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.

London…

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?

RUTH SOMERFIELD

I was obsessed with visual details — spotting how packaging in our kitchen cupboard subtly kept changing, how my favorite snack brands evolved, and how TV ads pulled me in. I was drawn to the way everyday things add up to tell bigger stories.

A favourite place was Robert Opie’s Museum of Advertising and Packaging (now the Museum of Brands in London). Back then, it was in Gloucestershire, near where I lived, and I was captivated by the collection. It wasn’t just nostalgia — it was meaning. Why did brands tweak their logos? What did colours, fonts, and materials reveal about their time? I loved spotting those shifts and uncovering the unspoken things they revealed about people’s desires, values, and beliefs.

SEMIOVOX

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

RUTH SOMERFIELD

I first encountered semiotics during my degree at the Courtauld Institute of Art, where the focus wasn’t formalism but on the deeper cultural context of art. While semiotics wasn’t a standalone subject, it was embedded in how we analysed visual culture — how meaning is constructed, how symbols evolve, and how context shapes interpretation.

What captivated me was semiotics’ power as a tool for decoding the world, revealing hidden layers of meaning that might otherwise go unnoticed.  It was a lens on everything. 

SEMIOVOX

How did you find your own way to doing semiotics?

RUTH SOMERFIELD

After completing my degree, I started out in the art world, working alongside contemporary YBA artists like Damien Hirst. Before long, I moved into design consultancy, where I had the privilege of learning from industry legends like Mary Lewis, Rodney Fitch, and Phil Carter. It was here that I saw firsthand how strong creative thinking drives commercial success.

Around this time, I met Greg Rowland, who brought me in for projects requiring visual decoding. Working closely with him, I deepened an understanding of semiotics under his mentorship. We had a great time collaborating on some truly fun projects — experiences that shaped my approach to cultural analysis.

Then, just over a decade ago, I took the leap and set up my own consultancy. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to work with an incredible range of clients across industries and continents. What I love most is the sheer variety of being a semiotician — one day, I’m immersed in the fast-moving world of Asian social media; the next, I’m exploring the rich traditions of South American food culture. It’s endlessly fascinating.

SEMIOVOX

What are the most important attributes of a good semiotician?

RUTH SOMERFIELD

A great semiotician is a cultural detective — constantly absorbing, decoding, and making sense of the world. They don’t just track cultural shifts; they immerse themselves, staying tuned in to everything whether it’s Gen Alpha’s emerging behaviors or Baby Boomer touchpoints. 

But being informed isn’t enough — it’s about turning insight into impact. A skilled semiotician listens, understands client challenges, and transforms deep cultural analysis into ideas that are not just thought-provoking but also practical and commercially valuable.

The real magic happens in bridging theory with real-world application. Creativity is key. The best insights don’t just make sense — they inspire — challenging assumptions, sparking innovation, and helping brands see their world in a whole new light.

And just as crucially, a great semiotician makes the process a pleasure. When clients find the collaboration exciting and the results genuinely valuable, they keep coming back for more.

SEMIOVOX

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

RUTH SOMERFIELD

For me, enlightenment hasn’t necessarily come from books on semiotics but from exploring beyond. So, if I have to pick three books, forgive me for venturing in a different direction.

• [British graphic designer] Alan Fletcher’s The Art of Looking Sideways is the ultimate guide to visual awareness for the curious. It challenges how we see and think about visual and verbal culture breaking free from conventional thinking and embracing curiosity, playfulness, and unexpected connections. It’s a classic for a reason.
• [Australian art critic] Robert Hughes’ The Shock of the New. I read this years ago as a student and it’s still a bookshelf fave — an immensely readable and provocative book full of insight into how culture evolved and shaped the visual world we now live in.
• [British design critic] Stephen Bayley’s Taste: The Secret Meaning of Things. This brilliantly entertaining book unpacks the hidden meanings behind cultural preferences — why we like what we like — delivered with sharp wit and deep insight.

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?

RUTH SOMERFIELD

I help brands and organisations make sure they’re saying the right things to the right people in the right way. Essentially, I decode culture so they don’t end up talking at their audience instead of to them.

For skeptical clients, I put it like this: “Semiotics isn’t abstract theory — it’s a secret weapon. It reveals why people react to messages, visuals, and ideas so you can create solutions that truly land. It’s not about complexity; it’s about cutting out the guesswork.” Once they see that in action, they get the value.

SEMIOVOX

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

RUTH SOMERFIELD

I love working on cross-cultural, multi-country projects for brands — there’s nothing more fascinating than uncovering how meanings shift across different markets and cultures. It’s like piecing together a global puzzle, finding the threads that connect while respecting the nuances that make each place unique.

But I also get a real buzz from the fast-turnaround work I do for clients — helping them spot the golden nuggets that elevate an idea from good to brilliant. There’s something incredibly satisfying about distilling complex cultural insights into something sharp, actionable, and creatively inspiring.

SEMIOVOX

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

RUTH SOMERFIELD

Semiotics has evolved — more clients are embracing it, more professionals are diving in, and it’s shed a lot of the academic ego that once made it feel exclusive. Even better, more smart women are leading the charge.

I am passionate about semiotics that is able to be applied — not commercial semiotics that drifts into abstraction, forgetting real business needs or the client’s need for clear speak. Even with AI to hand, clients crave a strategic, human-centric approach — where analysis meets creativity to deliver razor-sharp, real-world solutions. They don’t want theory for theory’s sake; they need fast, clear, and actionable insights that cut through in today’s complex, fast-changing world and which drive meaningful business outcomes. 

SEMIOVOX

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

RUTH SOMERFIELD

Be a cultural sponge — absorb everything.

Stay curious, stay engaged.

Say yes to the tough projects — they’re the ones that push you, challenge your thinking, and take you places you never expected.

Most importantly, be open, have fun, and be the person people want to work with. Clients remember those who bring not just great ideas, but great energy. That’s what keeps the best opportunities and collaborations coming your way.

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 global semio series: MAKING SENSE (Q&As) | SEMIOFEST SESSIONS (monthly mini-conferences) | COVID CODES | SEMIO OBJECTS | COLOR CODEX | DECODER (fictional semioticians) | CASE FILE | PHOTO OP | MEDIA DIET.