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Writer, Cultural Insight & Foresight Consultant

I help organisations understand cultural, societal and creative change through insight, foresight and thought leadership.

Drawing on more than 20 years' experience across cultural analysis, trend forecasting, expert interviewing and long-form writing, I investigate emerging shifts and translate complex ideas into reports, frameworks and narratives that help organisations understand what change means—and what to do next.

My work sits at the intersection of culture, creativity, strategy and storytelling. Combining desk research, horizon scanning, expert interviews and cultural analysis, I help organisations make sense of change, identify emerging opportunities and develop meaningful responses to the future.

Over the course of my career, I have worked extensively with leading foresight and insight organisations including The Future Laboratory, WGSN and Stylus, researching topics ranging from consumer behaviour, sustainability and technology to placemaking, hospitality, financial services and the creative economy.

Drawing on a design education at the Royal College of Art, I work across both intellectual and visual forms of foresight, combining cultural analysis with an understanding of emerging aesthetic and creative movements.

Work

I work with brands, agencies, cultural institutions and organisations seeking to understand the forces shaping the future.

My projects range from strategic foresight reports and thought-leadership programmes to conference development, content strategy and visual trend analysis. Much of my work involves leading research projects from concept through to completion, synthesising large and complex subjects into clear frameworks, narratives and actionable insights.

Alongside strategic and research-led work, I use my background in design to identify emerging aesthetic and cultural movements, helping creative teams understand not only what is changing, but how those changes are being expressed through design, branding, retail and experience.

Services

Cultural & Consumer Insight

  • Desk research and horizon scanning

  • Strategic foresight

  • Trend and futures research

  • Expert interviewing

  • Insight synthesis and opportunity mapping

Thought Leadership

  • White papers and long-form reports

  • Research-led content development

  • Narrative and framework development

  • Executive briefings

  • Thought-leadership programmes

Creative & Visual Insight

  • Cultural and aesthetic foresight

  • Visual trend analysis

  • Creative opportunity mapping

  • Brand and design insight

  • Inspiration and trend direction development

Conference & Programme Development

  • Research and content strategy

  • Theme and narrative development

  • Knowledge curation

  • Speaker research and expert engagement

  • Programme and content frameworks

Selected Work

The Future Laboratory

  • For more than a decade, researched and developed strategic foresight reports, thought-leadership programmes and white papers exploring topics including financial services, manufacturing, entertainment, hospitality, placemaking, sustainability and consumer culture.

WGSN

  • Worked with WGSN for just under twenty years, producing macro trend reports, advisory projects and executive presentations covering lifestyle, interiors, consumer technology, retail and emerging consumer behaviour. Presented research findings and strategic recommendations to senior business leaders and client teams.

Brand & Creative Consultancy

  • Collaborated with branding, retail and experiential design agencies to translate cultural and consumer shifts into creative opportunities, visual frameworks and future-facing concepts for global brands.

Case Studies

United Nations World Conference on the Creative Economy (WCCE) 2021

  • Led the intellectual development and narrative architecture of the UN-backed global conference, which was the closing event of the United Nations International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development. Developed the thematic framework, programme narrative and content strategy through extensive research into the future of the creative economy, expert consultation and stakeholder engagement.

    The conference was attended by more than 3,000 policymakers, business leaders, creatives and academics from around the world. Representatives from 22 countries adopted the UAE WCCE 2021 Agenda, a 21-point framework intended to support the development of the global creative economy.

Alcohol Brand

  • Led the research, analysis and writing of an annual foresight report examining the cultural, technological and consumer shifts shaping the future of the drinks sector.

    The report became an important component of the organisation's marketing and innovation planning, helping teams anticipate emerging consumer expectations, identify opportunities for premiumisation, integrate sustainability into innovation strategies and respond proactively to next-generation values and behaviours.

    The report achieved significant industry visibility, generating more than 1,600 media mentions, an estimated £516,000 in publicity value and a reach exceeding 433,000+.

Selected Organisations:

  • The Future Laboratory

  • WGSN

  • Pantone Viewpoint

  • Google

  • YouTube

  • Airbnb

  • Adidas

  • Samsung

  • Bacardi

  • Diageo

  • L'Oréal

  • Estée Lauder

  • Shiseido

  • UBS

  • Westfield

  • The Crown Estate

  • Rolls-Royce

If you'd like to discuss a project, please get in touch.

E: melissa@melissataylor.co.uk

T: +44(0) 7968 050304

A: Creativeworks, 7 Blackhorse Lane, London, E17 6DS