Irina Blagoeva

Audience insights specialist with deep expertise in kids, youth and family audiences and their needs and wants. Nearly a decade of experience at Warner Bros. Discovery and Turner Broadcasting, helping stakeholders across marketing, programming, PR and digital to better understand and engage audiences using the power of some of the most iconic kids TV brands like The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball, Tom & Jerry and Harry Potter.

Volunteer leader at a local Scout group, running events and activities for kids, supporting and empowering them to build confidence through real-life experiences.

Independent Research Consultant - Independent

(2026-03)

• Conducting an exploratory research project into kids & teen fandom, examining its meaning, drivers and role in social connection and engagement, through in-depth interviews
• Developing feature articles, covering the experience of undertaking kids' and adult workshops to record and share learnings and inspire others (e.g. Astronomical Society visit as well as an adult textile workshop)

Senior Research Analyst - Warner Bros. Discovery

(2019-04 - 2026-01)

Established and led the UK kids superfan insights community with kids aged 3-12, delivering 36 quantitative studies informing content and campaign optimisation for Cartoon Network and Boomerang TV channels and their franchises - e.g. Gumball, Adventure Time, Teen Titans Go, Tom & Jerry, Scooby, etc.

• Key projects: Climate Champions PR Study, Climate Champions pre- and post-campaign evaluation; Be a Buddy Not a Bully campaign testing; Looney Tunes quiz testing, etc.
• Led quantitative industry trends research among kids aged 6-12 in EMEA, delivering a total of five studies across, informing content development and platform strategy
• Key Projects: Audiobook Exploration, YouTube deep-dive and E-waste campaign testing
• Supported usability testing among kids aged 6–12 for the Gumball VR experience and Climate Champions App, observing user behaviour and synthesising feedback to improve UX
• Designed and automated visually interpretive reports for three franchises across 16 demographics and 19 EMEA markets, cutting the analysis from a week to a couple of hours.
• Compiled Industry Trend Reports enabling stakeholders to identify emerging audience behaviours and storytelling opportunities - e.g. Voice, Climate and Myth-busting
• Introduced the first internal weekly content viewing group, Cartoon Buffs, fostering critical discussion, deeper content knowledge and team expertise
• Caring regular project budgeting tasks such as raising POs and processing invoices

Research Consultant - Turner Broadcasting

(2016-06 - 2019-04)

• Produced regular TV ratings and digital performance reports to evaluate channel and programme performance and inform strategic decisions
• Supported usability and new TV show testing focus groups with children aged 6–12, summarising insights to inform optimisation and promotional strategy (Cartoon Network website; Summer Camp Island TV show)

Research Consultant - Future Thinking

(2014-06 - 2016-06)

Established and managed an international brand tracker for Cartoon Network and Boomerang among children aged 3–12 and parents across 11 EMEA markets, acting as key liaison between client and suppliers

Senior Research Executive (Innovations) - GfK NOP

(2012-04 - 2014-05)

• Tracked digital purchase journeys and integrated findings with traditional research methods to build richer consumer understanding
• Developed fictional consumer segmentation for marketing use, collaborating with a design agency to produce day-in-the-life materials that shaped future client offerings

Research Executive (Employee Engagement) - GfK NOP

(2008-10 - 2012-04)

• Conducted employee engagement surveys for The House of Commons and TfL
• Authored an article on the importance of positive discrimination in the workplace

Film Reviewer (Voluntary) - Lift-off Global Network

(2026-02)

• Evaluate and score narrative and documentary films (short- and long-form), providing feedback across structure, performance, sound, emotional impact to support festival selection

Group Leader (Voluntary) - 36 Epping Forest Sea Scouts

(2026-01)

• Organised a hands-on astronomy workshop for 30 scouts aged 10–14 with an Astronomical Society, coordinating logistics, a prep session and on-the-day facilitation
• Weekly activity facilitation - e.g. organising games, discussions, etc.

Advanced Certificate - Market & Social Research Practice - GfK NOP

Postgraduate Diploma - Management - Greenwich School of Management

BA - Marketing - University of National and World Economy