ROBBIE BLINKOFF NAMED ONE OF BALTIMORE BUSINESS JOURNAL’S 40 UNDER 40

Robbie Blinkoff knows what people in Papua New Guinea think about property And he knows what Irishmen think about Guinness beer. As an anthropologist, Blinkoff has built a career out of understanding different people and different cultures.

Two years ago, Blinkoff joined forces with Baltimore-based advertising firm Carton Donofrio to create Context Research Group – a business that leverages anthropology and business. The firm maintains a list of 3,500 professional anthropologists in just about every nation in the world. These social scientists are employed on a contract basis by Context Research Group when a client wants to know what people think.

It could be about fashion; it could be about terrorist’s attacks. But when a company needs to know the opinions of potential customers, it hires Blinkoff and his team. The concepts for the company came from Blinkoff’s desire to make a decent living. With a doctorate from Rutgers University, Blinkoff wanted to take his knowledge and experience out of academia and into the business world.

“I love what I do,” Blinkoff said. “We’re helping companies get a better understanding of what people think and how they act.”

So far the plan has paid off for him and his firm.

The company has provided research for Proctor & Gamble, Campbell Soup Co., Microsoft Corp., American Express and Bristol Myers Squibb.