Ilia Burlakov is an expert in consumer ethnography and brand strategy, currently based in Istanbul, Turkey. His portfolio includes work with international brands in various industries, focusing on research related to consumer behavior and market trends, including luxury electric cars and streaming services. Throughout his career, he has conducted in-depth qualitative research and developed communication strategies for clients such as KFC and IKEA, addressing specific consumer needs and preferences in distinct markets.

1. Ilia Burlakov Portfolio
Consumer Ethnography, Consumer Trends, Business
Research, Brand Strategy
Currently based in: Istanbul,Turkey
Citizenship: Russian
Date of birth: Jan 24, 1980
M: +90 (534) 472 49 73
E: ilia124@gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivburlakov

2. TIMELINE
2019
Blessed became my latest partnership in consulting. I was responsible for research while my partner further used it as the base for
planning communication activities.We chose to work mostly with international innovative brands.We did a project for MedTech startup
where we were looking at the global market trends and insights for a home-based blood-test hardware.Then we worked with luxury
electric cars, Charge.Cars, that use Mustang Ford body to fill it with electric car gear and sell at limited quantities. So I had to analyse the
global markets for electric cars and put together portraits of Ultra High Net Worth Individuals in the short listed countries.And one of
our most loyal clients was Roborace cars.These are Formula 1 type cars but with robot at the wheel.We worked on different themes:
metaverse trends, audio interfaces, gaming mechanics, etc.
2015
After several years in different agencies I co-founded a consulting with my former colleague.We aimed to focus on consumer trends,
hence our name — Banana Trends. But we worked on various strategy-related projects: brand portfolio review, creative briefs, trend
reports, category analysis, cultural semiotics analysis, Customer Journey Maps, qual consumer research (with our proprietary method
called Insight Hunt), prepared and conducted brand strategy workshops, and even helped an international brand launch a diversity
program for their staff (while working with their HR and PR departments).
2008-2016
Previous places of employment:
BBDO (Moscow), Saatchi&Saatchi (Moscow), Lion Red,WPP group (Budapest). Serviceplan (Moscow)
2004-2008
Translator (Eng-Rus):TNK-BP Management (Moscow)

3. КЛИЕНТЫ

4. ILIA BURLAKOV
CASE STUDIES

5. VR STREAMING. STREAMERS ANDVIEWERS. GLOBAL IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS AND DESK RESEARCH
Context:
Banana Trends* was referred to by a global creative agency theWORK that was working on the global positioning of a liveVR
streaming startup that wanted to target the global streamers and the viewers of the Just Chatting category from different streaming
platforms.
The client provided a couple of respondents, while Banana Trends ended up recruiting almost 100% of the respondents from the US,
Europe, South-East Asia, several of each category.
Banana Trends conducted interviews in several time zones: some respondents tuned into Zoom in theirVR avatar. The interviews were
focused on studying the psychology of streaming (based on parasocial relationships), how streaming works for streamers and viewers,
how monetary interactions work, etc. The results of the interviews were complimented by a desk research providing theoretical
foundations for the psychology and mechanics of the category. The resulting report was used by theWORK agency to come up with a
platform and the brand for the startup.
Task:
Banana Trends was tasked with an in-depth research of streaming platforms users to discover the motivation, insights and barriers of
CasualViewers, Dedicated Fans and Creators and test the available hypotheses about them. And also the task was to study currentVR
users (gamers, etc) to understand how they can be attracted to liveVR streaming content as viewers andVR streaming potential in
general.
Work and results:
*this project was done by me alone, after the partner left.

6. ELECTRIC CARS. GLOBAL UHNWI’S. DESK RESEARCH OF THE GLOBAL MARKET AND THE TARGET
AUDIENCE
Context:
In 2020 Charge.Cars (London) was planning its global launch campaign for the limited number of 499 luxury electric cars to be made.
The cars are priced starting from 450 000 USD.
We did a desk research of the markets and used in-depth interviews and open-source reports on UHNWI’s in the market to define the
portrait of the audience on the short-listed markets. Based on our result a communication plan for the launch campaign stimulating cars
reservations.
Task:
We were to study potential markets for in terms of the infrastructure readiness of the electric cars, state regulations, and Ultra High Net
Worth Individuals capacity and portrait.
Work and results:
*this project was done by me alone, after the partner left.

