I'm a freelancing design thinker that has worked for clients such as Nike, Sonos, and Huawei.
As a debater and keen observer of society since childhood, my focus is always fixed on the change of behaviour, expression, and tonal frequency of my surroundings—Or as my friends would say: "You always talk about people people people."
Because of this lifelong interest, I sit on countless observations, patterns, and data that make up an extensive library of references and hypotheses. Identifying parallels between seemingly unrelated events and my innate ability to compare and contrast data, is what enables me to draw conclusions that go beyond the obvious.
Projects
- Carving out the Western European skateboarding scene together with Nike SBWith a clear grasp on North American skate culture, Nike SB needed insight into the European core skater and skate-influenced audiences. The project took me and a team of researchers and strategists on a trip across Europe to hear the opinions of kids living in, or close to, the skateboarding scene in Barcelona, London, and Berlin. The project resulted in an insight and profile deck that fueled Nike SB's EMEA strategy.
- Determining what will make Nike's newest House of Innovation the most innovative retail space in EuropeTo set direction for the creation of Nike's newest House Of Innovation, the brand sought to determine design guidelines based on hyper-local insights. I was lucky enough to spend ten summer days shopping with influential Parisians, and conversing with fashion historians and anthropologists, to hear their perspective on what could possibly be missing in the world's fashion capital. This project for Nike France resulted in guidelines to direct the design and positioning of their new Parisian fla
- Informing Huawei's European brand strategy by grasping the role of technology in the lives of young professionalsNeeding to define their brand strategy for Europe, Huawei first wanted to understand the role of technology in the lives of young professionals. Together with a colleague, I got to spend an eventful week immersing myself in six Londoners' lives and documenting the experience on the latest Huawei flagship model phones. The work informed Huawei Europe's new strategic direction.
- Defining the communication strategy for the launch of Flex, Sonos' speaker-rental serviceFor the launch of Flex, Sonos needed to identify the appropriate positioning and messaging to communicate their new speaker-rental service. Together with three other strategists, I spent one week entering the homes and hearts of families and roommates in Amsterdam to understand what would make them subscribe to premium sound. The outcome of this intimate project was an insight and strategy deck and a supporting film communicating the values and beliefs of the people we met. Sonos Flex was lau
- Getting the most inactive generation ever to move together with Nike KidsEurope is in the middle of an inactivity crisis and Gen Alphas are expected to move less than any generation ever. Looking to understand this important and complex problem, Nike Kids wanted to hear the voices of children themselves. During the course of the project, I had the privilege to listen to brilliant young Europeans, their parents, and activity experts on how to best approach sports participation and physical activity in the future. The research findings and strategic recommendations i
- Helping Nike understand youth culture and define their strategy in the Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaRegarded by many as the most conservative country in the world, Saudi Arabia is currently undergoing unheard-of change. On behalf of Nike, two of my colleagues and I spent the better part of a month in the kingdom's two largest cities Jeddah and Riyadh to puncture misconceptions about Saudi culture and to unveil some of its mystery. Participating in the local sports scene and interviewing youth, experts, and influencers, we were able to identify the core of youth culture and the role of sports
Work history
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Ethnographic Researcher | Cultural Insights Specialist | Innovation StrategistSelf-employed
Amsterdam, NetherlandsFreelance
Freelancing design thinker that has worked for clients such as Nike, Sonos, and Huawei.
Based in Amsterdam and Stockholm and available for design thinking, ethnographic research, cultural insights, and innovation strategy work globally.
www.catherinearpo.com
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Researcher & StrategistThis Memento
Amsterdam, NetherlandsFull Time
This Memento is an immersive insight and strategy agency in Amsterdam, specialized in ethnographic research and brand strategy. During my time at this small company, I have had the privilege of covering a lot of ground. My role has been to manage research projects, recruit interviewees, moderate interviews in English and Swedish, distill insights, facilitating workshops, and first and foremost to strategize and innovate for clients such as Nike, Sonos, and Huawei.
Skills
- Qualitative Research
- Brand Creative Strategy
- Brand Strategy
- Innovation Strategy
- Service Design
- UX Strategy
- Design Thinking
- Research Insight
- Insights
Education
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OtherHyper Island
- Karlskrona, Sweden
At Hyper Island's original location in Karlskrona, Sweden, I attended the Digital Media Creative program, where I focused on developing my strategic thinking for clients such as IKEA Food and Save The Children.
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OtherKTH Royal Institute of Technology
- Stockholm, Sweden
Attended the Design & Product Realisation (CEDPR).