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.

Vienna…

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?

CARLA MOSS

My childhood interest in Greek mythology was probably a first manifestation of my interest in symbols, archetypes, and cultural patterns. We would travel often from Romania to Turkey and Greece with my family, and my dad would recount Greek myths as we passed famous ruins of ancient cities and temples. I was intrigued about how the characters were intertwined, and how the same symbols would pop up over and over again. It was a first realisation that human (and godly) behaviour is influenced by archetypal traits throughout different stories and contexts.

SEMIOVOX

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

CARLA MOSS

While some people first study semiotics academically and then apply it to marketing, I began my career the other way around. I was trained in Strategic Planning in advertising (Young & Rubicam), then moved into Qual Research and Cultural Insight. Instead of approaching semiotics theoretically, I began practicing semiotics in real-world settings, learning its power by doing.

SEMIOVOX

How did you find your own way to doing semiotics?

CARLA MOSS

I moved to Germany to join Added Value, working in Qualitative Research with a strong focus on Cultural Insight and Semiotics. This role offered me an incredible opportunity to dive into semiotics through intensive training with the exceptional team at Added Value U.K. I spent three transformative months at their London office, working on projects for major global brands and learning how to apply the principles of semiotics to branding, design, and communication. I knew from that experience that semiotics would remain a central pillar of my career.

I continued my work with the German office for about 2 more years, before eventually establishing myself as a freelance semiotician in Vienna. Today, I cover the D/A/CH region as well as some CEE markets.

SEMIOVOX

What are the most important attributes of a good semiotician?

CARLA MOSS

I agree with others in this series who’ve listed curiosity — an insatiable desire to uncover meaning — as the most important attribute. A semiotician must approach the world with an open mind, resisting the temptation to dismiss anything as uninteresting or meaningless until it is explored in depth.

Equally important, though, is having a broad cultural knowledge — and the ability to connect dots across disciplines. Recognizing patterns in seemingly unrelated spaces often leads to the most profound insights; a semiotician who can draw from diverse areas of expertise will uncover connections others might miss.

Finally, it’s crucial to have a good memory! The ability to recall interesting findings — keeping notes also helps — allows us to instantly tap into relevant insights when constructing new patterns. 

SEMIOVOX

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

CARLA MOSS

• Daniel Chandler’s Semiotics: The Basics is always on my desk, and I often turn to it for inspiration and to refresh my understanding of key terminology — especially when introducing semiotics to new clients or agencies. As someone without formal academic training in semiotics, I find Chandler’s approach to be an accessible and comprehensive entry point. His clear explanations and structured overview make complex concepts approachable, which is invaluable when bridging semiotics with marketing practice.
• Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point was a revelation, offering a fascinating look into the dynamics of trends and cultural shifts. Gladwell’s exploration of how small, seemingly insignificant actions can trigger widespread change gave me insight into the mechanisms of cultural influence and collective behavior. Recently, this classic has gained renewed relevance with the release of Gladwell’s follow-up, Revenge of the Tipping Point, which reframes the original insights in a fresh context.
• Marcus Collins’ For the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be. The author’s engaging narrative voice and focus on contemporary marketing examples make this book particularly relevant. It delves into the ways culture drives collective behavior and highlights the role of marketing in shaping societal trends. I often face the challenge of convincing potential clients of semiotics’ value, but For the Culture provides a variety of real-world examples and case studies from widely recognized campaigns, helping me illustrate how culture is at the core of successful strategy.

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?

CARLA MOSS

For someone new to semiotics, I frame Cultural Insights & Semiotics as a market research tool that doesn’t ask consumers what they want, but instead anticipates their desires — by understanding the cultural forces that will shape them.

When persuading a skeptical client, I emphasize the depth and focus that semiotics brings. I explain that I take their subject of interest and dive much deeper than their team or agency typically has the capacity to. For example, I might spend weeks immersed in understanding a concept like “companionship”. This involves reading longform articles, talking to experts, listening to podcasts, spending time with magazines, and of course social media. Clients admit they or their agencies rarely have the “luxury” of dedicating resources to such a deep dive.

Finally, I describe how I synthetise all the research by identifying patterns and codes. I reassure them that the process doesn’t result in abstract or inaccessible outputs; rather, the final deliverables are visually clear, easy to understand, and designed to feel natural to retrace.

SEMIOVOX

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

CARLA MOSS

I love it when a client or agency asks me to explore big shifts in certain categories or of abstract concepts — it allows for the perfect mix of going broad and diving deep.

I really enjoy pulling in expert interviews, or working with lead users from certain categories, because they always bring fresh, unexpected perspectives — and it gives me the privilege to pick the brains of very bright people.

There’s always a moment when it feels like I’ve taken in too much information and everything seems chaotic and disconnected. It’s a bit overwhelming. But then something clicks — the patterns start to emerge, and the codes just fall into place. Suddenly, it all feels natural, logical, and even exciting because it’s fresh and eye-opening. That moment when everything makes sense, and the insights start flowing effortlessly, is hands-down the best part of my work. It’s such a great feeling to know I’ve cracked something meaningful and actionable for the client.

SEMIOVOX

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

CARLA MOSS

Since the pandemic, Cultural Insights work has changed for the worse — with so much of the work now being desk-based. Budgets are tighter everywhere, which means there’s less opportunity to go out and gather insights where culture actually happens — in the real world, away from a laptop.

When I first started working for Added Value in Germany, I traveled a lot more for projects. Now, with most of the work relying on online research, there’s a real risk of missing nuances that come from direct observation and engagement. Desk research has its place, for sure! But without getting out there, you lose some of the depth and authenticity that make cultural insights so powerful.

SEMIOVOX

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

CARLA MOSS

Although I love working as a freelance semiotician and believe it’s a career that works well solo, I’m really grateful that I started out in an agency, and gained hands-on experience with an experienced team. Doing so provides a solid foundation, and allows you to learn directly from others who have honed their skills in the field.

To excel in this line of work, it helps to be a little geeky about specific areas. If you’re passionate about something — whether it’s fashion, pop culture, or memes — dive deep into it. Explore that interest, analyze it, and share your insights. This can help you establish a niche early in your career.

Also, don’t underestimate how open other semioticians are to sharing advice. Connect with them on LinkedIn and ask for a virtual coffee chat. Spending just half an hour picking someone’s brain can be incredibly eye-opening, and provide you with insights that textbooks or courses might not.

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