Hey, I’m Elaine—independent researcher, facilitator and strategist.

I help global brands work together with their audience to crack creative briefs of all kinds.

Need sharp insight and cultural context on your next project? Let’s talk!

Clients

what i do best

I bring real people into the room as collaborators, not just subjects.

I work with cultural insiders to spot the shifts brands need to know about.

I make insight land—in campaigns, products, names, or brand platforms.

Work I’m Proud of

MERRELL: REFRAMING PERFORMANCE

Merrell saw itself as a performance brand. But with the rise of outdoors-as-lifestyle, it needed help unlocking its fashion potential. The project brought style-savvy consumers into the room, playfully reimagining the brand’s technical range and creating on-the-fly marketing stories to illustrate its lifestyle potential. The work helped to shift internal perception and fed directly into the launch of lifestyle sub-brand Merrell 1TRL.
JBL: Tuning into Gen Z

Designed and led foundational research with 30 taste-making young people exploring how Gen Z connect with music today. Moderated the online study, surfaced key tensions, and synthesised rich, qualitative data into a clear set of strategic truths. These went on to shape JBL’s new, culturally relevant brand position.
KEDS: Defining womanhood, globally

Keds is the only historic women’s sneaker brand. But what does it mean to be a woman today? Ran a global project to help the brand root its purpose in real stories of womanhood around the world, layering in-home research on top of community insight.
SC Johnson: Breaking into Beauty

Designed an insider tour of NYC’s beauty scene to help the team immerse themselves in a new category following a major acquisition. Curated expert voices, cult retail experiences and emerging trends to surface the forces shaping the beauty space. Developed tailored stimulus to help the team reflect, make meaning and apply it directly to their brand strategy.