How MeUndies Surfaced Authentic Insights & Moved from Exploration to Action 9x Faster with Strella

MeUndies' Qualitative Research Challenge:

MeUndies, the direct-to-consumer brand known for its ultra-soft modal underwear, has long positioned itself as the go-to for playful, premium comfort. But when it came to cotton, the brand faced a unique challenge: a previous launch hadn’t resonated with customers.

Cotton is a staple in the underwear industry - worn by 80% of the population, and MeUndies' own customer reviews showed clear demand for a cotton line - so they set out to create a collection that combines the best of cotton with the brand’s signature comfort. As MeUndies prepared for relaunch, the team needed to develop a collection that reflects the needs of cotton-loyalists, while differentiating from other MeUndies product lines.

Qualitative research was essential given the level of investment and the richness and depth of insights required. However, traditional qualitative methods were too slow, delaying the launch, and too expensive. In addition to the time and budget constraints, traditional methods posed challenges due to the sensitive nature of a topic as personal as underwear.

To move quickly and confidently, MeUndies turned to Strella’s AI-moderated interviews to uncover unbiased and candid consumer insights.

The Research Approach: Understanding the Cotton Consumer

Underwear is personal. It’s a category where comfort is everything—but how comfort is defined is highly subjective. What makes one pair a go-to favorite and another an immediate ‘no’? Traditional surveys play a critical role in identifying trends, sizing opportunities, and understanding preferences at scale. But while they reveal what consumers prioritize, they don’t always explain why. Understanding the motivations behind those choices requires a deeper, more exploratory approach.

That’s why MeUndies couldn’t rely on a robust quantitative study alone. Before measuring the magnitude of consumer preferences, the team needed to first uncover the specific, nuanced drivers behind underwear purchases—what do cotton customers truly value, and what functional and emotional benefits reinforce their fabric loyalty?

To do this, MeUndies used Strella’s AI-moderated interviews to conduct over 30 in-depth conversations with cotton-loyal consumers. Unlike human moderated interviews, Strella’s platform allowed participants to share their thoughts openly without pressure or bias, something essential with a sensitive topic like underwear. 

The asynchronous nature of Strella’s AI moderator allowed participants to complete interviews whenever and wherever it was most convenient—eliminating the need to juggle calendars and time zones. This flexibility allowed MeUndies to fully field the study in just three days —a process that traditionally takes weeks. Combined with Strella’s AI-powered synthesis, the team was able to quickly surface key themes and move from exploration to action 9x faster than before.

Why AI-Moderated Interviews Made the Difference

Discussing underwear preferences in a research setting can be awkward, leading to filtered or surface-level responses. Strella’s AI moderation changed that.

“With Strella-moderated interviews, people feel more comfortable discussing what could be uncomfortable topics,” shared Kendall Young, Consumer Insights Manager at MeUndies. “They’re not worried about saying the ‘right’ thing or how the moderator will perceive them—they’re just talking. That means we get real, unfiltered insights that actually reflect how people shop and feel about their underwear.”

By eliminating interviewer bias and creating a judgment-free environment, Strella enabled MeUndies to uncover insights that traditional research might have missed—bringing both depth and authenticity to their findings.

The Impact: A Smarter, More Strategic Collection Development

Once key themes emerged from the qualitative phase, MeUndies validated and measured these insights through a large-scale quantitative study, ensuring they had both depth and scale to make data-backed decisions.

“Yes the data piece is critical, but there’s something about hearing a consumer say, ‘This is what I love, and this is why I buy ’ that makes the insight stick,” said Casey Greulich, Head of Consumer Insights at MeUndies. “That emotional connection gives life to the numbers, helps drive alignment across teams, and makes it easier for them to act on findings.” Given the scope and investment required for this project, cross-functional alignment was more important than ever. Teams across Product, Planning, Creative, Marketing, Web, and Executive Leadership all played a role in the decision, so being able to watch the highlight reels and hear the insights ‘straight from the source’ was invaluable in quickly convincing stakeholders and ensuring full team buy-in.

Armed with these insights, the brand was able to:

• Develop a cotton fabric that reflects the needs of cotton-loyal consumers while delivering the next-level comfort MeUndies is known for
• Optimize key silhouettes based on how consumers truly wear and shop for cotton underwear
• Craft a positioning strategy that resonates with cotton shoppers while differentiating the collection from MeUndies’ signature UltraModal line

With Strella, MeUndies was able to quickly and confidently make six key product development decisions and refine the collection. The results — a customer first, data-backed cotton line that delivers unmatched comfort. The best of cotton, reimagined.

What’s Next?

With AI-powered qualitative research shaping their approach, MeUndies is looking ahead to continued innovation in 2025. Want to see how AI-moderated interviews can give your brand the same competitive edge? Watch the full webinar to learn more, or sign up for a demo with the Strella team to get started!

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