Psychology is, broadly speaking, the science of the mind. Art is the doing and science is the understanding how to do, or the explanation of what has been done.

Monkey see, monkey do Put simply, this heuristic states: “Watch what other people are doing and do the same.” Hard-wired into our brain, it derives from an innate need to be accepted and viewed by others as normal.

The rational consumer uses abstract, logical reasoning to plan their purchase and calculate the value they will derive from it. As a result, having made the buying decision they are able to explain and justify the motivation for their purchase.

We are not the customers of Facebook, we are the product. Facebook is selling us to advertisers.9

The yuck factor

customers only become consciously aware of their buying decisions after they have made them, at which point they often seek to justify them, both to themselves and others, so distorting the true reason for that decision.

A more intelligent approach is to stop being reactive and start to become proactive. They should stop, step back, and ask customers what they want to achieve. In other words, what are the problems to which they are seeking

brand devotion,2 brand love,3 brand attachment,4 and brand commitment.5 Psychologists have even compared consumers’ affection for brands with the love they feel for family

We all have needs to feel safe, to feel secure, to feel a close connection with others, and to feel that we belong. So if a brand is marketed as helping you to get one of these needs met, then that increases the chances of people feeling more drawn to that brand.