Because learning from those who “do” is the best way to truly understand the practical side of research, Semiofest offers two sessions of training prior to the sharing of different works that will be presented on the main Semiofest conference on the 4th and 5^th Consumer research explores consumers or people’s insights. On the other hand, Semiotics explores the cultural and the semantic forces that drive consumers and people’s perceptions. 9h – 17h30 SEMIOTICS IN PARIS The training session aims to explain how semiotics works, to help understand where the legitimacy of the discipline comes from and what to use it for. It will be focused on typical Parisian themes : luxury and innovation. This session is meant for marketers, creative profiles and anyone interested into how to develop a rational approach to signs and meaning and for semioticians who want to explore applications on those subjects. In this session, you’ll learn the principles of semiotics, its main tools and how to practice semiotics on positioning, innovation and creation, in fashion and luxury businesses. The program of the first session :

• The foundations of semiotics : Short history and roots of the discipline
• Its principles :
  • Introduction on the overall notions
  • Generative path, illustrated
  • tools to work on the semionarrative level (square…), illustrated
  • tools to work on the discursive level (narrative scheme…), illustrated
• A few examples (cultural themes, packaging, retail)
• Introduction and examples on how to apply semiotics for luxury subjects
• Introduction on innovation and how to use semiotics on innovation projects

Lunch break

• Workshop on an innovation subject in the luxury field

Students will end the session being able to explain what is semiotics, what are its principles and they’ll have a clear view on applying semiotic techniques on helpful subjects for luxury markets and innovation process. Luca Marchetti and Samuel Grange, both experienced practitioner semioticians, will co-facilitate the session, mixing theory and examples in a quite informal 20 persons max group.