The science of advertising: how brands hijack your senses | Barry C. Smith

Quick Overview

Brands hijack our senses through "mood-based marketing" by associating products with emotions, sounds, and sensory expectations rather than just taste, leading to increased desire and consumption, even when the product itself is lacking.

Key Points: Brands hijack senses through "mood-based marketing," associating products with emotions and sensory experiences rather than just taste. Dopamine release is triggered by the anticipation of pleasure (wanting), not just the pleasure itself (liking), a key factor in addiction. Marketing creates sensory expectations, like the sound of a Pringles can opening or slogans offering "emotional support," to drive desire. When sensory expectations are unmet, consumers may still be incentivized to consume more to achieve the promised feeling. Sound, like the "click-snap-pop" of a Pringles can, is a crucial element in sonic branding and influencing consumer behavior. Companies target our desires by creating emotional dependencies on products, sometimes leading to overconsumption or unhealthy choices. The contrast between desirable marketing (e.g., gourmet food) and less appealing products (e.g., plain pasta) highlights the power of sensory expectations.

Context: Barry C. Smith, a philosopher of the senses, discusses how modern advertising, particularly in the food industry, manipulates consumer behavior by targeting sensory expectations and emotional connections. He explains the science behind "mood-based marketing," differentiating between "wanting" and "liking" in relation to dopamine release and how brands leverage sounds, visuals, and emotional appeals to drive consumption.

Detailed Analysis

The video explores how brands, particularly in the food industry, use "mood-based marketing" to influence consumer behavior by appealing to emotions and sensory experiences. Speaker Barry C. Smith, a philosopher of the senses, explains that while we may think we choose foods based on taste, our decisions are often driven by sensory expectations and emotional connections created through advertising. He highlights how companies intentionally design their marketing to evoke specific moods or feelings, such as the "click-snap-pop" sound of a Pringles can or the "emergency emotional support" slogan used by Greggs. These sensory cues are linked to positive emotions, creating a desire for the product that can override logical considerations or even the actual sensory experience of the product itself. Smith contrasts this with "wanting" versus "liking," explaining that dopamine is released based on what predicts pleasure (wanting), not necessarily what is pleasurable (liking). This distinction is crucial in understanding addiction, where the anticipation of a reward can be more powerful than the reward itself. The presentation also touches upon the disconnect between what is promised by marketing and the actual sensory experience, noting that this can lead to dissatisfaction but also an incentive to consume more in an attempt to achieve the promised feeling. The speaker emphasizes that effective marketing targets these sensory expectations and emotional connections, making the experience of consuming the product, and the emotions associated with it, more important than the product's intrinsic qualities. He notes that while artificial sweeteners in diet drinks might trick our taste receptors, the brain's response to the overall sensory experience, including sounds and visual cues, plays a significant role in shaping our preferences and desires.