What makes a semiotician tick? SEMIOVOX’s Josh Glenn has invited his fellow practitioners in the field of commercial semiotics, from around the world, to answer a few revealing questions.

Stockholm…

SEMIOVOX

When you were a child/teen, how did your future fascination with symbols, cultural patterns, interpreting “texts,” and getting beneath the surface of daily life manifest itself?

KARIN SANDELIN

I’ve always had a tendency to place myself in the spectator’s seat, fascinated by what’s going on “around the camp fire” rather than joining in. I guess it comes from a sense of being odd and alienated, beginning in those early school years. So it’s a coping mechanism, it’s comfortable… but it’s also where the analytic part of my fascination comes from.

I also enjoyed alternative representations of reality, ranging from My Little Pony and MTV to science fiction novels. And I used to spend hours daily drawing characters and comics. Which is where my analytic spectator self found a creative outlet.   

SEMIOVOX

Describe your first encounter(s) with the theory and practice of semiotics.

KARIN SANDELIN

During my Art History studies at Stockholm University, semiotic analysis was introduced as one of several analysis methods, along with Marxist analysis and intention analysis. Semiotics made perfect sense and attracted me, with the perspective of understanding art in a contemporary, cultural context: Why and how is art getting our responses — or lack of responses.  

I’d later returned to semiotics during multimedia education technology studies, where the methodology proved useful in understanding local political communication during an election year.

SEMIOVOX

How did you find your own way to doing semiotics?

KARIN SANDELIN

While still a student, I was working on the side as a transcriber and assistant in the qual department of the market research company Research International. Luckily for me it was the right time, the right place, and the right people: I got to work with the wonderful semiotician Martha Arango during several years at RI, learning the commercial application of semiotics.

Later, RI moved into the market research company TNS, where I was introduced to NeedScope — the brand positioning tool based on targeting emotional needs with consistency and clarity. The value of semiotics as a tool for insights and creative guidance becomes super-clear when it’s applied to emotional positioning. Today, TNS is Kantar, and our semiotics consultancy is a valued part of our brand strategy business.

SEMIOVOX

What are the most important attributes of a good semiotician?

KARIN SANDELIN

There are all kinds of good semioticians! Some may be stronger in theory and systematization, others in application and practice. Regardless, being open-minded and attentive are crucially important attributes.

Also, I would love for all semioticians to practice what we preach when it comes to talking, lecturing, explaining semiotics. That would make perfect sense. Pedagogy ftw!

SEMIOVOX

What three books about semiotics have you found the most useful and enlightening in your own work?

KARIN SANDELIN

The books on my shelves with the most sticky notes include:

• Patrik Aspers, Paul Fuehrer, and Arni Sverrison’s Bild och samhälle: Visuell analys som vetenskaplig metod. It’s been useful as a good overview of visual analysis for various use and contexts, from fashion and advertising to documentaries, news, and social imagery.
• Fanny Ambjörnsson’s Rosa – den farliga färgen. A social anthropological and gender studies perspective on “the dangerous color pink”, about understanding and exploring our response to color use — not only pink but all colors in a social context and with historical background.
• Sven-Erik Klinkmann’s På drömmarnas marknad: ikoner, fantasibilder och klichéer i populärkulturen. This book inspired me a lot, diving into mass consumption and pop culture. Klinkmann is a docent in folklore.

SEMIOVOX

When someone asks you to describe what you do, what is your “elevator pitch”? How do you persuade a skeptical client to take a chance on using this tool?

KARIN SANDELIN

“I guide brands and organizations for brand-building — and strong, distinct, and consistent brand activation in everything they do.” I often do inspirational sessions with tailored content for making this offer very clear and concrete. Semiotics is engaging.

SEMIOVOX

What specific sorts of semiotics-driven projects do you find to be the most enjoyable and rewarding?

KARIN SANDELIN

I enjoy a wide variety of projects and clients. Jumping from huge socio-political questions to cheese, and everything in-between, is very rewarding. I wouldn’t want it any other way; this diversity keeps me stimulated.

SEMIOVOX

What frustrates you about how semiotics is practiced and/or perceived, right now?

KARIN SANDELIN

People often tell me that they encountered semiotics during their studies, but never really understood what it was. If we want to grow interest in and understanding of semiotics, we could to a lot better in making it more available and understandable — especially for beginners.

SEMIOVOX

Peirce or Saussure?

KARIN SANDELIN

I’ve never been that interested in, nor attracted to, the focus on theorists and comparing them. I’m more into applying theories and learning — whether it’s semiotics, knitting, or agriculture — as I go. I read, I get inspired, but I won’t remember (or care that much about) theorists’ names.

SEMIOVOX

What advice would you give to a young person interested in this sort of work?

KARIN SANDELIN

I’d advise them to begin by dipping into the lighter, applied-semiotics literature and cases out there. Its wise to ‘scratch the surface’ and then ease yourself into the more intricate world of semiotics. After that, be curious and look around at what is happening in society right now, in commercial contexts, on social media, with AI usage and in arts… with your semiotics lenses on.

MAKING SENSE series: MARTHA ARANGO (Sweden) | MACIEJ BIEDZIŃSKI (Poland) | BECKS COLLINS (England) | WHITNEY DUNLAP-FOWLER (USA) | IVÁN ISLAS (Mexico) | WILLIAM LIU (China) | SÓNIA MARQUES (Portugal) | CHIRAG MEDIRATTA (India / Canada) | SERDAR PAKTIN (Turkey / England) | MARIA PAPANTHYMOU (Greece / Russia) | XIMENA TOBI (Argentina) | & many more.

Also see these series: COVID CODES | SEMIO OBJECTS | MAKING SENSE | COLOR CODEX