Experts of the future: The branding consultant wants to dig deeper
Why did you become a researcher?
After getting my master’s degree at CBS I worked for almost seven years in advertising doing brand strategies. My focus was on consumer culture, and I felt an urge to dig deeper. Doing a PhD was an obvious choice.
What is the focus of your thesis?
I do research on climate-friendly meal planning – or the lack hereof – based on a consumer perspective. What values guide us when planning our dinner? And how can we apply this knowledge to nudge consumers towards more climate-friendly choices? This question is highly relevant in the climate debate because while we can reduce our flying, we cannot eliminate our need to eat.
How can your knowledge benefit others?
Hopefully, it can contribute to a more climate-friendly diet, since it is a political wish. My research is qualitative, involving interviews with individuals. I find it interesting that some people's perceptions of their meal habits often do not align with reality. I think there is an exploration and dissemination challenge here.
Which other researcher do you admire most?
There isn’t just one researcher I admire. In general, I respect the researchers who are dedicated to finding voices that are otherwise underrepresented in research. We tend to listen a lot to the white western middle class.
What do you consider the most important discovery within your field of research?
Well, there are a lot of brilliant researchers within my field, However, I am tempted to claim that the most important discovery has yet to be made; if it had, we would all be eating in a climate-friendly manner.
What is your greatest strength – and weakness?
My greatest strength is probably my ability to keep calm in the phases of my work when there are many loose ends and things have not yet started to take shape. This is where I benefit from my advertising experience. However, my weakness is a persistent optimism about time when planning my schedule.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love to read. I’ve recently finished ‘Mod midnatssolen (towards the midnight sun)’ by Danish author Dy Plambeck and have just started a collection of short stories named ‘Snydt ud af næsen (spitting image)’ by Danish author Thomas Korsgaard. Two fantastic books. Also, I like to bake and be with my family.
Which historical person do you admire the most?
That is a tough question to answer. But I really admire those who have dared to question the norms and privileges that were denied a lot of people, e.g. the suffragettes or a woman like Rosa Parks. She was an American activist in the civil rights movement, and it was her who refused to give up her seat to a white man on the bus in 1955.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A daycare provider. I loved playing with dolls and my own daycare provider was the best. I thought that spending all day playing with babies had to be the best job ever.
Read more about Anne Toldbod Jakobsen