8:28 Insights is a marketing strategy and consumer insights agency rooted in cultural competence, curiosity, and truth. We partner with brands to understand people on a deeper level, providing insights that drive strategic decisions and meaningful brand connections. Our approach focuses on uncovering the real-life stories and human truths that shape consumer behavior, helping brands create genuine, impactful relationships with their audiences.

The name 8:28 carries a special meaning for our founder, Cynthia Harris. It’s a tribute to her father, the first entrepreneur she admired, who built a life on resilience, hard work, and dedication to helping others. Raised in poverty, he went on to achieve remarkable things: playing college football, serving as a U.S. Army veteran in Vietnam, becoming a CPA, earning an MBA, and thriving in corporate America—all before starting his own real estate company. His mission was simple yet powerful—to provide quality housing for everyday people, giving each family a dignified place to call home.

When Cynthia needed a name for her company, she turned to her father’s favorite Bible verse, Romans 8:28. To him, this verse represented a guiding principle: that there’s purpose to be found in every moment, and all experiences—no matter how challenging—can contribute to something meaningful. The name 8:28 keeps his legacy alive and reminds her to build with purpose and perseverance, just as he did.

At 8:28 Insights, we carry forward that commitment to understanding people deeply. Just as Cynthia’s father cared about each person’s story, we believe every brand has the opportunity to connect with real lives and meaningful moments. Our work is about uncovering the human truths that shape people’s lives and making them central to brand strategy. Like her father’s approach to real estate, we see our role as laying a foundation—one built on understanding, empathy, and the belief that every story matters.

We pride ourselves on our "insanely human" approach, blending cultural intelligence with rigorous research methods. Unlike large agencies that might prioritize volume, we focus on high-quality, culturally resonant insights tailored to each client’s unique needs. Our team of traditionally trained marketers brings diverse experiences from leading brands, enabling us to offer agile, high-value insights that make a tangible difference.

8:28 Insights partners with a variety of clients across industries, including consumer packaged goods, insurance, financial services, food and beverage, and government. We work with both established brands and emerging companies, always with a focus on helping our clients build meaningful connections with their audiences through culturally intelligent insights and strategies.

We offer a wide range of services, including focus groups, in-depth interviews, segmentation studies, and brand strategy workshops. From qualitative to quantitative research, our goal is to dig deep into human stories and provide insights that make brands more relatable and impactful. We also offer specialized services such as design thinking facilitation to help teams turn insights into actionable strategies.

Cultural intelligence is at the core of everything we do. Our team goes beyond surface-level demographics to understand the cultural contexts, values, and nuances that drive consumer behavior. This means our insights are not just data points—they’re narratives that help brands connect with their audiences authentically and effectively. We believe every brand has the potential to make an impact, and we’re here to guide that journey.

Our "insanely human" approach is a commitment to empathy, respect, and authenticity. We’re dedicated to understanding the people behind the data, looking beyond numbers to uncover real stories and emotions. This approach allows us to craft insights that are not only strategic but also deeply meaningful, helping brands to resonate with their audiences in an authentic, human-centered way.

We prioritize quality over volume, focusing on delivering actionable insights that clients can trust. Our team’s experience with global brands, coupled with our cultural expertise, allows us to conduct in-depth analyses that go beyond the obvious. We’re agile, flexible, and consistently maintain high standards to ensure our insights are both relevant and impactful.