Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman at Ogilvy UK, joins Dots Oyebolu to discuss the underestimated power of perception, the limits of logic in marketing, and how behavioral science can uncover overlooked opportunities in consumer behavior.
He explains why repeat purchases beat novelty, the role of emotional efficiency in decision-making, and how marketers should think like detectives rather than data analysts.
Key Takeaways:
(03:10) Presenting a product effectively is not an option but a necessity.
(05:24) The Uber map reduced stress not by shortening waits but by adding certainty.
(06:54) People post-rationalize their decisions more than they realize.
(09:04) Marketers should approach their work like detectives, asking what they don’t know and seeking hidden motivations behind consumer behavior.
(14:23) Our sensory systems are inseparable from context, making marketing essential — without proper framing, even great products can fail.
(19:09) Price is a feeling, not just a number, in consumer decision-making.
(23:35) Testing counterintuitive ideas reveals unseen marketing truths.
(24:37) Sales aren’t driven just by lower prices — consumers often buy for the feeling of getting a deal, not the deal itself.
Resources Mentioned:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorysutherland/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ogilvyuk/
“Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don't Make Sense” (book) by Rory Sutherland
https://www.amazon.com/Alchemy-Surprising-Power-Ideas-Sense/dp/0753556529
“The Experience Machine: How Our Minds Predict and Shape Reality” (book) by Andy Clark
https://www.amazon.co.za/Experience-Machine-Minds-Predict-Reality/dp/1524748455
Insightful Links:
https://www.meltwater.com/en/blog/customer-behaviour-data-driven-marketing
https://www.moengage.com/learn/consumer-behavior-in-marketing/
https://www.omniconvert.com/blog/consumer-behavior-in-marketing-patterns-types-segmentation/
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