Center for Marketing and Consumer Insights

Close to the customer research for businesses and new industries

Our Mission

A spotlight on your customers

 

At the Center for Marketing and Consumer Insights (CMCI), we believe customers are at the heart of business, and understanding customers is the most vital function in marketing. CMCI conducts in-depth marketing and consumer research for organizations that want to know more about their customers. For more than 20 years, our researchers have served globally renowned brands such as Harley-Davidson, Honda, Tillamook, and Gerber Foods. We have also served nonprofits and community-based organizations such as the Oregon Symphony, Benton County Hospice, and Portland Mercado, as well as government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The roots of CMCI can be traced back to the Close to the Customer Project (C2C), founded by Drs.Hal Koenig and Jim McAlexander in the early 2000s. Today, we carry forward that legacy of excellence by creating innovative research projects that blend the mythological expertise of the College of Business faculty, the curiosity and energy of our graduate and undergraduate students, and the needs of organizations seeking deep insight into their customers.

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Let's Collaborate

Gain professional insights

We often hear the question: How can Oregon State faculty expertise benefit and grow my business? Our answer is: By allowing us, teams of top-tier College of Business marketing professors and students, to conduct consumer insights research and support marketing strategies that create a competitive advantage. 

With services that include brand testing, consumer behavior analysis, market barrier identification, and industry research, each project brings together expert faculty and curious, driven students to conduct research on your behalf.

Services & Solutions

Client Highlights & Past Projects

Reputation for Excellence

At CMCI for over twenty years, we have partnered with clients across a wide range of industries- including technology, financial services, consumer and industrial products, food and beverage, media, and education. 

Our portfolio includes long-standing collaborations with our good friends and colleagues at the OSU Foundation and OSU colleges of Engineering and Forestry, as well as leading Oregon businesses such as Rese’s Fine Foods, HP, and Tillamook Cheese. We have also collaborated with global corporations, including Kia USA, Intel, and the Adidas Group. 

Whatever the scope and scale of your project, you can trust our unwavering commitment to excellence and quality, from start to finish. 

See Our Clients

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Student Opportunities

Experience that Counts

As a market researcher with CMCI, you’ll get the opportunity to work directly with faculty, industry professionals, and potential employers. CMCI welcomes students from all backgrounds and experience levels, from the College of Business and across all OSU colleges, offering a uniquely multidisciplinary experience. We provide meaningful growth opportunities and engaging challenges for everyone, from first-year students to graduate students. 

If you are curious about market research and consumer insights, we encourage you to join our team! For instance, our project teams have included students from business, marketing, social research, engineering, media production, anthropology, and sociology. 

https://discord.gg/nZSsrNS5 Click on this link and follow the instructions on the get-started page. 

Student Opportunities

Our People

Meet the CMCI Experts

The College of Business marketing faculty brings their deep research expertise to the Center for Marketing and Consumer Insights (CMCI). With decades of combined experience in both industry and academia, they contribute to top-tier publications, find solutions ahead of the curve, serve on editorial boards, and mentor the next generation of business leaders. CMCI’s reputation for excellence has a global reach.

Interdisciplinary research brings together expertise from across the college and the OSU campus, paired with industry and client input, to deliver results for every project. 

Meet Our Experts

CMCI brochure