Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura R. Oswald.
Laura, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was teaching French literature and post-modern semiotics at Northwestern University back in the 1990s when semiotics became the new buzz word in advertising. When clients called, I was ready to leave my comfort zone in the classroom and library and make my way in the world of Marlboro Man and Tony the Tiger. I learned a lot from networking with industry experts who gave generously of their time and advice – I’m thinking especially of Malachy Walsh, Jerry Cole, and Sally Lombardo. Sometimes the advice stung, as when my first client at Burnett advised me to leave off the academic footnotes and “tell me what it means for my client’s bottom line!” A lesson well learned, since I now have a reputation for using semiotics to grow value for my clients.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My early struggles concerned learning the nuts and bolts of running a business. The work itself was a pleasure.
Over the years the work evolved from communications research with agencies to multi-market strategic consumer research for Fortune 100 companies such as Ford Motor Company, Burger King, and Coca-Cola. Finding time to balance business with my on-going academic writing is challenging, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am driven to push the boundaries of my academic discipline, but my industry work grounds me. I also love the interactions with consumers, the loyal relationships with suppliers and clients, and the intellectual challenge of using semiotics to solve complex business problems.
Please tell us about Marketing Semiotics.
I am the leading expert in marketing semiotics, a specialized field of market research which draws upon the dual disciplines of communication science and anthropology. Our projects span a range of product categories, from financial services, CPG, and automotive to healthcare. We grow value for clients in many scenarios, from new product development, media research, and global marketing strategy to service and packaging design strategy.
The approach brings a degree of objectivity and science to qualitative research because semiotics is based upon the idea that non-verbal communication, like language, is structured by cultural codes that ensure that a symbol, and image, or a gesture communicates a consistent message to the largest number of people in a group. Semiotics is a valuable tool for marketers because it can be used to maintain a consistent brand message over time, identify tensions between the brand message and the cultural context, and identify barriers to brand acceptance formed by the physical layout of a retail setting.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite family memory was at the Court of Two Sisters restaurant in New Orleans, where I managed to consume more banana splits at one sitting than my four siblings. I haven’t changed that much…
Contact Info:
- Website: www.marketingsemiotics.com
- Phone: t. 312-573-1555
- Email: admin@marketingsemiotics.com
Image Credit:
Marketing Semiotics photos
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
