Why CMOs Are Turning To Synthetic Research for Smarter Strategy
By Kathy Grunditz
Balch & Bingham
Uncovering Brand Opportunity with Synthetic Research
Services
Brand Strategy
User Research
Balch & Bingham teamed up with One North to gain insight into brand perception gaps and refine the brand story using synthetic and traditional research.
Balch & Bingham is a full-service powerhouse and best-kept secret in regulated industries. While those close to the firm viewed Balch as a national leader, prospects and other firms often perceived Balch as a regional player. To address this, Balch teamed up with One North for a three-month deep dive into their brand.
Mining Brand Truths
Using the Four Cs — Company, Competition, Client, and Culture — One North ran a full-scale brand assessment, including:
- 14 interviews with internal Balch stakeholders to uncover strengths and opportunities
- 6 client interviews with decision-makers who select outside counsel
- AI-driven synthetic research simulating 1,068 virtual prospects in the U.S.
- Competitive analysis of peer firms’ messaging
Why Synthetic Research?
Reaching niche audiences can be tough. That’s why Balch partnered with One North and Evidenza to take a smarter approach. Using synthetic research powered by AI, we simulated over a thousand virtual personas: legal service decision-makers at U.S. organizations with $20M+ in revenue who’ve hired outside counsel in the last three years.
This method unlocked deep qualitative and quantitative insights—quickly and at scale—without the time, cost, and scope creep of traditional research. Built-in bias checks and quality controls ensured the data was reliable and actionable. The result? In mere days, a clear picture emerged of Balch brand perceptions and growth opportunities, which would have taken months through traditional research methodologies.
Balch: A Best-Kept Secret
Bringing all research together, we found that clients love Balch’s responsiveness and strategic advice, but the firm is still the “best kept secret” in their legal sector. Unaided awareness was low, and too many respondents were only vaguely aware of its full capabilities. Meanwhile, few competitors are actively claiming the firm’s focus areas—leaving a wide-open lane for Balch.
From Hidden Gem to National Treasure
The research was clear: Balch’s niche credibility is its ticket to national growth. By aligning the brand to proven strengths, Balch can boost awareness, deepen client relationships, and lead the conversation.
In addition to a robust research report, One North delivered a brand toolkit — including a messaging framework and Greyser Matrix brand platform — that will set Balch up for success, from brand strategy to communication, design, and beyond. With leadership buy-in and a bold new narrative, Balch is ready to step into the spotlight.
“One North recommended cutting-edge research utilizing an AI-generated synthetic target audience, and Balch was eager to participate and engage in a technology that is the future of market research. The ability to capture actionable data at a lower cost with unprecedented speed and proven accuracy resulted in critical brand insights needed to evolve our marketing strategy.”
By the Numbers
1068
virtual personas simulated by synthetic research 14
stakeholder interviews 06
6 client interviews
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