I’ll start by saying that I am not a recent graduate. Instead, my market research journey began after receiving my BA in 2011. As a native of America’s Rust Belt, I wanted to work in urban planning and policy. However, after battling the recession, I did like many underemployed social science majors: went to business school (in London).

This set off a career discovery. As I sat through management consultancy presentations and stood at banking mixers (in uncomfortable shoes), I realised that neither interested me. Instead, joy arrived during a marketing module’s branding project and whilst conducting market research for a business plan competition. Upon returning to my hometown, I felt stagnant. But being from the Rust Belt teaches grit.

I found full-time work at an industrial recycler and juggled creative side projects. I looked deeper into insight careers, and in 2016 attended Miami Ad School San Francisco’s Account Planning Boot Camp. This was followed by a marketing project in the Bay Area before returning home and starting the UK visa process. Now that I’m back in London, I aim to enter market research (with comfortable shoes).

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When exploring consumer insight agencies, Firefish emerged as a company of interest. Your website and social media became places where I returned, and established the agency as somewhere valuable to intern. The main attributes that intrigue me are your breadth and emphasis on “Unconventional Thinking”.

Many outside of market research see practitioners as robots that provide gift cards in exchange for discussing feelings. However, Firefish proves that the industry is more varied and human. I find your scope of approaches reassuring, from using neuromarketing to interviewing experts. The agency’s involvement within various areas of the industry, including the APG and AQR, is also reassuring.

Additionally, there’s clarity in Firefish’s brand purpose of “Unconventional Thinking. Uncommon Sense.” As mentioned in your blog post, researchers (and the wider marketing industry) claim innovation whilst remaining committed to familiarity. This has been apparent in my career, and something I strive to improve. Also, it was refreshing to read the unorthodox response from CEO Jem Fawcus on Campaign regarding Colin Kaepernick’s Nike advert.

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I originally wrote about my admiration for Rihanna’s personal brand, then switched to something less conventional: Hillsong Church. Discussing religion is risky, however Hillsong has drawn mainstream attention. The Cut even christened it “the mother of all hipster megachurches”. This Australian Pentecostal church has locations in 21 countries and a weekly attendance approaching 130,000. Attendees include the Kardashian-Jenner sisters and Justin Bieber.

Why does Hillsong remain relevant when many Western churches struggle? Whilst church is normally seen as removed from the world, Hillsong meets young adults where they are. It does this via:

Hillsong Music: This accelerated the church’s global reach. Early on, Hillsong decided to follow mainstream production trends. Filmmaker, Michael John Warren, described the music team as “trying to write a song that Coldplay would envy, except they really believe that what they’re doing is saving people’s souls.”

Aesthetics: Enter one of Hillsong’s repurposed entertainment venues, and it’s like a concert. Mostly young, diverse congregants dance to a curated selection of Hillsong music. This is followed by an equally sleek set of well-crafted announcement videos and photos. Eventually, a fashion-forward pastor comes to deliver the sermon.

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Message: Hillsong’s sermons follow a formula outlined by its head pastor, focusing on positivity, authenticity, and messages that “affect people’s Mondays, not just Sunday”. Sermons are made easily understood for non-churchgoers.

It would be misleading to say that Hillsong is entirely admirable: it’s had deep controversies. However, Hillsong revolutionised the way many Protestant churches operate. And their ability to promote a 2,000-year-old belief, whilst remaining attuned to cultural shifts, is something that brand strategists can learn from regardless of religion.