Thought leader spotlight: Emily Groch

August 14th, 2019 | Emily Groch

Behind the data are our world-class thought leaders. Over the next few months, we will be introducing you to the people responsible for Comperemedia’s industry expertise. 

Emily Groch is Comperemedia’s Director of Insights, Telecommunications, providing omnichannel marketing analysis and competitive insights to telecom providers.

Q: What topics do you specialize in? 

A: I specialize in competitive marketing intelligence across telecommunications and media.

Q: How did you get to where you are now? 

A:  At one point, I thought I would become an English professor. During my M.A. program at the University of Tennessee, however, I realized that I loved research much more than teaching. So, I finished my degree and shortly thereafter started an internship in the market research arm of Edelman (then called StrategyOne). Before Mintel, I also did a two-year stint as a paid search campaign manager but realized quickly that I wanted to be back on the research side. Throughout my career, I have been working with clients in the tech and media space.

Q: If you could have lunch with anyone in your industry, who would it be and why? 

A: This is a really tough question! If I had to choose just one it would be Netflix CEO Reed Hastings. Netflix changed the way we consume video in meaningful and lasting ways. Hastings is a visionary, and I’d love to hear his perspective about how it happened, particularly the obstacles. Plus, I’d want to see if I could tease out any details about how Netflix is future-proofing itself, especially right now. 

Q: Tell us about a brand campaign or shift in strategy that has recently caught your eye?

A: Everyone is talking about the forthcoming streaming video shake-up from Disney, Apple, and others. But there have already been meaningful moves from a number of video providers this year. For example, free, ad-supported services like Pluto TV and Tubi TV are spending more on marketing to drive awareness and it seems to be working. Meanwhile, AT&T has been rejiggering its video strategy, so we’ve observed significant changes in its marketing approaches, as well.

Q: What is your favorite part about your job?

A: The entire storytelling process. I absolutely love the treasure hunt of finding the important indicators from our wealth of data, as well as developing insights and delivering them to clients. Getting up in front of an audience and sharing something you’ve worked hard on is such a rush, especially when those presentations turn into meaningful discussions with clients.

Q: Last but not least- tell a fun fact about yourself. 

A: I like to de-stress with ballet class. I’ve been dancing since I was little, and still appreciate the 90 minutes of forgetting everything else in the world and just concentrating on movement. It’s very refreshing.