Blindsight: The (Mostly) Hidden Ways Marketing Reshapes Our Brains

Description

Ever notice that all watch ads show 10:10 as the time? Or that all fast-food restaurants use red or yellow in their logos? Or that certain stores are always having a sale? You may not be aware of these details, yet they've been influencing you all along. Every time you purchase, swipe, or click, marketers are able to more accurately predict your behavior. These days, brands know more about you than you know about yourself. Blindsight is here to change that. With eye-opening science, engaging stories, and fascinating real-world examples, neuroscientist Matt Johnson and marketer Prince Ghuman dive deep into the surprising relationship between brains and brands. In Blindsight, they showcase how marketing taps every aspect of our mental lives, covering the neuroscience of pain and pleasure, emotion and logic, fear and safety, attention and addiction, and much more. We like to think of ourselves as independent actors in control of our decisions, but the truth is far more complicated. Blindsight will give you the ability to see the unseeable when it comes to marketing, so that you can consume on your own terms. On the surface, you will learn how the brain works and how brands design for it. But peel back a layer, and you'll find a sharper image of your psychology, reflected in your consumer behavior. This book will change the way you view not just branding, but yourself, too.

Matt Johnson received his BA in Cognitive Psychology from the University of California at San Diego in 2008, and his PhD in cognitive psychology/neuroscience from Princeton University in 2013. His graduate research focused on autism and the neuroscience of human learning, utilizing both behavioral and neuroscientific techniques. He currently serves as Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs at the Hult International Business School in San Francisco, teaching a range of courses in neuroscience, behavioral economics, and neuromarketing. Matt was selected as one of ten Hult Research Fellows globally. Additionally, Matt is an active researcher in the field of behavioral sciences and neuromarketing, and based on his own primary research, produces a range of intellectual contributions. Prince Ghuman started his first company while attending UC San Diego. He went on to be the founding head of marketing at BuyAutoParts, one of the earliest automotive e-commerce platforms, which was awarded the title of one of the fastest growing companies in America for three consecutive years by Inc magazine. Prince moved on to be the founding chief marketing officer of ZipZap, a cryptocurrency tech startup in San Francisco. Most recently, he held dual roles as the US director of consumer marketing and the global director of B2B marketing for OFX, a publicly-traded FinTech company handling over $100B in international payments. A contributor to major news outlets including Forbes, Refinery29, Entrepreneur, and Washington Post, he was named one of the 'Movers and Shakers' by the San Francisco Chronicle. He is currently a professor of neuromarketing at Hult International Business School in San Francisco.

"This is one of the best reads for marketing professionals." -The Neuromarketing Science & Business Association "The two authors have ... delightfully described how our supposedly hardwired brain can so skillfully be manipulated by the media, merchants, and other mercenaries." -Manhattan Book Review "Blindsight is a rigorous examination of how top brands sneak into our brains and grab the best real estate. Deftly mixing neuroscience, psychology, and fun stories, the book is a delight to read; it will grip you from the start, and leave you feeling smarter." -Rich Karlgaard, publisher at Forbes "Blindsight teaches us how to be smarter consumers who make wise decisions that will ultimately leave us happier, wealthier, and healthier." -Adam Alter, New York Times bestselling author of Drunk Tank Pink and Irresistible "Somewhere hidden between the bright colors, catchy jingles, and strategic placement of advertisements is the psychology behind their influence. This book uncovers this hidden layer of the consumer world and how it affects our thoughts, emotions, and spending habits. A must-read for consumers and marketers alike." -Kendis Gibson, Emmy award-winning journalist and reporter for MSNBC "With an entertaining blend of storytelling and science, Blindsight is a truly eye-opening look into the complex dynamics underlying how brands drive consumer behavior. A must-read book that will have you re-examining both information around you and your own purchase decisions at every turn." -Abigail Sussman, associate professor of marketing at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business "Prince Ghuman and Matt Johnson bring to life the science behind how Facebook holds your attention, how Star Wars captured the hearts of generations of moviegoers, and selling billions in bottled water to consumers with taps in their homes. This is the perfect book for readers looking to understand what happens when the magic behind modern branding meets the machinery of the mind." -Drew Jacoby-Senghor, assistant professor of management at Berkeley Haas School of Business "If you want to understand the driving forces behind your decisions, if you want to be smarter about your purchases, if you want to know how to improve your spending habits, read this book!" -Jiaying Zhao, associate professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia "Johnson and Ghuman artfully combine science, business, and storytelling to help us understand the invisible forces which shape our decisions and experiences. Along the way, they reveal to us all how deeply interwoven consumerism is into the perception of reality itself." -Blake Sherwin, assistant professor of applied mathematics and theoretical physics at Cambridge University "Fast-paced, clever, and utterly fascinating, Blindsight sheds new light on the deeply rooted beliefs and mental gymnastics that brands tap with precision to create preference. Johnson and Ghuman weave meticulously chronicled science into great stories with thoroughly modern examples that will leave consumers, marketers, brands, or just neuro-curious readers with something to chew on and lots to discuss at your next dinner party." -Carol Caruba, principal at Highwire PR "Equal parts science and storytelling, Blindsight changes the way we see ourselves as consumers. . . . This book is an engaging journey into the science of marketing's influence, and how it impacts how we see the world around us." -Judy Fan, assistant professor of psychology at University of California at San Diego "Blindsight is a refreshing, timely book that will make you examine the secret ways marketing influences you. You won't be able to think about your own consumer life the same way." -Sheryle Bolton, serial entrepreneur "Drawing creative and insightful connections between scientific studies and the effectiveness of today's marketing strategies, this book achieves a perfect balance of humor and rigor. Blindsight will make you understand yourself better-as a consumer, and as a person." -Natalia Cordova, psychology lecturer at Yale University "Blindsight is an ideal way to gain insight into the incredibly complex interactions between psychology and neuroscience that are underlying the seemingly simple concept of human intuition." -James Newell, managing director at Voyager Capital