And when moments really matter, we move fast. During major events like the Autumn Budget, we gathered authentic, in-the-moment reactions from real people within hours of the announcements. That speed and consistency enabled Kokoro to create a fully voice-led edit written, edited, and delivered within 48 hours – strengthening the power of the report with genuine, human perspectives captured at the moment they mattered most.
Keeping a Finger on the Nation’s Pulse: Kokoro’s Longest-Running Community
When Kokoro Global launched their weekly selfie-video community in 2020, the goal was to understand how people across the UK were really feeling; not just what they thought, but how life was actually unfolding for them. What followed became far more than a research project. Over time, it became a constant presence in people’s lives.
From the outset, we knew this community would only work if participants felt comfortable, recognised, and genuinely cared for. So, recruitment was handled with intention. We built a diverse UK-wide group and introduced an audition-video stage, not to judge performance, but to understand how people naturally communicate, reflect, and share. It allowed us to curate a community of individuals willing to show up honestly, week after week.
And then we stayed close.
Very close.
Over the years, respondents have spoken to us through some of the most meaningful moments of their lives. We’ve listened as people shared the joy of expecting new babies, the pride of completing a first 10k, and the excitement of travelling the world; still recording their videos from Paris, South Africa, or Bali. We’ve also been there for the harder moments: losing parents, losing partners, losing friends, navigating disability, or simply finding the words to describe a difficult week.
One participant continued contributing even after winning a life-changing sum of money. Others have stayed with the community since day one, despite life changing around them. Not because they had to, but because they wanted to.
That level of openness doesn’t come from tasks or reminders alone. It comes from trust. We know when to nudge, when to encourage, and when to simply listen. We respond personally, recognise individuals as individuals, and make sure people feel seen, not managed.
The result is extraordinary retention. While most long-term communities churn heavily, many of the original members from 2020 are still actively contributing today. Kokoro isn’t just capturing opinions, they’re following real emotional journeys over time, watching how people adapt to national events, cultural shifts, personal milestones, and everyday life.
Behind the scenes, we keep everything running smoothly. For more than 300 consecutive weeks, vox pops have been delivered on time. Supported by hands-on tech guidance, fast incentive handling, quality checks, and responsive participant support that makes showing up easy.
Methodology:
Weekly selfie-video community
Respondents:
UK-wide, nationally representative
Duration:
2020–present
Services:
Recruitment / Community management / Engagement & retention / Incentive management
What makes this community special isn’t just its longevity. It’s the depth of connection behind it. It works because it’s built on real relationships and because Zest is there every week, creating the trust that allows people to share the moments that truly matter.
Zest are masters at management and collaboration. They work closely with you without ever getting in the way — they’re totally by your side. Our community has run for over 5 years now, on a weekly basis, with out-of-this-world engagement. Zest have a feel for top quality and a real human touch that makes me and my respondents feel great.