Over the Shoulder has proprietary smartphone technology for mobile ethnographies and journaling, helping researchers access their target consumer’s daily lives to deliver insights.

The company’s tech will add to 20/20’s suite of qualitative research tools – including the QualBoard enterprise platform – that is used by more than 4,000 clients worldwide.

Isaac Rogers, CEO of 20/20, said: “Over the past 10 years, the team at Over the Shoulder has built an amazing solution for capturing in-depth mobile insights for a variety of research objectives. What’s more, it’s done so with a relentless focus on creating the best user experience for research participants and on delivering top-notch service for their clients. Joining forces enables us to help researchers address an even broader array of objectives and approaches as they seek to better understand consumer experiences.”

Ross McLean, executive director of Over the Shoulder, added: “Joining 20/20 is a perfect match for Over the Shoulder, and we’re excited about the benefits it brings to the market. Until now, researchers often had to choose between Over the Shoulder’s ability to ‘ride in the pockets and purses of consumers through their smartphones’ or using a discussion platform like 20/20’s QualBoard. Now they can have access to both, plus live virtual interviews, individual chats, and other online qualitative services – even within a single project.”