Behind the data are our world-class thought leaders. Over the next month, we will be introducing you to the people responsible for Comperemedia’s industry expertise.
Rachel Arndt is a Senior Research Analyst at Comperemedia, specializing in telecom and technology.
Q: What topics do you specialize in?
A: I cover mostly telecom and tech and, when I can get away with it, food. Across sectors, I’m interested in brand voice and personality and how those inform notions of “authenticity.”
Q: How did you get to where you are now?
A: I’ve been writing and researching for my whole career, though most of that has taken the form of journalism. I got my start covering tech for Fast Company and Popular Mechanics, took a break to get MFAs in creative writing and poetry, and then jumped back into journalism. After my inkling that what I liked most about journalism—writing, research, and playing with data—merged with my growing desire to dig more into consumer habits and marketing trends, I made the leap into full-blown research. And now here I am at Mintel!
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone in your industry, who would it be and why?
A: John Legere, so we could talk about T-Mobile’s successful positioning as the “un-carrier” and so I could try some of the recipes from his slow-cooker cookbook (and be convinced (maybe) that slow cookers are better than ovens). And if John were up for it, I’d invite Cardi B too, so she could teach us her mastery of social media and self-promotion.
Q: Tell us about a brand campaign or shift in strategy that has recently caught your eye?
A: I’m fascinated by the way 1970s-aesthetic typefaces have taken hold, popping up everywhere from Marcus’ advertisements to Instagram brands’ posts to Chobani’s logo. It’s a forceful shift away from sans-serif, Helvetica, everything is strong. Why are we nostalgic for the ’70s? And why is that nostalgia manifesting in visual branding and marketing, especially marketing aimed at millennials?
Q: What is your favorite part about your job?
A: The supportive and intelligent people at Mintel make this a wonderful group to think with and collaborate with—and, in turn, to learn from. I’m grateful, too, for the freedom to pursue new topics. And I love our passion for data.
Q: Last but not least- tell a fun fact about yourself.
A: I wrote a book! It’s a collection of essays, called “Beyond Measure,” that came out in 2018. I highly recommend it. In it, you can read about another fun fact about me: I do judo.
Rachel Arndt is a Marketing Intelligence director. Drawing on marketing intelligence data, she delivers custom insights by uncovering how brands are marketing—and what they should be doing to move their strategies forward.
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