Founder: Creative Semiotics Ltd. Co-Founder, Semiofest, Course Leader: How To Do Semiotics in Seven Weeks, Cultural Insight & Brand Strategy, Author: “Brand Semiotics in 20 Diagrams” (2025)
Great to sit down this morning with something of a semiotic legend, Alex Gordon CEO of Sign Salad. As ever when we meet up, we talked about politics, football (we both support, 'different', ahem, North London teams) our work, without divulging any client sensitivities, and the challenges of being brand semioticians as well as allowing ourselves a certain amount of reminiscence.And I always leave our meetings with book recommendations! Alex and I worked together back at Flamingo Research, top quality research enabled brand consultancy in the Noughties. Alex joined when semiotics was still considered to be a fringe and modish pursuit. He put in the hard graft pitching clients (and colleagues) of the virtues of semiotics to an often sceptical audience. I remember him blowing a client's mind at one debrief with a hugely strong visual metaphor that in a stroke clarified their entire challenge in a new product dvlpt brief in a way that cut through the froth of consumer verbatims. This showed me the magic of semiotics✨. He persuaded the Board to fund my trip to the University of Toronto where I studied with Marcel Danesi, then as now, a prolific writer and thinker - also hugely influential. It’s no exaggeration to say that had Alex not fought for me to go on that paid sabbatical I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing now. So, thanks for that and for inspiring me onto this path and for doing great work at your agency Sign Salad. Very proud of what you’ve achieved, mate. Cheers, C #semiotics #mentors #inspiration #collegiality #westlondon #longevity
So lovely!!! And you guys look good!
You boys are the best. Having worked with both of you. Semiotics personified.
Those were the days! We need a get together
Two legends at the same table (whoever is the Arsenal supporter being the more legendary of course!).
Alex Gordon is most definitely one of the good guys!
I bet you guys smashed the Wordle as well as decoding your breakfast. Two legends, one table. Love it.
Well said! Massive and defining contributions. Shame about the football teams.
CEO, Sign Salad - Cultural Insight & Semiotics Consultant
2wMr Arning - as ever you are generous and gracious to a fault and i'm embarrassed by your encomium here and reciprocate the pride and awe at your success and achievements with Creative Semiotics, Semiofest and your forthcoming book (v exciting)! Was brilliant to catch up this morning mate...and yes was fab to cover so much ground in our conversation; i look forward to the next time. We had so much fun at Flamingo...as for inspiring you in the direction of semiotics...Chris like Athena emerging from Zeus, you sprang fully formed as a semiotician from Roland Barthes' proverbial thigh!!! Your talent was obvious to all of us!! Until the next time buddy - let's keep decoding :)