7. Context:
Work:
Collider Lab agency (California) approached us to learn more about Russian consumers for their client KFC Global and Russian Marketing team.
Banana Trends was tasked with collecting signals of Russian society and culture changes, consumer behaviour, consumer preferences, expectations,
motivations and barriers, then analyse the signals and trends in order to provide them with recommendations on how to localise the global
Communication Idea for Russian market so that the idea lands here perfectly, fits the Russian mentality and expectations being based on the most
resonating and relevant consumer trends.
BT ran a qualitative ethnographic research INSIGHT HUNT with target audience respondents.We observed and analysed consumer behaviour, had a
number of in-depth interviews with consumers, discussed the observations and findings with experts in culture, media, sociology and psychology. For a
month and a half we worked closely with the Collider Lab team, providing regular reports, oftentimes on a daily basis.After submitting our final report, we
lead the validation of the creative communication platforms developed together with Collider Lab: recruitment, questionnaire development, moderation of
one-one-one interviews, simultaneous translation and debrief. We were invited to participate in the workshop led by Collider Lab USA team, for the
Russian marketing team.
Results:
Together with Collider Lab we developed several Communication Ideas for Russian market, which were tested with consumers, finalised and approved
by KFC Russia marketing team.
COLLIDERLAB(LA).LOCALIZATIONOFGLOBALCAMPAIGN.RUSSIANCONSUMERTRENDS

8. Context:
Work:
Sylvain (New York) asked Banana Trends to help them research and understand the juice refreshment market and
opportunities for growth in Russia for a juice variety in the PepsiCo portfolio.
BT’s task comprised of two parts.The first was running a desktop and on-the-streets and in-store exploratory research into
the juice category, it's competitors & trends.The second — moderating and synthesizing the output from a digital community
study that will test and build upon the market input/ideas from the first part.
Results:
We provided Sylvain Labs with currently resonating trends in the minds of Russian consumers relating to the refreshment
category based on a robust set of examples, verbatims and other trend signals.Then we worked with SL to narrow down the
findings into concepts to be tested in the next stage.At the next stage we moderated the online tests and finalized the
results of the test.
SYLVAIN(NEW YORK).ONLINEGROUPS.NON-ALCOHOLICBEVERAGES

9. KFC. STAFFRESEARCHANDPROGRAMDEVELOPMENT. PR,HRBRAND
Context:
Work and results:
As per the global HQ request KFC Russia started working on women leadership in their company.The program is being developed by a
cross-functional team (corporate university, corporate charity, PR).The goal is to ensure all women in the company get development
opportunities and become a benchmark for other companies in Russia.We were invited by our repeated client ADV Digital as a supplier to
work on this project.
We analysed the theme in Russia and globally, including best practices and cases.We carried out a quantitative research inside the company
to determine the current situation and come up with KPIs to measure the women leadership program against.Then we did in-depth
interviews with key women staffers to identify actionable insights.We determined key needs of women staffers regarding work evaluation,
training: what hinders their development, what conditions are required. Based on the discovered information we defined key areas of
improvement and came up with a plan for women leadership program in the company.The program is implemented by the Women Club KFC
Russia since August 2018.
Task:
Research and analyse the sentiments inside the company regarding career growth, work conditions and leadership for women. Study the set
of problems such programs solve in Russia and globally, including best practices and case studies. Develop recommendations for women
leadership program in the company and its urgent tasks.

10. IKEA.CUSTOMERJOURNEYMAPPING.ONLINE/OFFLINE.CONSUMEREXPERIENCE
Context:
Task:
Work and results:
IKEA required us to assess the work of the offline and online store, including phone call support.As many other multi-channel
retailers the client needed expert assessment of how the channels work separately and in junction.
Document the consumer experience and develop the consumer journey map: consumer’s actions, emotions, including the pain points
where the consumer could abort further interaction with the retailer and stop the purchase process.
Banana Trends went through the consumer journey from selection to purchase and return.We determined improvement areas for the
consumer experience. Identified errors in the online purchase process, weak points in communication between the retailer’s channels.We
pointed out in-store assistants’ digressions from policies at different stages of the Consumer Journey, which allowed the client to carry out
correctional training on the very next day.We developed a detailed visual Consumer Journey Map with verbatims for further training of
staff.We analysed strengths and weaknesses of the consumer experience in the context of latest consumer insights and trends for the
Marketing and Consumer Experience team.

