About

Originally trained both as a marketer and a sociologist, I started working in innovation consultancy back at the end of the First Millenium, on an old Mac Intosh (sounds really retro-future, huh ?) After working 5 years at Intuition, an international NPD agency, I have earned a 7 year experience in innovation and cultural trend analysis at Added Value Paris as an Associate Director.
Managed International innovation projects involving qual research and idea generation processes for the likes of IKEA, L'Oreal, Coty, LVMH, Cadbury Schweppes, Levi Strauss, Ford, Danone…
I founded Magic Blends in 2011 because I had an obsession: how to make consumer insights inspirational and actionable for innovation ? Oh, and, not to forget, try and make them more fun to work from ?
Across these years I had the opportunity to run a lot of prospective research with experts and innovative leading edge creatives, but also with mainstream consumers that just don't stop amazing me.
My other passion, creativity, is nurtured by shaping and conducting idea generation workshops covering a broad range of topics, from inventing new retail customer experiences, to cracking a new category on an alien market for a food client, and more.

Mantras

The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!'
but 'That's funny...'
Isaac Asimov

Generate Meaning

It's not about finding the relevant or new news anymore, it's about making a relevant meaning out of it. Beyond simply presenting a debrief, I delight at telling you the story. Eg. this 'MMoT' (Magic Moment of Truth) during an ethnography, where my sense of 'aha' got to maximum alert level. Because I believe it's the best way to trigger your curiosity and invite you to think differently.

Human at heart

Beyond what people say, do, buy it's also about how they live, what their friends say, what they hear, watch, read... I strive on understanding people in their context to deliver their most relevant personal truths. Helping set a new light on your product, category, market. This also impacts how I work – I believe in the 'strength of weak ties' across like-minded professionals – an extensive network of trustful, independently-owned senior consultancies across Europe, US, Russia, India and China.

Keep the Power of Play. Always.

Life is too short for a job. It should be fun, an adventure, an epic story that is co-built between client and consultant. The word 'guru' makes me cringe. self-serving, serious consultants are like aliens to me. I always try to inject a bit of imagination and fun into every working experience.

Services

Insight-obsessed

Ethnography and safaris
Online communities, blog diaries
Focus Groups and IDIs
Media & Pop Culture decoding
Expert interviews
Trend safaris
Stakeholder interviews
Competitive Benchmark
'Re-research' – scoping on past research

Passionate about Idea Generation

Brand positioning and stretch
Product and service idea generation sessions
Concept writing
Design thinking / fast prototyping sessions
Concept Live Visualisation

Learn more...

A Taste for Training

Creativity process – inspired from CPS (Creative Problem Solving)
Building and moderating your own creative sessions
Ice Breakers and Energizers
In House Insight Building programmes

References

Extensive experience with both international consultancies and direct clients,
in industries ranging from food to fashion, beauty to digital, youth to families, and beyond

PHOTOBOX
Conducting innovation research; developing a tailor made internal 'insight hunt' program
CHANEL
Building, moderating and analysing exploratory digital communities on Women, femininity and luxury fragrances
BEL
Exploring triggers in Algeria for a new category for the brand – powdered milk, generating consumer-based insights and concepts, then assessing potential with consumers.
CARREFOUR
Exploring how to rejuvenate / create excitement in the laundry care aisle ; testing new shelf implementation projects directly in store, etc.
LA MAISON DU CHOCOLAT
inventing new retail experiences based on the brand archives, the Maître Chocolatier's shared passion, and new retail design trends

Contact

Let's Talk...

00 33 (0)6 19 73 00 84

audrey.necol@magicblends.fr

75020 Paris

www.magicblends.fr