Karina Karn | About

The Story Behind My Strategic Method

How did I started

Behavioural Strategy. No agency. No guru. Just my own method

I didn’t just learn behavioural strategy - I lived it. My path weaves through academic rigour, visual design and cultural contrast. After years of decoding emotional patterns,

I built my own approach.

During a transitional phase, I launched an e-commerce brand called Coco The Toy, a

pet accessory brand. The project gave me first-hand insight into how emotional patterns shape consumer behaviour and market positioning. This practical experience triggered a broader investigation into how decision-making operates.

To explore that curiosity further, I began co-hosting events. These informal settings allowed me to interview founders. I then started identifying recurring patterns influencing decision-making. The process deepened my focus on how behavioural psychology and leadership decisions intersect in business strategy.

What Sets This Apart

Neuromarketing Principles: Using brain-based insights (emotion, memory and attention) to influence how brands are perceived.
Visual-Spatial Thinking & Strategic Mental Modelling: Turning complex brand ideas into design for positioning that feels aligned
Brand Symbolism & Semiotic Thinking: Applying Jungian psychology and philosophical insight to shape storytelling and align consumer desire - creating brand that connect
Sociology & Citizen-Consumer Behaviour: Bridging public sentiment and cultural context to shape brands people trust
Pattern Recognition in Consumer Friction: Detecting invisible barriers in messaging, pricing and brand perception

What I Bring Into Every Brand

Here’s the behavioural framework that anchors my strategic thinking

What I do isn’t simply looking at a brand, I read it.

I decode the invisible system behind its narrative:
• The fear it tries to hide with clever copy
• The insecurity dressed up as design
• The arrogance embedded in its pricing
• The chaos quietly bleeding through its logo

I don’t just see what’s there, I see what could be, if someone finally told the truth.

Most people see surface. I see structure. And I don’t just point it out, I translate it into strategy.

Academic Background

Research Thesis (University of Zurich) (2015)

Explored how emotional and cognitive bias influence brand trust and decision-making

MSc in Marketing & Strategy - Madrid University (2013 – 2015)
Focus on behavioural economics, decision science, and brand psychology

Bachelor’s in Advertising & Public Relations - Malaga University (2009 – 2012)
Specialised in consumer behaviour, brand development, and strategic communication

Executive Programme in Business Management - University of Pennsylvania (2009)

Projects

Fix My Brand™ - private-format event series blending psychology, positioning and strategic brand insights for founders and creatives who think long-term.
Pattern Recognition Research - University of Greenwich (Project) Contributed to a study on subconscious behavioural cues and facial perception, supervised by Prof. Josh P. Davis.
Selected by NewtonX - the expert network trusted by Fortune 500 brands and featured by The Wall Street Journal — to contribute behavioural strategy insights on branding and business growth.
Selected to join Marty Neumeier’s Level C masterclass on brand strategy. Currently in training, exploring collaboration opportunities. He is an author, guru, and brand advisor to Steve Jobs.

What I Stand For

I don’t sell marketing. I build branding utopias.
Branding is just a tool - the real power lies in the meaning your customer attaches to your brand. That’s why I restructure brands to create connection and alignment with the people who matter most.

Truth and authenticity are the core of everything I do, because trust is not built on what’s performative.

I don’t just deliver strategies - I uncover the blind spots that erode a company’s growth. Often, the smallest invisible fracture is what causes the greatest decline.

My vision is to help design companies that are strategically alive - purpose-driven.
In the future I imagine, brands are no longer sales machines, but living systems. Because when your brand has a soul, it doesn’t just sell - it leaves a legacy.