worked with. Julie Zander is passionate, thorough and engaged. She invests quality time when she receives a brief, applies her knowledge and strategic thinking to make valuable suggestions and challenges as appropriate.

Julie works harmoniously with my team and is always willing to go the extra mile in the most complex situations! She has built a strong network of local resource who support her very effectively in decoding local cultures, language and needs. Her reports are thoughtful, rich and insightful. I would recommend Julie to anyone who believes in the added value that a great qualitative researcher can bring to a business, project or new challenge.

Giulia Lorio-Ndlovu, Chief Marketing Officer Sub-Saharan Africa – PepsiCo

Who we are

Julie Zander – Founder

Julie’s multicultural, diverse background has driven her 25 year career in understanding people. Born to French Armenian parents, Julie was raised in South Africa and Europe. She started her career in London working for global research agency Fusion Research, then went on to work in advertising as a strategic planner for several big agencies: TBWA, Euro RSCG and DFGW.

Julie founded Urban Legend Research in 2000, in her home country South Africa and now manages projects within South Africa and other African markets. Her work spans across many sectors and markets, predominantly in FMCG. Julie is driven by her love for consumers – diverse, complex and dynamic in nature.

In her spare time, Julie enjoys parenting, learning more about nutrition & health and spends time in nature.

Julie speaks English, French & Spanish.

Urban Legend Research and Julie are Unilever Accredited.

Team

Our bespoke team offers a rich combination of expertise, talent, experience and perspective.

We are hard working, committed, flexible, agile and passionate.

Tebogo Rakubu
Senior Researcher

Mduduzi Simelane
Senior Researcher

Sandra Zando
Head of Recruitment

Brenda Mthonjeni
Translator

Refiloe Thabethe
Online Support

Africa

It has taken decades to build a strong, supportive partnership across Africa. We work with other like-minded boutique agencies, only at director level.

We are all highly qualified researchers, who have been doing this work for many years. We have a long history of working together across countless categories, with a wide variety of clients. 

We offer you global thinking, seamless process and in-depth local knowledge.

Our East and West Africa partners are all expert researchers in their region. 

Contact

 

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