Program

Shortcuts:

Wednesday : Training day : Tartu semiotics | Semiotic expert analysis | 25 tools of semiotic thinking  
Thursday : Day 1 : Product and service innovation | innovation in media & communication | innovation in IT & new media 
Friday : Day 2 : Embracing the emergent | Branding insights  
Saturday : Day 3 : How to catalyse innovation

 
 
 

JUNE 1 – TARTU SEMIOTICS TRAINING DAY

09:00-09:30   :   Registration & coffee

09:30-10:30   :   Training session

Tartu Semiotics: core concepts and methods

10:30-10:45   :   Break

10:45-12:00   :   Training session

Tartu semiotics: applications

12:00-13:00   :   Lunch

13:00-14:00   :   Training session

Semiotic expert analysis: aims and methodology

14:00-14:15   :   Break

14:15-15:15   :   Training session

Semiotic expert analysis: applications

15:15-15:30   :   Break

15:30-17:00   :   Co-creation session

25 tools of semiotic thinking

 
 
 

JUNE 2 : SEMIOTIC INSIGHT FOR DESIGN INNOVATION

09:00-10:00   :   Registration & coffee

09:30-10:45   :   KEYNOTE SESSION

Welcome address

Keynote speech
“The Crucible of Innovation: A Fusion of Design and Semiotics”
Farouk Y. Seif, Ph.D., USA
Professor Emeritus of Leadership and Change at Antioch University Seattle, Washington

Questions & answers

10:45-11:00   :   Break

11:00-12:20   :   Session 1 – Semiotic insight for product and service innovation

“Out of the Box Lab, a case study about innovating in financial services”
Michelle Rocco, Italy
Out of the Box Lab / Coordinator at Out of the Box Lab, Professor at University of Turin

“Wheelchair as a gamechanger”
Kateřina Ailová; Lucia Trèzová, Chech Republic
Chief Innovation Officer at IdeaSense / Independent Researcher and Brand Strategist, Czech Republic

“Semiosfera and the Mexico’s city Metro”
Maximino Matus Ruiz, Mexico
Researcher at CONACYT; El Colegio de La Frontera Norte (El Colef)

“The BRICS Bank – a New World Order”
Alpana Parida, India
President of DY Works Branding Agency

12:20-13:20   :   Lunch

13:20-14:30   :   Session 2 – Semiotic insight for innovation in media & communication

“Analysing emergent language as a way to innovation, and how this idea was sold to a Telco”
Sónia Marques, Brazil
Founder of Indiz

“The future of communication at distance. How to use semiotics to help the American research team of the Bell Labs (former AT&T) to identify key challenges”
Samuel Grange, France
Head of Innovation Strategy at InProcess

“Innovating television to meet the divergent needs of an entire population”
Karin Sandelin, Sweden
Semiotician & Art Director at TNS Sifo

Creative inspiration
axioms of a semiotic architecture
Thierry Mortier, Belgium
semiotic architect, semiotics.tv

14:30-14:40   :   Break

14:40-15:40   :   Session 3 – Semiotic insight for innovation in IT & new media

“How can a backend semiotic analysis of a website or application, assist in tailoring a user’s experience of the frontend journey, thus improving the interaction at key points via a deeper level of prototyping?”
Kyle J Davidson, UK
MA student in Modern Liberal Arts at Winchester University (UK)

“Play, Engagement, and Addiction: Semiotics and Digital User Interface Design”
Sarah Johnson, Canada
Principal of Athena Brand Wisdom

“Visual Communication in Avatar Therapy”
Rodrigo Morais; Roberto Chiachiri, Brazil
Professor at Facultade Casper Libero / Professor at Facultade Casper Libero

15:40-16:00   :   Break

16:00-17:30   :   Wrap-up of the day

Open space and round table
Tools and takeaways

 
 
 

