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The Invisible Engine Behind Every Brand Decision
We like to think our buying decisions are completely rational and deliberate. The truth is that most consumer behavior is driven by subconscious perception and invisible mindstates that leaders completely miss. When we design brand strategies for the logical mind, we miss the actual human experience. Our next guest spent years inside PepsiCo unlocking how consumers really think. Now he is helping brands blend behavioral science with artificial intelligence to fundamentally change how we communicate.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why all brand decisions start emotionally before the rational mind attempts to justify the consequence
How to elevate traditional consumer research by mapping functional goals to higher aspirational identity
The critical difference between efficiency artificial intelligence and effectiveness technology in modern brand strategy
Why customer segmentations fail when they evaluate static attitudes instead of dynamic situational mindstates
How iconic organizations earn creative liberty by helping their audience achieve their very best day
Episode Chapters
(00:00) Intro
(01:31) The Reality of Thirty-Five Thousand Daily Decisions
(03:47) Moving From Squishy Emotional Marketing to Goal Theory
(06:42) The Car GPS Analogy for Consumer Behavior
(08:41) Defining the Temporary Mindstate Overlay
(12:01) The Complexity of Shifting Consumer Roles
(15:57) Lessons Learned From the True North Campaign Failure
(19:11) Priming and the Five Guys Friday Night Phenomenon
(21:36) Balancing Efficiency Versus Effectiveness in Artificial Intelligence
(25:16) The Spotify Disco Ball Logo Tension
(27:58) Show Wrap Up and Connect Points
About Will Leach
Will Leach is a behavioral scientist, marketing strategist, and the founder of Mindstate Group. A former PepsiCo executive, he has spent decades helping organizations understand how subconscious perception shapes customer decisions. Will specializes in the intersection of behavioral science, branding, and artificial intelligence, teaching brands how to look past traditional demographics to uncover the hidden motivations of their audience. He is also the author of Marketing to Mindstates, a definitive guide exploring the psychological reasons behind why customers choose what they choose.
What Brand Has Made Will Smile Recently?
A brand that has made Will smile recently is Spotify. He observed the massive marketplace tension and public opinion surrounding their recent temporary icon shift to a disco ball. Will noted that brands are stored in minds as emotional predictions rather than visual assets, and he smiled because Spotify has earned the creative liberty to experiment after twenty years of helping users reach their music aspirations.
Resources & Links
Listen & Support the Show
Watch or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon/Audible, TuneIn, and iHeart.
Rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to help others find the show.
Share this episode — email a friend or colleague this episode.
Sign up for my free Story Strategies newsletter for branding and storytelling tips.
On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network.
Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
View all episodes
By Nick Westergaard
4.8
9393 ratings
We like to think our buying decisions are completely rational and deliberate. The truth is that most consumer behavior is driven by subconscious perception and invisible mindstates that leaders completely miss. When we design brand strategies for the logical mind, we miss the actual human experience. Our next guest spent years inside PepsiCo unlocking how consumers really think. Now he is helping brands blend behavioral science with artificial intelligence to fundamentally change how we communicate.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why all brand decisions start emotionally before the rational mind attempts to justify the consequence
How to elevate traditional consumer research by mapping functional goals to higher aspirational identity
The critical difference between efficiency artificial intelligence and effectiveness technology in modern brand strategy
Why customer segmentations fail when they evaluate static attitudes instead of dynamic situational mindstates
How iconic organizations earn creative liberty by helping their audience achieve their very best day
Episode Chapters
(00:00) Intro
(01:31) The Reality of Thirty-Five Thousand Daily Decisions
(03:47) Moving From Squishy Emotional Marketing to Goal Theory
(06:42) The Car GPS Analogy for Consumer Behavior
(08:41) Defining the Temporary Mindstate Overlay
(12:01) The Complexity of Shifting Consumer Roles
(15:57) Lessons Learned From the True North Campaign Failure
(19:11) Priming and the Five Guys Friday Night Phenomenon
(21:36) Balancing Efficiency Versus Effectiveness in Artificial Intelligence
(25:16) The Spotify Disco Ball Logo Tension
(27:58) Show Wrap Up and Connect Points
About Will Leach
Will Leach is a behavioral scientist, marketing strategist, and the founder of Mindstate Group. A former PepsiCo executive, he has spent decades helping organizations understand how subconscious perception shapes customer decisions. Will specializes in the intersection of behavioral science, branding, and artificial intelligence, teaching brands how to look past traditional demographics to uncover the hidden motivations of their audience. He is also the author of Marketing to Mindstates, a definitive guide exploring the psychological reasons behind why customers choose what they choose.
What Brand Has Made Will Smile Recently?
A brand that has made Will smile recently is Spotify. He observed the massive marketplace tension and public opinion surrounding their recent temporary icon shift to a disco ball. Will noted that brands are stored in minds as emotional predictions rather than visual assets, and he smiled because Spotify has earned the creative liberty to experiment after twenty years of helping users reach their music aspirations.
Resources & Links
Listen & Support the Show
Watch or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon/Audible, TuneIn, and iHeart.
Rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to help others find the show.
Share this episode — email a friend or colleague this episode.
Sign up for my free Story Strategies newsletter for branding and storytelling tips.
On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network.
Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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