Emerging Insight in the Persuasion Game

We are in the persuasion business. And although the P-word that may carry overtones of some form of subtle manipulation or absence of propriety and truth, in fact we live and breathe the mission to deliver authentic forms of honest communication to consumers. Still, the desired outcome involves influence on behavior – thus persuasion lies at the center of what clients want from the spend in outreach.

So it behooves us to know as much as possible about how words, images, information and so forth is received and processed by those we attempt to reach. Humans (thankfully we count ourselves in this group) it turns out are fascinating and complex creatures when it comes to consumption.

Our Behavior: Odd and Interesting?

In the excellent book “Trading Up”, authors Michael Silverstein and Neil Fiske chart the inexorable shift upwards as consumers search for more compelling, pleasurable and satisfying choices in nearly every consumable category. They note: buyers of Viking Range products (the $4,000 aspirational brand of cook tops and ranges) are expressing their “Individual Style” and desire for adventurous new experiences in fine cooking through the purchase. Yet oddly, some 75 percent of installed Viking cook tops are never used. Hmmm… you proudly own a device to enhance culinary outcomes but don’t cook with it?? What’s going on here? Was the satisfaction mostly in the purchase thrill and ownership? Maybe….

New York Times Magazine columnist Rob Walker has just released a fascinating investigation into what he terms the “Desire Code” in his book Buying In that dissects and assembles recent studies on behavior and brain function.

Purchase decisions it seems are not the outcome of rationale, fact based logic through conscious evaluation of product features and benefits. He reports the work of noted author Timothy Wilson from his book Strangers To Ourselves on non-conscious brain activity. At any given point in time our five senses will be taking in more than 11 million pieces of information. And this explains why 98 percent of what is going on in our heads is ruled by the sub-conscious – it’s simply more efficient for us to operate this way.

Some women may get excited at the sight of these $1,000 fashion icons… a SATC moment maybe?

Shopping, researchers conclude, is a very pleasurable experience based on anticipation of getting something desire-able. So what’s happening? Consumption “inspires anticipatory spikes of dopamine, a chemical in the brain that is often associated with sensations of pleasure. And so what kinds of things can trip the Dopamine receptors?

• Making money (explains Casinos)
• Eating something delicious (food is a natural for this event)
• Owning that incredibly beautiful pair of Christian Louboutin shoe

The experts track the science of reward and find that the sensations we receive when consuming are significant. Our behaviors driven in part by this biology and influenced through the exposure we have to information and communication that triggers these impulses.

So we learn that words matter, images are important. The path of conveyance for all this towards action and behavior isn’t down the fact trail but rather the zone of inspiration. For so much of what we consume it turns out isn’t about impressing others, but in how we see our lives and ourselves. And how products and services help us not only in their utility and function but also in their ability to fulfill our sense of self.

What an adventure. Why is it that so many brands in the marketing world focus on feature/benefit selling, attempting to present the factual case of superiority for example, when in reality the decisions are an emotional response?

Tweet This    |      |     RSS