JUNE 3 : SEMIOTIC INSIGHT FOR BRAND INNOVATION

09:00-09:30   :   Registration

09:30-11:00   :   Session 4 – Embracing the emergent

Welcome address for the day

“Grasping the New – The Capacity of Semiotics to Embrace Emergent Culture”
Mark Lemon, UK
Senior semiotician at Sign Salad

“Coming of Age – semiotics, innovation and the 55+ market”
Dr Malcolm Evans; Peter Rock, UK
Founder of Space Doctors & Semionaut

“A Clash of Codes: Innovation vs. Luxury – How will brands resolve their differences?”
Louise Jolly; Charise Mita, UK
Managing Director of Culture & Curiosity, FLoC Industries LLC

“Semiotic analysis of online conversations”
Ximena Tobi, Argentina
Owner of Semiotica Studio, Semiotics lecturer at University of Buenos Aires, Faculty of Social Science

11:00-11:20   :   Break

11:20-12:40   :   Session 5 – Branding insights

“What Applied Semiotics can do for footwear retailers? A Brazilian case”
Mariane Cara, Brazil
Semiotician and Cultural Analyst at Comunicara

“Decoding & Encoding “Herbal” in Packaging”
Hamsini Shivakumar, India
Director, Leapfrog Strategy Consulting

“How to win your consumers’ hearts with semiotic branding. Methodological and planning approach based on semiotic analysis combined with qualitative research”
Vaula Norrena, Finland
Marketing semiotician at Valores Consult

“Hybrid Collaborations: Commercial innovation using semiotics and ethnography”
Al Deakin; Dr. Robin Pharoah, UK
Director of Insight, Space Doctors / Anthropologist and Ethnographer, Future Agenda

12:40-13:40   :   Lunch

13:40-14:40   :   Session 6 – Branding insights

“Do you know what your brand sounds like? Musical Navigator – A Semiotic Tool for more Strategic Use of Music in Branding”
Chris Arning, UK
Founder-Director of Creative Semiotics Ltd.

“Nation branding through sports mega-events: an experience of networked research”
Andrey Makarychev, Alexandra Yatsyk, Estonia / Finland
Guest Professor at University of Tartu / Guest researcher at University of Uppsala

“Waste and Volcanoes: How to brand & design the bad & the ugly with clever semiotics”
Einar Svansson, Iceland
Assistant professor at Bifrost University

Creative inspiration
dot to dot semiotics
Thierry Mortier, Belgium
semiotic architect, semiotics.tv

14:50-15:20   :   Break

15:20-17:30   :   KEYNOTE SESSION

Keynote speech
“Brand Semiotics & Cultural Analysis – the next paradigm”
Malcolm Evans, UK
Founder of Space Doctors & Semionaut

Open space discussion based on the keynote by Malcolm Evans

18:30 – 22.30   :   Party

 
 
 

JUNE 4 : SEMIOTICS & CULTURE OF INNOVATION

09:00-09:30   :   Registration

09:30-10:50   :   Session 7 – How to catalyse innovation

“Irritation and “innovation””
Merja Bauters, Finland
Docent of Semiotics at Helsinki University

“Maps for imaginary lands. My search for an effective innovation catalyst: the creation of Infus”
Mauricio Trentin, Brazil
Visual artist

“Neo-classical or evolutionary semiotic approach to innovation? Could semiotics provide a critical tool to analyse innovation processes and policies?”
Indrek Ibrus, Estonia
Head of TLU Centre of Excellence in Media Innovation and Digital Culture, Tallinn University

“Semiotics as a Collaborative Tool. Methodological innovation”
Andrius Grigorjevas, Lithuania
Head of Strategy at Idea Group Lithuania, lecturer at Vilnius University (Faculty of Communication)

10:50-11:10   :   Break

11:10-13:15   :   BOOT CAMP

Client’s address

Ideation

Boot camp conclusions

13:15-14:00   :   Lunch

14:00-14:45   :   Wrap-up of the conference

Open space discussion
Thoughts, tools, takeaways

15:00-19:30   :   Field trip & picnic