TOTEM Methodology | dsm-firmenich Taste, Texture & Health

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TOTEM Home Manifesto Methodology Meet the Totems

Our Methodology

TOTEM by dsm-firmenich is a new value system that identifies the forces shaping the future and translates them into guiding symbols for consumer behaviors.

Observe themes

In today's world, individuals often struggle with identity and connection. When surrounded by uncertainty, care becomes our compass.

Identify Totems

We analyzed the macro-forces shaping the future and translated them into five personas that will guide consumer preferences.

Interview Sentinels

We invited eleven Sentinels—artists, activists, and visionaries living at the threshold of tomorrow—to share how they live through the lens of care.

Meet the Sentinels

“I thought during COVID that there was a spark of something bigger. It is a sort of collective intelligence, something that makes us feel like brothers and sisters in this short time of our life.”

— Giacomo Salizzoni, Italy (Gaian)

Founder of Orti Dipinti, transforming forgotten spaces in Florence into vibrant and bio-diverse green sanctuaries

"I don't know if it's a maternal instinct or something strange, but I have the desire to take care of someone or something."

— Loumi Le Floc’h, Belgium (Gaian)

Designer of Precious Peels, an international exhibit that transforms eggplant into translucent materials reminiscent of stained glass

“People want to do things quickly and conveniently. Sometimes we need that, but it can also create a feeling of disconnection – where we’re in motion, but not truly present.”

— Uno Fujisawa, Netherlands (Amazurian)

Artist and chef whose work blends food, nature, and design to explore how the everyday can become extraordinary

“A great song is eternal. There’s a kind of immortality that rises from chaotic intuition — like the complexity of the human mind — and it's felt by all of us.”

— Willi Lempert, Australia (Amazurian)

Anthropology professor at Bowdoin College, studying Aboriginal Australian representation in media

“There’s something about certain smells, sounds, or textures that can feel comforting and evoke a sense of care.”

— Jenny Dorsey, Singapore (Amazurian)

Founder of Studio ATAO, promoting diversity in food careers; currently a Fulbright scholar researching food access in Singapore’s hawker centers

“I think most people in our lives, whether it's a positive interaction or a negative one, are teachers. The beauty of learning wisdom is that you never know when it’s going to happen.”

— Beth Silverman, USA (Endurian)

Founder of Lotus Campaign, an organization that rethinks homelessness and its solutions

“Sometimes I was seven or eight days without seeing another human being. I thought I'd be super bored, but when you're in that environment, you naturally adapt and return to your evolutionary roots. Humans rarely get to experience that kind of solitude anymore.”

— Mike Keen,  United Kingdom (Endurian)

Chef and explorer currently studying ancestral food and diets

“I visit the beach every morning. And as I watch the tide move in and out, it allows me to renew, to recreate myself for the day.”

— Leo Igwe, Nigeria (Youtharian)

Professor at the University of Cape Town, studying transhumanism as a means to end racial designations

“The sea provides a horizon and puts things in context. When you are sailing or diving, you're very humbled by the elements, the sheer force of the element."

— Cori Crider, Spain (Youtharian)

Senior Fellow at Open Markets and the Future of Tech Institute, examining ways to reshape digital markets for people and planet

“For me, utopia and dystopia are the same thing, because it's like a reflection in the mirror. There is a negative and positive part in everything.”

— Pauline Rip, France (Utopian)

Artist blending fantasy and design to challenge societal beliefs and values

“We are an image generation. How can we sense beyond ourselves and respect others?”

— Jabez Mutoria King'ori, Kenya (Utopian)

Virtual and Augmented Reality developer exploring the edges of immersive and decentralized tech

Bring to life through the Sensorium™

Every element of this immersive experience is designed to inspire – whether through bold provocation or thoughtful reflection.

Multi-Sensorial

Leave your desks and decks. Here, look, touch, listen, smell, taste, and feel the future.

The Dimension of Care

Care underpins the entire framework of TOTEM: care for ourselves, others, and the planet. The Sensorium is designed to be reciprocal, where every experience calls to be nurtured.

Storytelling the Future

Explore and embody alternative narratives. TOTEM challenges the status quo and creates new, eye-opening bridges between the past and our futures.

Beware the Trickster

Insight often lives at the tension point, where humans struggle with their inner demons. Each Totem is defined by its light – and its shadow.

Exclusive, Unique, Unforgettable

The Sensorium is an atmosphere of creativity and mutual discovery in an intimate setting with limited seating.

Inspiration for Innovation

Once you’ve stood at the edge, you return with new eyes. See yourself, your brand, and the world at-large in ways you never could before.

A new framework requires a new approach

Totem is...

… the First In-Person Sensorium Post-Covid

With the world reshaped, we’re unveiling a fresh perspective for what comes next.

… the First Sensorium to Engage Anthropologists

Our findings go beyond traditional market research by combining data, foresight, and academic rigor.

… the First Sustainable Global Sensorium

Each global region designs its space with local artists and eco-friendly materials — reducing our footprint while also celebrating diversity.