This time I would like to recommend a book that is “inside information” for those who are not involved in marketing and advertising. “Deciphering the Marketing Code” was written by a senior advertiser in the advertising language and for the advertising audience. The author reviews the latest discoveries in cognitive psychology, decision making and organizational behavior and tells how this knowledge has been used by marketers to shape our shopping experience, from the design of product packaging to their precise location on the shelf (if you were wondering what is the most desirable place, well, sixty-five feet in the middle of the line), a wealth of psychological findings are artfully translated here into the daily encounter of the buyer with the product.
Because commercial companies are subject to fierce competition and constant pressure to increase profits and show growth, they are often the community of early adopters of the latest discoveries in the social sciences, not to mention that many of the research is funded by them.
However, there is no reason why a better understanding of the aggressive marketing environment in which we live should not serve us as consumers and consumer facilitators to improve the balance of power vis-à-vis marketers. Even if you don’t actually remember after reading the book the secrets big and small that it reveals – the toilet paper is placed at the end of the round in the supermarket just so that we don’t fill the shopping cart too quickly, a taller bottle will always seem bigger to us regardless of its volume, a gorilla playing drums sold more chocolate than any other advertisement, and many more – you will surely gain a sharp recognition of the laws according to which modern consumerism operates, and a better understanding of how to deal with them.
For me personally, the book was used extensively when writing lectures and workshops, there is an inexhaustible treasure trove of colorful examples of the influence of marketing and advertising on our lives, with all the examples taken straight from the supermarket shelf / neighborhood mall so that when the book closes, every purchase will become a fascinating practical experience for you. Highly recommend to those who want to truly understand the marketing world around us and certainly deal with it successfully. This is actually a glimpse into an elite workshop in consumer psychology. Beyond the direct benefit of the book, it is excellently written and precise in analyzing the studies and their implications – it turns out that when money speaks, there is no room for error.
Happy reading,
