Contrast, not constant Certainly we are evolutionarily wired to notice contrasts, not constants. Been lucky enough to go on holiday this year?  Wanted to stay there forever?  Well, apparently, that’s not advised. Without any contrast you won’t savour it as much, because you will adapt to the hedonism. Rory Sutherland (via one Mr D Kahneman, …

“The Danger of a Single Story” The copywriter who just keeps on giving: Dave Trott again with a brilliant piece directly related to empathy: We are not the target market.  It’s a simple trap to fall into, and that’s perhaps why so many of us do. We are a consumer, but we are not the …

In praise of terrific arguments We shouldn’t avoid robust, passionate, biased argument. In fact, under the right conditions, it can be the fastest route to truth. A good scrap can turn our cognitive flaws into collective virtues. Disagreement is vital to advancing human understanding, argues Ian Leslie (see what I did there). As the Wright …

Expressed user need This 101 on user needs is excellent.  It contains (and links to) all you need to know.  The test to see if you’ve found a valid user need? If you showed it to a user, would they recognise it as their need? Is it written with words real users use? Does it …

Are you a hanger or a dumper? Richard Shotton features on The Day One podcast. He’s discussing his 3 worst insight industry pet peeves (the myth of the public trust crisis, complex jargon, and the over-reliance on claimed data). On the last one, Richard uses Cialdini et al’s famous hotel towel experiment as an illustration, …

Painting with numbers Hannah Fry discusses visual thinking. It’s fascinating how it can reveal what would otherwise remain invisible, how it can have a profound effect on the way we approach problems, and indeed how it can sometimes mean the difference between life or death.  In there, she quotes the quote: “Only a graph speaks …

The pig in the python is passing through You’re no doubt aware that we’re all ignoring “the most valuable generation in the history of marketing”? So which of these do you think is a banal excuse for not including the over-50s in most marketing strategies: Brand loyalty won early will last a lifetime?  Everyone aspires …

When the numbers don’t add up (on their own) Among the many problems with the world? Our tendency to favour analysis of hypotheses over an open, unbiased mind and inquisitiveness:  Pinning all your faith on an economic model alone, say, is like walking through a dark wood at night with a compass and only staring …

The over-focus on the present  The right honorable gentleman, Tom Roach, has written a stupendous piece on whether marketing is losing perspective. No guesses as to what his answer is.  Having modern marketing myopia means not lifting your head up to look out at the real worlds and lives of real people […] It means …