Shifting the “Autopilot” Mode of Consumers: A Guide For Marketers

Heinz, Dove, Uber Eats. How do these brands disrupt the norm of habitual consumer behaviour towards adverts?

Introduction: 

Our everyday decisions, from the coffee we prefer in the morning to the brands we remain loyal to, are driven by a sort of autopilot in our brains, known as System 1. This is the fast, automatic way of thinking that behavioural economists talk about. But there's also a slower, more thoughtful mode of thinking called System 2. For marketers, the trick is to switch consumers from their auto-pilot System 1 to the more reflective System 2. It’s no secret that marketers are in the memory making business; this article dives deep into this mental shift and explores how marketers can creatively disrupt consumers’ routine thinking patterns to capture attention and create lasting memories.

The Mental Autopilot: Understanding System 1 and System 2

Imagine driving home on a familiar route; you might find yourself pulling into the driveway without recalling every turn you made. That's System 1 at work – it's quick, instinctive, and often based on habitual behaviour. Now, picture yourself solving a challenging crossword puzzle; that's System 2 kicking in, where you think slower, deliberate, and analytically. In our daily lives, we constantly switch between these two systems. When we shop, for instance, grabbing our usual brand of toothpaste is a System 1 activity. In contrast, researching and choosing a new laptop would engage our System 2. Marketers need to understand this interplay because influencing consumer behaviour often means nudging them from the comfort zone of System 1 into the more contemplative realm of System 2.

Why Mental Schemas Matter in Marketing 

Mental schemas are like shortcuts our brain uses to make quick decisions without much thought. They're great for efficiency, but they can also make us miss new or important information – like that new cereal brand on the bottom shelf. For marketers, understanding these schemas is crucial. If you know how people typically think about a product or a situation, you can design your marketing to either fit into that pattern seamlessly or jolt them out of it for a moment of surprise and engagement.

Interrupting the Routine: The Art of Creating Memorable Marketing

To break through these automated mental schemas, marketers must craft messages that are not just seen or heard but felt and remembered. It's about creating an 'aha' moment that snaps consumers out of their autopilot mode. This can be achieved through various techniques like using unexpected visuals, storytelling that evokes emotions, or presenting paradoxical situations that require consumers to pause and think. For example, an ad for a car that doesn’t just talk about speed or luxury, but instead tells a touching story about family safety, engages the consumer on a deeper level. These strategies make the brain switch gears from the automatic System 1 to the more reflective System 2, facilitating deeper engagement with the brand.

Standing Out in a Crowd: The Challenge of Being Distinctive 

We're wired to notice what's different. This is a golden opportunity for marketers. But here's the catch: if everyone is trying to be different, everything starts to look the same again. The key is not just to be different but to be meaningfully different. This means understanding what your audience expects and then flipping those expectations on their head in a way that adds value or intrigue.

Some Great Examples of Disengaging System 1:

1. Heinz’s ‘It has to be Heinz’ Global Brand Platform: The 'It has to be Heinz' campaign, with its humorous and exaggerated scenarios, moved beyond mere product promotion. By showcasing the extreme lengths people would go to get Heinz products, the campaign engaged consumers on a level beyond habitual brand selection (System 1), prompting them to think about why they choose Heinz (System 2). This approach encouraged consumers to reflect on their brand loyalty and the reasons behind their choices, engaging them in a more conscious decision-making process.

   Further Reading: https://www.creativereview.co.uk/heinz-fans-ad-campaign/

2. Dove’s #TurnYourBack Campaign: Dove’s campaign against digital distortion and beauty filters directly targeted the social media-driven, appearance-focused culture. This campaign challenged the automatic acceptance of beauty standards (a System 1 process) by encouraging consumers to reject unrealistic beauty filters and embrace natural beauty. This required consumers to critically evaluate their own perceptions and behaviours related to beauty standards, a clear engagement of System 2 thinking.

   Further Reading: https://www.ogilvy.com/work/turnyourback

3. Uber Eats’ Ramadan Campaign: Uber Eats' Ramadan campaign was culturally nuanced, resonating with the specific rituals and traditions of the Muslim community. By aligning its service with the exact timing of Iftar and showcasing culturally relevant dishes, the campaign moved beyond a simple food delivery service advertisement. It required consumers to consider the role of Uber Eats in their cultural and religious practices, engaging them in a deeper, more reflective decision-making process typical of System 2 thinking.

   Further Reading: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2023/03/23/uber-eats-marks-ramadan-with-dynamic-ooh-ads-coincide-with-sundown

By exploring how to engage System 2 over System 1, marketers and advertisers alike can create deviations from mental models in consumers’ minds to allow for a gap of influence. In this section of uncertainty, nudging and prominent messaging or use of behavioural science in marketing and advertising can make targeting and effectiveness of messaging much higher and more efficient.

Conclusion: Crafting Strategies that Resonate 

To sum up, marketers need to be both scientists and artists. They need to understand the science of how people think and make decisions and then use that knowledge to create artful, memorable marketing campaigns. It's about blending insights from behavioural economics with creative flair to not just catch the eye but also engage the mind.

Simplified Summary 

Think of our brains as having two gears: one for quick, routine decisions and another for thoughtful ones. Marketers need to shift consumers from the first gear to the second. This means breaking through the everyday noise with something that makes people stop and think. It's not just about being different; it's about being cleverly different. And to really know if it's working, marketers should look beyond the usual ways of measuring success and try to get a real sense of how people feel and react to their ads.