A qualitative researcher and semiotician, Marina is interested in contemporary Russian culture’s myths and metaphors, She is completing a PhD on the ethical dimension of the language & semiotics of otherness. Inspired by Plato's dialogues and Beckett's plays, Marina dreams of transforming the focus group into a new genre of sociological theatre. By getting rid of the one-way mirror she aims to kill three birds with one stone, achieving the goals of aesthetic pleasure, consumer knowledge and transparency.
Moscow, Russia
Tom is a qualitative researcher turned brand strategist, with a particular interest in semiotics and co-creation as drivers of innovation. He worked for four years at Synovate, before moving to brand consultancy Sense Worldwide. A qualified sound engineer, Tom also runs an independent record label that revels in blurring the lines between fact and fiction. Tom holds a BA in Modern Languages and Literature from Oxford University.
London, UK
Alison Bancroft was born in Newcastle upon Tyne and has lived in London and Paris. She has a PhD in Cultural Studies from Queen Mary, University of London, and has taught at the University of London, the University of the Arts, and the Sorbonne. She transitioned out of academic life in 2011 and is now a culture analyst, strategist and forecaster. Her work is multidisciplinary and covers fashion, beauty, lifestyle and design, and she is also a specialist in gender and culture. She writes for various consumer and business websites and speaks regularly at public lectures and commercial presentations and briefings. Her first book, Fashion and Psychoanalysis, was published in 2012.
London, UK