Tony Bourdain once said, “If I’m an advocate for anything, it’s to move. As far as you can, as much as you can, across the ocean, or simply across the river. The extent to which you can walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food…it’s a plus for everybody.”
Tony inspired a generation to explore food, culture, and experiences, sharing insights both about the world we know and the world that we don’t. He was always open about everything he learned and often said that he learned something new every time he went somewhere, no matter how many times he had been there. More than anything, he focused on people more than place.
As an avid viewer of his shows, I felt like I knew him. I imagine how interesting it would have been to join him for meals with locals around the world, engaging in open conversations about their traditions, their families, and their foods. In the truest sense, Tony lived out the adage that if you want to really understand someone else, you have to walk a mile in their shoes.
Thinking about all that can be learned by approaching travel from the perspective of those who live in a place – walking in their shoes and experiencing life entirely from their point of view – it’s clear to me how core this is to our work in insights.
Whenever we take on a project, one of the most important things we do is to focus as much as possible on the consumers the client wants to learn about. Using this approach as our foundation, we uncover deeper learnings with greater authenticity by exploring opportunities exclusively from the consumer’s point of view.
With this information in hand, we can more successfully illuminate previously-unidentified problems, create messages that are truly empathetic, and simplify overly-complex processes that are tension points for consumers.
Tony’s work still inspires ours today. He didn’t just talk about walking in others’ shoes and seeing things from their viewpoint; he lived it as a core belief. Likewise, we always seek to learn and grow together, authentically sharing the insights we uncover in a way that benefits everyone. Want to learn with us? Drop us a line.