all
about
dag*

* I am a inspiring trilingual networker at the interface of Marketing and R&D
– loving Brands, Trends, FMCG business and Social Media

about me

»Creativity is not the finding of a thing, but the making something out of it after it is found...«
James Russell Lowell

Inspired by market trends and consumer behaviour, I love exploring fresh ideas and seeking out new opportunities to deliver consumer driven innovation. Working with colleagues to generate and deliver value-added propositions to the market place has underpinned the last ten years of my career. As a former lecturer in Marketing and Sensory Analysis, I still enjoy great relationships with my professorial colleagues and have co-authored several papers en route to my University of Rennes Ph.D. on trends and tools in sensory driven innovation in the food industry.

Working with partners from academic, design and business worlds – I find ideas and inspiration in the ordinary AND the extraordinary. Building on a foundation of Sensory Insights and Consumer Research, the opportunity to explore and understand trends, analyse consumer meaning and drive motivations never loses its appeal…

Marketing in all its many dimensions continues to provide creative stimuli and routes to innovative concepts and creative solutions to consumer challenges. My current role at MARS generates value at the creative interface of R&D and Marketing – breakthrough concepts are born when hard-core product innovation meets hard-core consumer insights! Working at the front end of innovation I bring new social media approaches to consumer exploration and trend analysis. Inspired by fresh ideas and challenges, I always enjoy connecting with like-minded professionals and fellow explorers!

my

trend scouting social media

specialty

sensory marketing

fields

consumer behaviour cross function team leadership consumer insights product innovation design thinking food industry open innvation change management flavour & fragrance networking

life career

  • Head of Sensory & Consumer Science – Member of European R&D Management Team

    Mars GmbH | since June 2010

    6 years

  • Global Direcotor Sensory & Consumer Science

    Symrise | June 2003 – 2010

    10 years

  • Head of Sensory & Consumer Science

    Haarmann & Reimer | 2000 – 2003

    3 years

  • Lecturer in Marketing

    IESEG | 1999–2000

    1 year

  • Project Leader

    Amora Maille | 1998–1999

    1 year

  • Project Leader

    ISI GMBH | 1996–1998

    2 years

  • Georg-August-University Göttingen

    Dipl. Hdl., economics and french | 1990–1996

    6 years

 

Languages

  • German

    Mother Tongue

  • French

    Second Mother Tongue

  • English

    Fluent

Where I was active

  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Brasil
  • China
  • Denmark
  • France
  • Italy
  • Germany
  • Japan
  • Mexico
  • Netherlands
  • Russia
  • Spain
  • Switzerland
  • Thailand
  • USA

some random numb3rs

  • Time with my family
    05 Hrs/
    day
  • Trendscouting
    01 Hrs/
    day
  • Consumer Insights
    03 Hrs/
    day
  • Sports
    02 Hrs/
    day
  • Leadership
    07 Hrs/
    day
  • Driving old VW
    01 Hrs/
    day
  • Online
    18 Hrs/
    day
  • Enjoying Food
    02 Hrs/
    day

selected projects

selected activities

Articles about / by

  • Citrus Sound – yes we discover it !

    Magazin: Citrus Newsletter (Symrise), 2009

  • Dag Piper – Feldforschung im Supermarkt

    Magazin: Food Design, 2009

  • Dag Piper – Süchtig nach Neuheiten

    Magazin: Lebensmittelzeitung, 2009

  • Dag Piper – Dem Verbraucher noch näher (Social Media in der Konsumentenforschung)

    Magazin: Team Spirit  (Symrise), 2009

  • Dag Piper  - 1000 Ideen für die Zukunft einer Stadt

    Magazin: In: Übermorgenkongress Oldenburg, 2009

  • Dag Piper - Von Superfrüchten und Neuropushern – Über Trends in der modernen Ernährung

    Magazin: In: „Faktor“, Göttingen,  2009

  • Dag Piper – der Netzwerker (available as well in english)

    Book: In: „Das Gingko Prinzip – Arbeitest du noch oder lebst du schon ?“, Göttingen, 2009

  • Dag Piper – Das Marketing von morgen... Erfahrung für alle Sinne

    Magazin: Team Spirit (Symrise), 2008

  • Dag Piper – El sabor del saber

    Magazin: I Alimentos, 2007

  • Dag Piper – le consommateur est un monstre a plusieures tetes

    Magazin: In: Process, 1998


Selected Key Notes

  • World Advertising Research Conference

    London 2013

  • Eurosense

    Bern Switzerland 2012

  • Zukunftskongress

    Oldenburg 2009
    Trainer Open Space

  • SG Consulting

    Tessiner Innovationstage 2009
    SG 5/2009

Articels written by me

  • Piper, D.; Hueck, S. (2009). Relevanz von Social Media für die Marktforschung

    Research & Results 7/09, München, 2009.
    Translation: Relevance of social media for market research.

