Insights are illuminating. They shine light on deeper human beliefs and motivations and reveal the tensions our consumers, customers, patients and stakeholders wrestle with. Actionable insights light the path to opportunity. They foster fresh, meaningful consumer connections and inspire innovation and progress. Artfully captured and powerfully leveraged, insights are the catalyst for positive growth, change and success - which is good for businesses and customers alike. This is why we do what we do. Our aim is to optimise the power of every insight – and every individual we train - to help them realise their full potential and make a greater impact.

OPTIMA: a plural form of Optimum: most conducive to a favourable outcome; creating the optimum conditions for growth, reproduction or success. To ‘optimise’ is to make “the best or most efficient use of a situation or resource.”

OPTIMA Noun; a plural form of Optimum: "most conducive to a favourable outcome; creating the optimum conditions for growth, reproduction or success. To ‘optimise’ is to make the best or most efficient use of a situation or resource.”

The Optima Story

When I set up Optima Concepts in late 2000, the focus was, as the name suggests – on crafting research-ready concepts. Nearly every client company I worked with was reeling with frustration as their positioning, product and service ideas were failing to resonate with consumers. With 9 out of 10 concepts being killed at the final hurdle, concept testing was a perilous time for ideas – and an expensive time for companies. There was definitely a gap in the market.

In going through the ‘big round bin’ of failed ideas, the cause of death was clear to me. Lack of insight. Without insight into why the consumer should be compelled by the ideas, they failed to connect. Of course, some concepts simply lacked clarity and polish – but, for 99%, a lack of consumer insight was the problem.

So, I set up Optima Concepts to fix the broken concept problem. Turns out, it wasn’t just a broken concept problem. As my clients were the first to point out - it was a “lack of insight-from-the-outset” problem. In numbers too big to ignore, clients invited us to work with them much earlier in the process - so we could start with insight – not just finish with insight.

Since then, Optima has gone from strength to strength. Not only do we offer insights consultancy and tailored solutions, but we lead teams on full-circle “Insights-into-Action” Journeys - using real-time, live business challenges.

And, because we believe that insights discovery is even more powerful when shared, we’ve developed a full suite of inspirational, user-friendly training tools to embed insights capability in others so they can enjoy discovering - and leveraging - consumer, customer, stakeholder and patient insights for themselves. And we’ve not lost our passion for bringing out the best in every idea through the concepts we create.

Kathy Lewis (Founder/Director)

With over 25 years' experience in Global advertising communications and strategic brand consulting, I have a breadth and depth of experience in insight development, capability training, innovation and brand strategy.

My passion for discovering the deeper motivations that drive human behaviour is long-standing. I worked for top advertising agencies in the USA and the UK, including Ogilvy, Foote Cone, and latterly, McCann’s - where I was on the Board of Directors of McCann-London. I have also studied Neuro-Linguistic Programming, which I apply to both insight and team development.

The Optima Team

In addition to Kathy, there is a hand-selected group of experienced and talented individuals who act as Associates. The team brings breadth, variety and the perfect blended expertise to meet the specific challenges of our clients, whenever required.

Every one of the Optima team has held positions as senior leaders for big-name brands, client and agency-side, with expertise that stretches across a range of disciplines and marketing specialisms. The Optima team is united by a shared sense of humour, curiosity and creativity, an unyielding belief in the power of insight, and common core values.

Optima Core Values We believe...

Insights illuminate fresh ways to create meaningful connections with the people that matter most. Powerfully activated, insights are the catalyst for growth.

If you really love what you do - it shows! We generously infuse individuals and teams with the tools, skills and passion for creating insights – and we delight in bringing out the best in everyone.

The joy of discovery and thrill of success are amplified when we’re in it together. We love to inspire and stretch each other beyond what we thought was possible.

Our greatest reward is growing long-term client relationships - which we measure in numbers of years, not just numbers of projects. We thrive in close, creative partnerships.