Consumer Research w/ Patti Sunderland

On the latest episode of AnthroPuzzled, we speak with Patti Sunderland, founding principal of Cultural Research and Analysis Inc. Patti discovered anthropology in college, a perspective she says continues to shape her work in consumer research. After early projects in luxury markets and time at a nonprofit research institute, she eventually built her own firm. Anthropology, she notes, helps her look beyond individual behaviors to the broader cultural patterns driving them. Today, Patti conducts consumer and cultural analysis to support branding and product development, using interviews, observation, and focus groups. Her process includes crafting proposals, designing research, conducting fieldwork, often across countries, and delivering final insights to clients. She also reflects on ethics in consulting, acknowledging the challenge of not always knowing how findings will be used, while emphasizing the importance of turning down work that doesn't align with one's values. Tune in to learn how anthropology shapes consumer research.