Illustrative engagement. A representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work in creative services. It does not describe a specific client; outcomes are described qualitatively.
Industry overview
What is shaping creative services
Design studios and creative agencies need evidence that their work performs, insight into their clients and research that helps them win pitches.
- Clients ask for proof that creative work performs
- Client relationships drive repeat business
- Talent is the main asset
Client background
A creative talent marketplace, working in India & Southeast Asia. This is an illustrative engagement: a representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work, not a named client project.
- Organisation
- A creative talent marketplace
- Sector
- Creative services
- Team engaged
- Market Research
- Services
- Quantitative research, Online surveys
Client challenge
The marketplace wanted to attract experienced designers and writers and needed to understand what they looked for.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: understanding freelance creative talent.
- Understand the views, needs and behaviour of freelancers.
- Produce results that can be compared across groups and locations.
- Give the client evidence it can act on within 4 weeks.
Target audience
The work focused on 1,500 freelancers.
- freelancers1,500
Audiences we typically reach in creative services
Agency clientsTarget audiences for creative workCreative teamsProspectsFreelancers
Geographic coverage
Coverage: India & Southeast Asia. Markets: India, Malaysia and Indonesia.
- India
- Malaysia
- Indonesia
Research methodology
A structured quantitative design, so results could be compared across groups, locations and time.
- 1Brief
- 2Freelancer survey
- 3Insight
We surveyed freelancers about earnings expectations, payment concerns, preferred project types and platform features.
Quantitative researchOnline surveys
Sampling strategy
- freelancers
- 1,500
- Online respondents were drawn from verified panel members who matched the screening criteria, with quotas on key profile attributes.
Data collection
- The online survey was mobile-friendly and offered in respondents' languages.
Data quality & validation
- Digital fingerprinting and duplicate checks
- Attention, speed and straight-lining checks
- Review of open-ended answers
- Logic and range checks on the final data
- Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures
Data analysis
- Cross-tabulation by key groups and locations
- Significance testing on the differences that mattered
Key findings
- Payment security and clear briefs mattered more than fees.
Talent goes where it feels safe being paid.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: talent goes where it feels safe being paid.
- Focus effort where the evidence was strongest: payment security and clear briefs mattered more than fees.
- Re-measure after the changes to confirm the effect.
Business impact
- The marketplace introduced milestone payments and a brief template.
What changed in the business as a result of the work. Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Insight report and management presentation
- Cleaned data file and data tables
- Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
- A natural follow-on question: what does creative talent want?