Hacking The Human Mind Tackles Behavioral Science In An Engaging Way

While it’s easy to dissect the art that goes into advertising and branding, the science that’s behind what we buy, and why we buy it, can remain a bit of a mystery. But Richard Shotton and MichaelAaron Flicker tackle much of the psychology behind our spending habits in Hacking The Human Mind: The Behavioral Science Secrets Behind 17 of the World’s Best Brands.

These brands are big and familiar in most cases: Pringles. Dyson. Facebook. Red Bull. Perhaps you’re familiar with the origin stories behind these brands, as well as some of their more notable marketing efforts. But Shotton and Flicker go deeper: They bring the science, pointing to many behavior science phenomena that boosted these brands, demonstrating their appeal and why they endure. They quote many, many research studies to back up the concepts behind what they deem as key to each brand’s success.

The result is a book that made me say, “Oh yeah, that makes sense,” on nearly every page. It’s not entirely certain that the marketers behind these brands deliberately used the behavioral science that Shotten and Flicker point to in each case. But nevertheless, there’s a lot of interesting research data and lessons any brand can apply to itself.

Hacking the Human Mind, above all else, is an easy and engaging read. Whether you’re a creative, a brand manager, or an entrepreneur setting out to bring the future with an innovative idea, you’ll get a lot out of this book.

Special thanks to Fortier PR for providing me with a review copy.