Over Fifty Years of Custom Research
Founded in 1955 by Leo J. Shapiro, LJS started as a market research firm grounded in principles of social science and behaviorism developed at the University of Chicago, where Leo received his Ph.D. in Sociology. George Rosenbaum, the firm's first employee, received his M.A. in Sociology at the University of Chicago. In our first 20 years of operation, LJS helped pioneer many of the methods commonly used today for market research and public-opinion surveys.
As our reputation for research innovation grew, businesses and organizations that had never used market research before began approaching LJS to help them understand their customers. Consumer product companies hired us to help develop new products aimed at unmet consumer needs. Retailers hired us to study the most effective layout for grocery stores. Attorneys hired us to research jury decision-making. The reason such disparate groups began hiring LJS is that virtually everyone who did so acquired knowledge that gave them an edge — an edge that their competition noticed. Gradually, LJS became known not only for the quality of its research, but also for the creative ways in which it applied social science research methodologies to unearth vital information about consumer — and more broadly, human — behavior.
As LJS grew, so did our ability to help businesses and organizations use research insights as actionable business foresights. Building on the forward-looking nature of this work, LJS stood at the forefront of many significant marketing and retailing trends. Our research for iconic American brands such as McDonald’s, Kimberly-Clark, Coca-Cola, Wrigley and others has made a profound impact on the shape and character of American merchandising and marketing.
