Esomar North America 2026: UNFILTERED
Atlanta | November 2–4, 2026 

Last year we explored what’s ahead. This year, we’re cutting through the noise. 

The insights industry has a noise problem. More data. More dashboards. More AI-generated everything. And yet, less clarity on what actually drives decisions. 

Unfiltered is where we fix that. 

This is not the stage for polished case studies that skip the hard parts. This is where we challenge assumptions, question best practices, and get honest about what works, what doesn’t, and why. 

We want the part you usually cut from the deck. 

If your work holds up in the real world, we want to hear it. 

What We’re Looking For 

We welcome submissions from brands, agencies, consultancies, NGOs, and independent experts. Expect a mix of client-side insight leaders, agencies, analytics, and tech providers in the audience. 

Esomar strongly encourages submissions from diverse and underrepresented voices, and from a wide range of industries and organization types. 

Strong submissions will: 

  • Show real decisions and outcomes, not just outputs  

  • Be transparent about methodology, including the role of AI  

  • Move beyond selling a product, company, or approach  

  • Share lessons learned, including what didn’t work  

  • Offer clear, actionable takeaways attendees can use immediately  

If it sounds like a press release, it’s not for this stage. 

Content Themes 

1. Truth and Trust: What Can We Actually Believe? 

Cutting through hype and validating what holds up 

In a world where anything can be generated, what can we trust? 

We’re looking for work that tests claims, challenges assumptions, and shows what actually stands up under pressure. 

Submissions may explore: 

  • The gap between AI promise and real-world performance  

  • Synthetic data, digital twins, and where they break  

  • Bias, validation, and quality in AI-supported research  

  • Ethics, privacy, regulation, and compliance in AI-enabled research 

  • What it took to rebuild trust internally or with stakeholders  

  • Social research, citizen perspectives, and public opinion in a fragmented, AI-influenced landscape

    If you tested it, proved it, or disproved it, bring it. 

2. Decisions That Moved the Business 

Closing the gap between research and real business choices 

We’re not interested in what was presented. We care about what changed. 

This theme focuses on the moments where work led to real decisions. Budgets shifted. Products launched or stopped. Strategies changed direction. Or nothing happened and you figured out why. 

Submissions may explore: 

  • The decision that changed direction and what drove it  

  • When work was ignored and what you learned  

  • What actually influences decision-makers  

  • Moving beyond presentations into real decision environments  

No soft metrics. Show what moved. 

3. Human vs Machine: What Should We Automate? 

Getting real about AI in practice 

Not everything should be automated. Some things absolutely should. 

We want clarity, not AI worship. 

Submissions may explore: 

  • Where automation failed and why  

  • What should never be handed to AI  

  • Human-in-the-loop models that actually work  

  • The evolving role of the researcher  

If you tried to automate everything and regretted it, even better. 

4. The Reality Check: What Does Not Work 

Case studies without the highlight reel 

This is where you stand out. 

Submissions should focus on: 

  • Failed approaches, pivots, and hard lessons  

  • Overcomplicated methods that did not deliver  

  • Tools, frameworks, or trends that underperformed  

  • What you would do differently if starting again  

Honesty matters more than polish. 

5. Bold Thinking: New Models, New Rules 

Challenging how insight work gets done 

Some of the biggest shifts are not incremental. They rethink the system entirely. 

Submissions may explore: 

  • New approaches to insight generation and delivery  

  • Alternative team structures or operating models  

  • Continuous or embedded insight systems  

  • Cross-disciplinary methods and unexpected collaborations  

If it challenges assumptions and creates better outcomes, it belongs here. 

The Kind of Titles That Stand Out 

  • The Part We Usually Delete From the Case Study  

  • This Method Looked Great on Paper. Here’s Why It Didn’t Work  

  • AI Lied to Us. So We Started Testing Everything  

  • We Tried to Replace Researchers With Automation. We Were Wrong  

  • How We Got Stakeholders to Stop Ignoring Our Work  

  • What We Learned from 100 Bad Recommendations  

Clear. Direct. No hiding. 

Session Formats 

We’re looking for a mix of formats, including: 

  • Case studies with clear outcomes  

  • Panels with strong, diverse perspectives  

  • Interactive sessions and workshops  

  • Short talks and provocations  

We especially value sessions that are direct, engaging, and discussion-driven. 

On-Site Experience 

Unfiltered is not just a theme. It’s how the event will feel. 

Expect: 

  • Hot Takes: short, sharp provocations  

  • Reality Room: failure-focused sessions  

  • Ask Me Anything: open conversations with industry leaders  

No hiding behind slides. 

How to Strengthen Your Submission 

  • Be explicit about what didn’t work  

  • Show the role of AI honestly, even if it was minimal  

  • Include real decisions and outcomes  

  • Share 3 to 5 takeaways people can apply immediately  

  • Tell us what surprised you  

If you learned it the hard way, we want it. 

Submission Details 

Deadline: May 6th
Who can apply: Researchers, marketers, strategists, innovators, and decision-makers
Formats: Case studies, panels, interactive sessions, and bold experiments 

Cut through the noise. Get to what actually matters. 

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