  • Le marketing sensoriel, 2007 and 2013:
    Dag Piper – l’avenir du marketing sensoriel (postface)

    ISBN-13: 978-2711777808
    Translation: The future of sensory marketing

  • Müller, F.; Marquardt, N.; Höger, R.; Piper, D. (2008).
    Was das Gesicht über den Geschmack verrät

    Göttingen, p. 1-20, Forschungsforum, ISBN-13: 978-3-937411
    Translation: What facial expression can tell you about taste preferences.

  • C. Raz, D. Piper, R. Haller, H. Nicod, N. Dusart, A. Giboreau (2008)
    From sensory marketing to sensory design: How to drive formulation using consumers’ input?

    Food Quality and Preference, Volume 19, Issue 8, December 2008, Pages 719-726

  • Möslein, R.; Piper, D.; Rosenbauer, J.; Scharf, A. (2005).
    Einstellungen und Konsumverhalten gegenüber Nahrungs- und Genussmitteln in Russland – Entwicklung einer Konsumententypologie

    Göttingen, p. 1-70, Forschungsforum, ISBN 3-937411-10-0
    Translation: Attitude and consumer behaviour towards foodstuffs in russia- development of a consumer typology

  • Piper, D.; Scharf, A.; Volkmer, H.-P. (2005)
    Integrierte Produkt- und Konzeptentwicklung bei Nahrungs- und Genussmitteln

    Göttingen, p. 1-35, Forschungsforum, ISBN 3-937411-09-7
    Translation: Integrated product and concept development with foodstuffs


Board Memberships

  • Board Member of 2bahead.com

    Think Tank technical & consumer trends

  • Board Member of Trendforum

    biggest trend conference in Germany

  • Member of external consulting board for Leuphana University on business psychology

what others say about me

»Dag is one of those very rare people, who's genuinely curious about how the world works, how people tick and is brave enough to embrace the adventure of finding out. He's also delightful to work with which always makes it a real pleasure.«

John Kearon
Founder, CEO and Chief Juicer
BrainJuicer

 
»The most inspiring and visionary guy I've met so far. Besides having a special talent as a presenter, Dr. Piper gets to have 300 people listening to his talks enthusiastically and without sleep for a minute. This is really to be outside of the box and listen to their theories is like being near to a genius.«

Carlos Calderon
Marketing Specialist
Symrise

 
»Dag brings a powerful combination of curiosity and creativity to everything he does - a curiosity that fuels learning, knowledge sharing and relationship building; a creativity that knows no bounds, relishes complex challenges and delivers executable solutions. I always find our interactions to be inspiring, satisfying and energising - and I see Dag do this with other people all the time, it is his inherent character and powerful strength. If you've got a creative consumer focused challenge to address, share it with Dag and you're sure to be pleased that you did! «

Hamish Taylor
Global Strategic Business Development
Symrise, Shinergise Partners Ltd.

 
»Dag is one of the few smartest and most reliable trendexperts in german industry I know. I asked him to join the advisory board of forward2business-thinktank because of his broad knowlegde about future of global food, taste and beverage markets. And by the way ... he is a wonderful person.«

Sven Gabor Janszky
futurologist, keynote speaker, consultant, director
2b AHEAD ThinkTank

 
»Dag is a passionate fountain of incisive consumer insights overflowing with creative energy and curiosity about the world we live in that makes all encounters with him a real delight... Enjoy without moderation!«

Cyril Alemany
Director New Products
EMEA at SUNSTAR SUISSE SA

 
»Dr. Dag Piper is one of the most inspiring people I met in business: His state of the art knowledge and scientific background in the field of sensory research is unrivaled. Paired with a great network and creativity, Dag is always good for the innovative and probably best solution when it comes to e.g. sensory research, consumer research and innovation. By actively building his broad network, Dag truly lives up to the spirit and effectiveness of Open Innovation. I really enjoy his great drive for results, outside-the-box thinking as well as his open and positive personality.«

Alexander Drees
Global Marketing & R&D Lead ( CMO / CRO)
LEIFHEIT AG

 

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