This is the area which is going to become an index of links to content about looking at markets from the big end of the telescope - most marketers are locked into market research which is a way to understand the individual as a consumer and then aggregate upwards. Culture vultures work top down. Semiotics deals with shared symbols. Discourse and conversation analysis deals with how language functions as a shared cultural resource. Anthropology studies the rituals and behaviours of groups of people. Gender studies looks at how gender identity frames the way we look at the world and treat people according to their gender. Culture studies is a loose term covering all of these and many many more.  When you start with shared meanings you have a whole new set of tools to use. And it won't necessarily involve market research at all.

Researchers as raptors - the emerging role of research - and why it must never descend to scavenging Posted Jan 21st 2009

Purchasing as participation - how the fans made Woebegone brothers merchandise when the band hadn't got any! Posted Dec 18th 2008 

Semotics:  Greg Rowland deconstructs the American dream the week after Obama wins the election. Posted Nov 10th 2008