Ep. 130 - Canopy Insight’s Victoria Gerstman on Culture’s Influence on Brands & Semiotics

Dr. Victoria Gerstman is the Assistant Director at Canopy Insight, a cultural insight and innovation consultancy. She helps companies and brands understand the cultural significance of different phenomena. Using semiotics, a method to interpret signs and symbols of culture which brands operate in, Victoria helps companies learn what’s important to people. 

Canopy Insight works with many large brands around the world, to help them understand culturally specific meanings and the way meanings change over time. These meaning could be different across markets and demographic groups. This recognition is especially important for brands that have sub-brands which need to remain culturally relevant, that have a multi-market presence, and to avoid assuming home markets trends, are dominate in other places. 

New Emergent Trends: 
- Shift away from individualism towards communal experience. 
- Changes in ideas of ownership. E.g. - Do you need to own a vacuum. 
- Mainstreaming of sustainability for affordability. 
- On-demand everything in the home is something to watch. 
- Home space is changing. Home and work barriers are being broken down. Homes are now sites of production, like cottage industries. 
- Sexual and gender identities - More understanding of distinct identities and new ways of living. 

To find out more, connect with Victoria at canopyinsight.comor [email protected]

If you liked this episode, you might also enjoy Ep. 60– David Mattin with TrendWatching, Ep. 69– Slava Rubin, co-founder of Indiegogo, and Ep. 80– Ari Popper with SciFutures

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