Ben Coopman
I talk with, observe and write about different groups of people from around the world to help organisations make strategic decisions about their brands.
How I work
Only connect
My craft is connecting with people, and luckily people find it easy to open up in front of me. I listen to people with curiosity and without judgement, creating the conditions that let them speak honestly.
Any questions
Like - what are the ingredients of a hit like Love Island? How are music tastes changing for Radio 1's target audience? What does the London Stock Exchange stand for in volatile times?
Story time
I turn insights into clearly written and concise narratives that guide the decisions of organisations, leading to relevant creative work and successful strategy.
What I do
Clients
I work with research agencies to deliver projects across sectors and around the world - whether in Seoul, Sao Paolo, or Sutton Coldfield. Recently I have worked on projects for brands including:
Ben is simply one of the best qualitative researchers it has been my pleasure to work with. I've engaged him for a range of media related projects where he has been a natural with respondents, engaging them to speak naturally and helping to draw insights beyond the superficial. He is also a first class analyst and communicator - with an exceptional ability to illustrate themes in an intelligent, compelling way.
The pluralthinking team have really enjoyed working with Ben across a number of international qualitative projects in the States and Asia amongst others. He has a fantastic ability to connect with the human target being researched and to get to culturally sensitive insight efficiently. His thinking is always sharp, nuanced and very well expressed, making him a huge asset on our projects.
Ben has a unique knack for putting consumers at their ease whilst conducting research. From fashion and cars to accountancy degrees, Ben has tackled a range of topics for me as a freelancer - and I have to say our clients always loved working with him and watching him conducting groups and depth interviews, and seeing how he seemingly effortlessly got consumers to open up and talk about their worlds.
Who I am
I studied Classics & English at Oxford University, where I read other people's stories and compared the values and aspirations that make different cultures tick. I followed the development of different genres throughout history, and explored how gender was constructed in the ancient world.
After a brief stint working in a talent agency (where I once made Michael Fassbender a cup of tea), I started my research career in 2011 at the media consultancy MTM as their first Research Assistant, before joining the insights team at the ad agency McCann Erickson.
I've been self-employed since 2015, which allows me the freedom to decide which projects and how much work to take on. I'm now based in Berlin, where you can catch me running around Tempelhofer Feld, learning the language by listening to German rap, or clubbing the civilised way, on a Sunday afternoon.