How Caudalie replaced 100% of their consumer testing with Foresight
The global skincare leader moved all traditional focus groups to synthetic consumers, running 15 tests per week with results in under 10 minutes.
100%
consumer testing replaced
15/week
tests on average
<10 min
time-to-insights
25x
cheaper per insight
50,000+
consumer perspectives
100%
market coverage
“We moved 100% of our traditional focus groups to Foresight.
Testing has become more of a reflex, a constant companion along the development process.”
Alix Ligot
Global Marketing Development Director, Caudalie
The challenge
Global reach, local blind spots
Caudalie operates in over 30 markets. Understanding how consumers in France, China, the US, Brazil or even specific regions within a single country perceive the same product requires research that is both deep and fast.
Traditional focus groups were too slow, too expensive, and impossible to run simultaneously across regions. Strategic decisions were delayed, and by the time insights arrived, the market had already moved.
Before Foresight
With Foresight
- ✕Weeks to organize a single focus group✓Results in under 10 minutes
- ✕Impossible to test across all markets at once✓100% coverage across all markets
- ✕Late changes caused by untested assumptions✓Options eliminated early with data
- ✕High cost per insight, limiting test frequency✓25x cheaper per insight
- ✕Cultural nuances lost in aggregated data✓Local consumer behavior captured
What they test
From design to launch, everything gets tested
Caudalie uses Foresight across every stage of the product and marketing lifecycle. Here are four areas where synthetic consumers replaced traditional methods entirely.
Claims validation
Simulated how consumers perceive and trust product claims, optimizing messaging for maximum impact and regulatory clarity.
The “Aha” moment
When AI confirmed what only the local retailer knew
During a naming discussion for a new collection, Caudalie’s local retailer in China strongly advocated for a specific name that differed from the rest of the world’s preference.
When tested with Foresight, the synthetic consumers showed a clear preference for that name among Chinese consumers only, without any prior bias in the simulation.
It was a powerful reminder of how accurately synthetic consumers can capture cultural nuance at a level traditional research rarely reaches.
“We don’t treat synthetic consumers as a source of absolute truth, but as a powerful decision-support tool. What builds trust is consistency: when AI insights repeatedly align with market reality and challenge us in relevant ways.”
Alix Ligot
Global Marketing Development Director
In their words
What Caudalie says about working with Foresight
On authenticity
“For us, AI isn’t about replacing reality, but about reducing distortion. By using synthetic consumer data, we can limit biases and get closer to what people truly feel.”
On competitive advantage
“In a fast market, the competitive edge isn’t having better instincts — it’s testing them faster and moving faster into action.”
On ROI
“Fewer wrong bets and stronger confidence in decisions. Foresight reduces second-guessing, and ultimately, regret.”
On workflow
“Testing has become more of a reflex, a constant companion along the development process.”
Ready to enhance your consumer testing?
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