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Daniel Berkal - The Palmerston Group. Toronto, ON, CA

Daniel Berkal

Partner; SVP Innovation | The Palmerston Group

Toronto, ON, CANADA

Award winning Ethnographer. Global Speaker. Enveloped in the Cultural Zeitgeist.

Media

Publications:

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Social

Biography

Daniel Berkal is SVP Research & Innovation and a partner at The Palmerston Group. He's personally conducted hundreds of energetic interviews of various sizes, ethnographies, mystery shops and ideation sessions among consumers and professionals in North America, Central America, Europe and Asia. He is a globally recognized expert in immersive methodologies.

The recipient of the 2011 QRCA Qually for excellence in Qualitative Research, Daniel has worked on the most innovative brands in business and is best known for completely immersing himself in consumer environments. With projects featured in Fast Company and Forbes, he's been called "Hands down, the most unique, thought-provoking and game-changing qualitative researcher in the business. Period." He led a team that recently earned the 2016 MRIA award for “Best Qualitative Project” for immersive work with Cirque du Soleil.

Daniel holds degrees from McGill University and The University of Texas at Austin.

Industry Expertise (10)

Market Research

Retail

Social Media

Entertainment

Advertising/Marketing

Business Services

Internet

Consumer Electronics

Research

Specialty Retailers

Areas of Expertise (10)

Popular Culture

Trends

Market Research

Qualitative

People

Technology

Trendspotting

Change

Social Media

Ethnography

Accomplishments (2)

MRIA - Best Qualitative Research (professional)

2016-06-01

Awarded for "Project 72: The Millennial Experience"

QRCA - Qualitative Excellence Award (professional)

2011-04-02

Awarded for "Project See-Store: Getting Behind the Counter" The premiere award in the business.

Education (2)

McGill University : 2001

University of Texas - Austin: 2003

Affiliations (4)

  • QRCA
  • AMA
  • AAAA
  • AAF

Languages (1)

  • English

Event Appearances (18)

"From the Triforce to Bermuda: Why Triangles are More Powerful Than You Think"

Market Research Intelligence Association Conference  Vancouver, Canada

2018-06-11

“The Magic Triangle Mystery Revealed”

AQR/ QRCA Worldwide Conference on Qualitative Research  Valencia, Spain

2018-05-17

"The Masterclass: Designing Spectacular Methodologies"

QRCA National  Phoenix, USA

2018-01-26

"Project Secret: The Inner Voice"

Worldwide Conference on Qualitative Research  Vienna, Austria

2016-04-20

"Breaking Down The Glass"

American Advertising Federation  Baton Rouge, USA

2016-10-07

"Project 72: The Millennial Experience"

ESOMAR Global Qualitative  Paris, France

2015-11-24

"Project Butterfly: Escaping The Net"

SAMRA Qualitative  Cape Town, South Africa

2013-10-30

"Project Butterfly: Escpaing The Net"

MRSNZ  Auckland, New Zealand

2012-04-12

"Project See-Store: Getting Behind The Counter"

IIR - Shopper Insight In Action   Chicago, USA

2010-07-10

"Cultural Curators"

Social Media Week 2011  Toronto, Canada

2011-02-07

"Project Butterfly: Escaping The Net"

AQR/ QRCA Worldwide Conference of Qualitative Research  Rome, Italy

2012-04-25

"Project See-Store: Getting Behind The Counter"

Symposium on Qualitative Research   Chicago, USA

2011-05-25

"Project Butterfly: Escaping The Net"

NXNE Interactive  Toronto, Canada

2012-06-12

"Project Butterfly: Escaping The Net"

MRSNZ  Wellington, New Zealand

2012-04-16

"Project Butterfly: Escaping The Net"

Vincor DTC Summit  Niagara-On-The-Lake, Canada

2012-03-19

"Sex Sells: Lessons from the Digital Underground"

NXNE 2013  Toronto, Canada

2013-06-12

"Destroying The Machine"

Social Media Week  Toronto, Canada

2013-09-18

"Project Butterfly: Escaping The Net"

SAMRA Qualitative  Johannesburg, South Africa

2013-10-28

Sample Talks (3)

Breaking Down The Glass

This presentation looks at specific examples where adding in an immersive component has worked in concert with an otherwise standard qualitative approach in order to create a significantly deeper understanding of a consumer experience that is far greater that can be attributed to just using a conventional technique. After looking at these examples, along with any other elements that may be brought in from the audience, we will build a best-practices checklist that will be useful for those who are interested in exploring these dimensions in the work that they do.

"Project Butterfly: Escaping The Net"

What effect can learning about how sociable people interact in the real world have on the online space? We set out on a multi-city project, both online and in the real world, immersing ourselves so that we could truly understand the elements that contribute to interaction and involvement. By building a framework of how 'highly sociable' people work in each sphere, we're able to use this knowledge to help build online brand presence and online social communities that act more naturally.

"Project See-Store: Getting Behind The Counter"

4937 miles. 3 States. 143 Convenience Stores. In Depth. Talking to consumers. Exploring the environment. Getting behind the counter. This is the quintessential exploration of the C-store environment. A multidimensional piece of ethnographic research in which researchers actually got behind the counter and worked the graveyard shift at America's most dangerous convenience stores. The results will surprise and inspire your audience. Featured in Fast Company & media worldwide.

Style

Availability

  • Keynote
  • Moderator
  • Panelist
  • Workshop Leader
  • Host/MC

Fees

1000 to 8000 *Will consider certain engagements for no fee