Danish brand guru Martin Lindstrom’s new book Buyology is a crackerjack. I am only 100 or so pages in but am finding it riveting - one of those few branding books that is an absolute must read. Buyology's subtitle "The Truth and Lies about What We Buy" is right on the money.
The essence of the book is the presentation of Lindstrom’s findings from the 3 year, multi-million dollar study on neuromarketing he began in 2004. Taking aim at the bona fides of some time old marketing practices (health warnings on cigarette packets and the belief that sex sells), while giving numerous examples of how the strongest brands find ways to subliminally trigger our senses and instincts (Apple and Corona to name a couple), Buyology forces us to realize that a critical part of brand engagement takes place in the subconscious mind.
It may be a little early to tell as the efficacy of neuromarketing is still hotly debated, but perhaps Lindstrom’s next book might be called, The Death of The Focus Group.
