• Josh Jordan

    CULTURE-LED BRAND, DESIGN & INNOVATION STRATEGIST

    What I do

    I specialise in turning cultural and human insight into clear, effective strategic direction across Asia-Pacific.

    My work draws on:

    – Semiotics
    – Ethnography
    – Foresight & futures thinking
    – Integrated qualitative and quantitative research

    And translates into:

    – Audience strategy
    – Brand positioning
    – Product and innovation platforms
    – Brand world and communications
    – Design and experience direction

    I work collaboratively across the region, partnering with a network of cultural experts and makers – from anthropologists and journalists, to founders and creative practitioners.

    Work

    Recent examples include:

    China – Health Foods
    Building a foresight-led innovation framework for a leading breakfast and snacks conglomerate investing in the next generation of traditional Chinese health foods.

    Laos – Beer
    Repositioning challenger beer brand Namkhong, translating cultural tensions and semiotic insight into a refreshed brand world, communications and activation platforms.

    Vietnam – Energy Beverage
    Designing a future-generation energy drink grounded in ethnographic and semiotic research into youth lifestyles and emerging cultural codes.

    Philippines – Haircare
    Developing design strategy for a leading hair and body care portfolio, rooted in evolving codes of “natural” and contemporary beauty.

    Background

    Previously Head of Cultural Strategy at Quantum Singapore and Joint Head of Global Cultural Strategy at Flamingo in London.

    Regular clients included Unilever, Heineken, PepsiCo, Colgate-Palmolive, Universal Music Group, TikTok, FrieslandCampina, Disney, Meta and William Grant & Sons.

    Alongside consulting, I transformed and continue to run my family’s niche adhesive brand, Captain Tolley’s, building it into a direct-to-consumer business.

    MA, Art & Visual Culture of Iran & the Middle East (The Courtauld Institute)
    BA History (University of Oxford)

Contact

joshjordanstrategist@gmail.com