Library Resources: A Quick Guide to Mintel

Are you a marketing student who is sick of facing a paywall every time you try to find a source for your assignment? Do you get tired of searching for authentic data in a world now full of AI-generated information? If this sounds like you, then continue reading, because this post will help you out! 

Mintel is a market research database included in the library’s online resource database that provides users with analysis on industry, consumer, and market trends. Their content, produced by their professional team of analysts, is often used by corporate strategists, marketers, and consultants, so familiarizing yourself with the platform and its features as an undergraduate can give you an advantage when you enter the job market! 

What Content is Offered Through Mintel?  

• Industry & Market Reports  

• • These are in-depth reports on specific industries and product categories (such as streaming services and food and beverage sectors). These reports usually include market size and forecasts, an overview of key companies and competitive landscapes, drivers of consumer demand, and potential opportunities and threats in the market.  

• Consumer Behavior & Demographics  

• • Mintel connects consumer attitudes, motivations, and behaviors to purchasing decisions. They have consumer data in various categories (automotive, retail, health & nutrition, etc.) collected through interactive surveys where you can actually explore the demographics of each question answered.  

• Brand & Company Analysis  

• • Within broader industry trends, Mintel provides profiles of major brands and companies, useful for SWOT evaluations, looking into competitive analysis, and discussions of brand positioning.  

• Trends & Innovation  

• • Mintel keeps track of emerging trends in product development, marketing strategies, consumer preferences, and packaging, which comes in handy when staying up-to-date on changes in various industries.  

How Do I Use Mintel?  

You may be thinking, Wow, this all sounds great, but how do I actually use Mintel? 

1. Visit the Blough-Weis Library homepage, and look on whatever search engine you prefer or simply click on this link: https://library.susqu.edu/az/databases. 
2. Search for “Mintel” under A-Z Databases and click on it.  
3. It should take you to a screen where you have to check a box and accept permission.  
4. You should now be on the Mintel home page!  
5. Here, you can enter a keyword into the search bar, such as “music” or “fashion,” or you can manually filter through the reports by selecting different categories, regions, trend drivers, demographics, and/or special topics.  
6. When you find a report that interests you, you have the option to “Read Report” or “View Databook.”  

• • “Read Report” will take you directly to the report, providing you with a table of contents and an executive summary before the bulk of the report.  

• • “View Databook” will take you to the actual data collected from that specific report, usually broken down into individual bar graphs for each question participants answered. Clicking “Explore Demographics” on a graph will take you to a table containing the demographics of the participants in the study, which can be downloaded directly to your computer and used as evidence for a class assignment.  

When Should I Use Mintel?  

Although any SU student is more than welcome to explore Mintel, it can be especially useful for students who are enrolled in a marketing class and looking for marketing opportunity analysis, target market identification, new product or service proposals, marketing plans, environmental scans, and capstone projects! 

So the next time you’re assigned a project that requires you to analyze consumer data on beauty products or recent trends in the automotive industry, I hope you check out Mintel rather than just typing away into Google.  

Also, a helpful hint, using Mintel qualifies as a library resource for the Dalton Scholars Award, which requires SU students to submit any project they’ve worked on here at SU and how they used library resources to help them. Submissions are due March 31, 2026, with one winner per school and a prize of $500 each. Further information on this award can be found on the library’s homepage, or ask one of the librarians. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!  

Lily Papendick (‘28) currently attends Susquehanna University as a double major in creative writing and publishing & editing with a minor in marketing. Along with working at the Blough-Weis Library, Lily also works at the Admissions Office as a Student Ambassador. She currently serves as the Content Editor for the Luxury Brand Marketing Club, the assistant editor for the Arts & Entertainment section of The Quill, and is an active member of SU Dance Corps. In her free time, she enjoys writing poetry, listening to music, watching movies, especially her favorite rom-com 10 Things I Hate About You and spending time at the jersey shore with her family.