11. Context:
Task:
Work:
A large innovative Moscow developer Sminex was looking for a brand positioning for their new premium class project in
an historical central area of Moscow.This required defining a target audience, developing an emotionally engaging brand
positioning, product concepts and a communication toolkit for the project.
How do you sell premium class apartments at the peak of recession? To answer this we had to identify target audience
insights and needs in recession that could be addressed with relevant product concepts and communications.
We conducted an in-depth ethnographic study of potential buyers of apartments priced starting from one million Euros.We
explored their behaviours, their relationship with investments and realty.We built the consumer segmentation based on their
mindset, behaviour and needs.We developed the scenario and moderated the workshop during which we helped build brand
strategy and product concepts in partnership with the client and their branding agency SmartHeart.
Results:
The communications currently promoting the block of apartments are based on one of the identified brand positioning concepts:
“Privacy”.To support this proposition the project will not include any restaurants, cafes or retail on its premises. Service facilities
will be separated from the accommodation facilities by separate entrances and the ‘Comfort Service’ schedule is designed to
make it invisible to the residents.The project will offer only a limited number of apartments.A lot of thought is given to a
comprehensive sound insulation system and noiseless lifts. Panoramic windows are impenetrable to the eye from the outside.The
green court yard is not visible from the outside and is discreetly divided between apartments.
SMINEX.MILLIONAIRES. RESEARCH,WORKSHOP
. BRANDBUILDING

12. Context:
Task:
Work:
Havas Digital (Russia) won the tender for promoting South Korea as a tourist destination for Russian tourists in the midst
of a very tough situation for Russian economy and Russian tourism, in particular. Ruble was collapsing making travel abroad
unaffordable and dwindling already low numbers of Russian tourists. Russia’s favorite destinations Turkey and Egypt became no-
go destinations due to terrorism threat and political sanctions. Like many other destinations (e.g. Israel, Dubai) South Korea
was set to increase its communication efforts to attract Russian tourists.
Banana Trends was invited to unearth the current insights of the Russian tourists (both in Central Russia and Eastern Siberia)
and as well as organise a workshop to arrive at the concepts for positioning tourism to South Korea on the Russian market.
We explored the world of the Russian tourists with the help of our private method called Insight Hunt.We spent time in
immersive experiences and conversations with young couples, families, single parents, singles.We looked for the perspective
with related experts: flight attendants, travel agents, airlines executives.We compared global tourism trends vs. local
peculiarities in attitude and behaviour.We arrived at an actionable picture of their mindsets and the attitude-and-behavior shift
present in the heads of Russian tourists.
Ultimately, we developed a workshop scenario based on the stimuli we unearthed and eventually arrived at several story-based
concepts to be further used in media planning by Havas Digital.
SOUTHKOREA.RUSSIAREGIONS. RESEARCH,WORKSHOP
.TOURISMBRAND

13. Context:
Task:
Work:
KFC Russia was working on a charity platform aimed at Russian school children.The main goal was to understand their
ultimate needs unmet by school, parents and other institutions in their life.The territories to explore were subsequently
defined as professional orientation, personal development and social responsibility.
The client has done some research among school professionals and parents but was worried that this information was not
profound enough.After all it was a new generation (born between 1996 and 2005) that was growing up in a world so different
from any other previous generation, that even millennials knew little about it. It was critical to talk to them in their own
environment, on their own terms, feel the new air they breathe, them being born in an era whereYoutube, Google and wi-fi were
taken for granted like water from the tap.
We felt excited to discover the universe of this new generation (that escapes overused generation labels and labels in general).
We stepped into the lives of these teens (with permission from their parents) to be blown away by the media content they
consume while casually multi-tasking, to empathise about their hectic day worries,‘oh’ and ‘ah’ over their social media sharings.
We learned about the inspiring prospects of the new era of jobs they are about to enter.
After we shared the findings we helped the client organise a working session to brainstorm ideas on what could engage these
teens and how. One of the crucial requirements for the session was for BT to find guest experts that could generate such ideas
thanks to their deep understanding of the current teenagers as well as proven experience of working with them in the digital,
media and culture world.
KFC.GENERATION YANDZ.RESEARCH,WORKSHOP
. BRANDCHARITY

14. E: ilia124@gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivburlakov
M: +90 (534) 472 49 73