MMR Research Associates Welcomes Rob Hernandez, Qualitative Guru

MMR Research Associates is excited to announce the addition of Rob Hernandez as our new SVP of Qualitative Research! 

Meet Rob Hernandez 

Hailing from Chicago, Rob joins us with over 30 years of marketing research experience.  His extensive background spans the client side, research vendor side and creative agency side, bringing a wealth of diverse perspectives to our qualitative research division. 

A Diverse Professional Background 

Client-Side Experience 

On the client side, Rob mastered the art of supporting internal stakeholders and leveraging research – to drive marketing strategy and business results. He focused on several strategic areas of research including brand marketing, multicultural marketing, and sales events and promotions.  

Creative Agency Experience 

Working for creative agencies, honed Rob’s ability to understand and facilitate effective communications that drive emotional responses. This experience enables him to bridge the gap between clients and creative teams, ensuring projects deliver optimal results. – whether involving a creative agency directly or supporting branding, positioning, or communications work.  

A Marketer First 

Rob is a marketer first, and a researcher second. Executing the research function is critical, but understanding the greater purpose at a strategic level to drive the business is what fueled Rob’s successful career - a mindset we wholeheartedly share. His well-rounded experience across business needs, project types and industries allows him to collaborate effectively across functional areas delivering more insightful, integrated work that benefits our clients. 

Passion for Human Insights 

Rob is passionate about uncovering deep and meaningful human insights and translating them into powerful strategies, with concrete actions, that help grow brands and build businesses.  

“I believe the very, very best research in the world doesn’t really mean much if it’s not applied in a way that can help a client. I’m excited to join MMR because, of course, we lead with the client's business and research objectives first. But we also bring wide category and industry experience that gives us a fundamental understanding of the nuances of our clients' business and the challenges they’re facing. Finally, and I think most importantly, is our broader marketing and branding acumen, which helps us keep our eyes on the end game. We really understand how brands are built and how marketing strategy works. This drives our research in a way that delivers real insights for our clients – insights that shape marketing strategies and build stronger brands.”  

Academic and Personal Achievements 

Rob holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania and a M.A. in Communication from the University of Texas at Austin. Plus, Rob may be the only person on the planet to compete in both policy debate and cheerleading at the collegiate level— two worlds which never collide! 

A Word from our COO 

“I am thrilled to have Rob on board to lead our qualitative practice. He brings a wealth of experience, a proven track record of success, and fresh perspective to our team. His senior leadership and vision make him well-suited to help drive our company forward. It was clear to me from my first meeting with Rob that his entrepreneurial “can do” approach would fit nicely with our company culture. But what I’m most excited about is the great thinking and value Rob will bring to our clients. I’m super-excited he’s on our team!” - John Rindone, COO 

We’re thrilled to bring Rob and his vast qualitative research experience and expertise into the MMR family. 

Welcome to MMR Research Associates, Rob!