Listening at scale and speed: can we learn lessons from the big brands for understanding need in support of NHS reform?

As the NHS embarks on ambitious reform - shifting towards more devolved, diverse, and integrated models of care - one challenge looms large: how do we understand and respond to need in a dynamic, human-centred way? In other words, how do we get better at listening?

Consumer goods giants like Unilever UK, Procter & Gamble (P&G), Reckitt Benckiser Group, and Johnson & Johnson UK face familiar pressures. Their markets are fast-moving, expectations are rising, and adapting depends on listening deeply and changing quickly in dynamic conditions. Might their approaches offer valuable lessons for public-purpose organisations navigating complexity and change? Having spent the first few years of my career working in PR for some of these huge organisations, I think so. They clocked many years ago that success was defined by the public, and their approach to being person-centred is light years ahead of the NHS.

Now, I totally get that there are huge differences, that it is crucial not to act unethically or manipulate, and this will always in some ways be comparing apples with pears. But that isn’t to say that there isn’t something to learn from the sophisticated approaches that are becoming the norm in other industries. What might be gained if the NHS (or local / national government) were able to engage the public in prevention with the level of skill developed in these sectors? How might these techniques support a reorientation of attention away from looking upwards, to the centre, to looking outwards, to local need? What impact could these make to how we conceive of ‘performance’ and what matters most to the people we serve?

Provocative questions perhaps, but with these in mind, I’ve gathered here some of the details available in the public domain of how these organisations approach listening, to act as inspiration for what is possible if we are serious about moving to a more patient-controlled health system:

Unilever UK: Insight-driven innovation and purpose-led brands

Unilever’s People Data Centre (PDC) is a global capability that analyses billions of data points from social media, search trends, and e-commerce platforms to detect emerging consumer needs and behaviours (Unilever PDC). This real-time listening enables rapid adaptation, whether in product design or messaging.

Unilever also co-creates with consumers, especially in purpose-led brands like Dove, which has long collaborated with users to shape campaigns around real beauty and self-esteem (Dove Real Beauty)*.

P&G: Consumer-centric design and agile testing

P&G’s “Consumer is Boss” philosophy drives its innovation strategy. The company uses advanced analytics, in-home visits, and immersive labs to understand consumer needs (P&G Consumer is Boss). Agile innovation sprints allow teams to prototype, test, and iterate quickly.

P&G also employs tools like Eye Tracking and Facial Coding to assess emotional responses to packaging and advertising, helping ensure resonance at every touchpoint (P&G Design Thinking).

Reckitt Benckiser Group: Behavioural science and health-first insights

Reckitt’s Global Consumer Insights team integrates behavioural science with traditional research to understand hygiene and health behaviours. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Reckitt used real-time sentiment analysis and scenario planning to adapt its messaging and product focus (Reckitt COVID Response).

The company also partners with academic institutions to explore psychological drivers of behaviour, such as trust and habit formation (Reckitt Health Research).

Johnson & Johnson UK: Human-centred design and health equity

Johnson & Johnson UK applies human-centred design in its consumer health division, engaging patients, caregivers, and clinicians in product development (J&J Human-Centred Design). It gathers feedback across digital channels, including app reviews and social media sentiment.

J&J’s innovation hubs and partnerships with startups and universities enable rapid experimentation and inclusive design (J&J Innovation).

Across these companies, several principles stand out to me:

• Real-time listening: Insight isn’t a quarterly report - it’s a daily practice.

• Co-creation and empathy: People aren’t data points - they’re partners in design.

• Cross-functional integration: Insight must inform strategy, not sit on the sidelines.

• Purpose and values: Understanding need means understanding what matters.

As the NHS changes, can these examples offer a provocation: might we move from static models of engagement - and co-production that can often fall short of the definition - to dynamic, relational ways of listening? Can we treat insight as a strategic asset? How far away from this do the regular data uploads to the centre feel?!

This to me is an important area for more discission and exploration given there is consensus that we need much more patient voice at all levels. I’d love to hear what others think, and if this sounds exciting or utterly inappropriate for healthcare – or somewhere in between!

I’d like to explore this in more detail, including how these techniques might aid decision-making given the difficult choices facing providers in a time of limited resource. If funding partners find this of interest, do get in touch.

*Full disclosure, a fabulous PR agency I worked at called Lexis PR had the Dove account for many years.