🧢 Coach T's Recap
Different tracking methods will almost always produce different numbers. Tracksuit gives you a fresh line in the sand and a consistent way to track trends from here.
Each research provider has its own way of designing and running surveys, from who they choose to speak to, how they source respondents, how they ask questions, to how they define and calculate metrics. Because of these differences, brand tracking results are rarely comparable across providers.
Even studies run by the same provider can differ if the sample, survey design, or timing changes. One-off brand studies, ad hoc dips, or trackers run at irregular intervals can all produce different results, even when they appear to measure the same thing. That’s why we don’t recommend comparing metrics across studies, but the story the two sources are telling.
What causes variation between trackers?
There are many reasons two brand trackers may report different results, including:
Respondent composition (sampling targets, quotas, demographic breakdowns)
Panel source used to supply survey respondents
Respondent quality and QA checks (e.g. removing bots or inattentive users)
Survey design (question format, wording, routing, masking)
Respondent experience (layout, length, flow)
How metrics are calculated or rolled up
Time period covered (monthly, quarterly, rolling)
Demographic filters applied to your category or brand data
If your scores look higher or lower than a previous study, it doesn’t mean your brand performance has surged or slipped. It just means the measurement lens has changed.
Think of Tracksuit as a new, reliable baseline. A consistent, always-on tracker you can use to measure change over time with confidence. This consistency means you can trust the trends in your data, even if the starting point looks different from previous research.