




Freelance Ethnographers
We are looking for freelance ethnographers in the USA to conduct brief go-alongs with families across the USA and to generate case studies.
CENTRAL RESEARCH QUESTION
What is the nature and the shape of the American Dream today?
GOAL
To discern truths about the everyday competing attitudes, habits, and behaviors that characterize contextual relations with the American Dream today. This study will serve to assess the emergent risks and opportunities for consumer marketing, with special relevance for American heritage brands. The outcome will be a robust journey through approximately 4-hours in the lives of families across America from representative segments (i.e. social grade, family size, residence, etc.).
APPROACH
Ethnographers shall utilize a range of qualitative research methods to assess truths about the American Dream in the lives of families with the following criteria:
- All age 25-60 (good mix)
- All HH income greater than $80K
- Across the above 20 participants we will have a representative mix of ethnicity/race, gender
- Must be a vehicle owner and driver
ETHNOGRAPHIC CASE STUDIES
Ethnographers will use participant-observation & conversational/semi-structured interviewing techniques. Desk research can complement the original ethnographic research. 4-hour visit per household.
IDIs, SITE VISITS, ETHNO-PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY
FINDINGS, ANALYSIS & OUTPUTS
Follow-up workshops may be coordinated to review, assess, and translate findings into outputs. Reports will be required of each family as well as a general overview if the ethnographer is completing more than one household ethnography. In addition to a narrative account of each household, a key output will be a 4-hour profile of each family visited (template to be provided).
TIMING
28 March 2023: Application Deadline
Rolling: Recruitment & Desk Research
March 2023: Field Research
10th April: Reporting Deadline
APPLICATION DEADLINE - 28 March 2023
Please submit the following as a single PDF document to humansciences@mccann.com.
- Current CV (highlight relevant experience)
- Writing Sample (preferably demonstrating relevant area & topical knowledge)
- Brief Research Proposal (1-2 pages) including:
- 2-3 households profiles to be included in this research;
- Why you are best suited to conduct this research;
- Your plan for conducting the research;
- Any foreseeable challenges in conducting the research.
PAYMENT
Incentives will be provided for participating households.
Ethnographer compensation commensurate with experience.
Inquiries welcome at rodneycollins@mccann.com.