Marketers often tout the potential of the Chinese Internet based on sheer numbers — the country has more people online than in any other, an estimated 298 million users. But analysts add that the Chinese, especially youth, use the Internet in a fundamentally different than their Western counterparts. Recent advertising efforts in cosmetics have taken advantage of that difference – with surprising results.
Earlier this year, young Chinese viewers obsessed over “Sufei’s Diary,” a web series about a college girl in Shanghai. In China, episodes chronicled Sufei’s teasing classmates, tough boss, snooty coworker, and older crush. Most [...]

Sneakers can speak volumes, both about their owners and the times. In fact, in many countries sneakers are considered cultural artifacts. It’s no surprise that people around the world collect, critique, and obsess about kicks. But the lengths some sneaker fans will go, and then spend, often seems a mystery. Mysteries make us curious, and beg decoding.
Peep Insights recently conducted a global sneaker culture immersion, talking to sneakerheads in key cities like Tokyo, London and Sydney to get an insider’s perspective on trends and attitudes. We got the chance to talk with the owners of [...]

We’re looking forward to having Maria Vranchnos (Peep Insights) share her ideas at PSFK Conference NYC 2009. Maria will be on a panel with moderator Gill Linton (The Joneses), Doug Jaeger (thehappycorp/Art Directors Club), Paul M Taylor (Diageo), and Paul Worthington (Wolff Olins) discussing the “brand new rules” needed to govern the behavior of brands in a world increasingly defined by changing social, cultural, technological and economic forces.
First, who are you and what do you do (in 150 words or less)?
I’m a socio-cultural researcher that loves to get beneath the surface and really understand what motivates people. I’ve always [...]

I just learned I am a supertaster: someone who experiences taste with far greater intensity than the average person.  The term originates from the work of experimental psychologist Linda Bartoshuk who has spent much of her career studying genetic variation in taste. Bartoshuk is Director of Human Research at the University of Florida’s Center for Smell and Taste, where her work helps treat patients suffering from smell and taste disorders or loss of taste due to disease or cancer therapy.
Recently Peep had the chance to attend a research lecture hosted by the New York Academy of Sciences which may have [...]