Marketing is an industry that’s always flirted with science. And after reading this Consumer Neuroscience and Digital Marketing Best Practice Guide, I was reminded of some important scientific concepts that we can use to supercharge results.
But before we get to them, let’s rehash some basics from Daniel Kahneman’s Nobel Prize winning book, Thinking Fast and Slow. The book is dedicated to his discovery of our brain’s two systems that drive how we think, creatively called System 1 and System 2. System 1’s style is automatic and subconscious – say hello to the system that drives emotional decisions! System 2 is slow and deliberate, we can thank it for our well thought out, rational decisions.
In marketing, we work with System 1 thinking. That’s where we speak to a consumer and help them subconsciously choose our brands. So how do we spark its interest?
- Keep things easy. No one wants wants to actually have to think when interacting with brands. So, make your customer experience feel intuitive, like second nature.
- Keep things emotional. Does the ad make someone chuckle, smile or ugly-cry? Tell stories that make your audience experience any emotion. It makes your brand more memorable.
- Keep consumers feeling ‘safe’. Is your brand feeling professional? Consumers are more likely to trust and less likely to question (slip into System 2 thinking) when things look well put together. So make sure your product’s collateral, such as the website and advertising works well, is written clearly, well structured and aligned, and logos and fonts are kept consistent.
There’s established science about the way our brains work. Tap it into it. It helps us to avoid many of the biases that can be created using traditional market research. Plus, you’ll find yourself driving greater returns and achieving stronger marketing outcomes.
If you’re looking for an agency partner who understands and leverages neuroscience to help their clients achieve their marketing objectives, why not chat with us? Reach out to Angela via angela@affinity.ad.
