Marketing to ApesGavin Johnston

August, 20th, 2009Copyright © 2008 Two West, Inc.

Three Brain (Triune Brain) Theory

Developed by Dr. Paul D. MacLean, renowned brain researcher, neurologist,and former head of National Institutes of Mental Health.

MacLean noticed that when the human brain is dissected and the neo-cortex pulled away, one discovers a "paleo-mammalian" layer beneath it--a brain that looks almost identical to a pig’s brain or a dog’s brain.

If one continues to cut deeper into the brain, one finds a “lizard brain” in the form of the human brain stem.

MacLean posited that each "brain" represents a different layer of neurological evolution, and that these older, deeper layers control our most basic functions.

Background: the brain

Background: the brain

Three Brain (Triune Brain) Theory

•The R-Complex (aka The Reptilian Brain)– Oldest and smallest region of the brain– Found in all animals– Similar to the brain of reptiles who preceded mammals about 200 million years

ago– Handles instincts, fixed action patterns, and automatic behaviors– “The Instinctual Brain”

•The Limbic Brain• Common in all mammals• Developed about 60 million years ago after demise of dinosaurs• Handles emotions• Collects sensory information and screens it for emotional relevance• “The Emotional Brain”

Background: the brain

Three Brain (Triune Brain) Theory

•The Cortex Brain• Unique to humans• Largest of the three brains--5/6ths of total brain mass• Center for reasoning:

• Conscious thought and logic• Reading, writing, speaking• Abstract reasoning, metaphor, spatial relationships

• “The Reasoning Brain”

•Integrating The Three Brains• Our Reptilian (Instinctual) Brain is more powerful than our Limbic (Emotional)

Brain• Our Limbic (Emotional) Brain is more powerful than our Cortex (Thinking) Brain

• Isopraxism is the non-learned neurobehavior in which members of a species act in a like manner. This is a deep, reptilian principle of mimicry.

• Isopraxism explains why we dress like our colleagues and

adopt the beliefs, customs, and mannerisms of the people we admire.

Going it Alone?

Why do we crave what’s bad for us?

Facial Expressions

• Facial expressions and body

language were originally natural physical responses

to stimuli.

• As these responses became

endowed with the function of communication, they survived the various stages of evolution and were passed along to man.

• Many of the meanings they conveyed two million years ago are still conveyed

today.

Facial Expressions

•The face tells us everything we need to know about deception, honesty, and how we should feel about the person we see

– Lips and eyes are part of the visceral nervous system

– When we feel something, we literally can’t help showing it

– When we fake it, it signals that we are untrustworthy and dangerous

Body language

•Body-language signals may be, learned, innate, mixed. •Eye-winks, for instance, are clearly learned. Eye-blink,

crossed arms, and leaning forward on the other hand, are clearly innate.

•Something as simple as a hand gesture can speak volumes

Eye contact

•Staring observed in primates is done to either reflect intimacy or establish dominance -- we have hard-

wired responses

•But culture plays a part: In Japan, listeners are taught to focus on a speaker's neck in order to avoid eye

contact, while in the U.S., listeners are encouraged to gaze into

a speaker's eyes.

Facial Symmetry

•Symmetry may act as a marker of phenotypic and genetic quality.

•Perceived "beautiful people” tend to be seen as more honest, smart, and trustworthy.

I’m marketing to serious business people

When the subconscious takes over decisions.

If there are too many choices.

When the subconscious takes over decisions.

If products have few difference.

When the subconscious takes over decisions.

If decision makers are under stress.

When the subconscious takes over decisions.

If competitors match innovations quickly.

Ideal ApproachAttack the conscious and subconscious

Body language

Palms up suggests a vulnerable or non-aggressive pose

Body language

Palms down convey a more domineering and assertive-like in tone

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Amazement/Excitement

Confusion

Perplexed

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Annoyed/Domination

Contemplation

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Aggression

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•People have an uncanny ability to recognize a “true” smile from the fake.

•Regarding the fake smile, the falseness of the expression is detected in the orbicular muscles of the lower eyelids not being sufficiently contracted.

•Though we may show a polite grin or camera smile at will, the heartfelt smile is hard to produce on demand.

Facial Expressions

True Smile

Fake Smile

University of Cambridge Visual Cue Study

Test Your Skills

A B

Trustworthy?

C D

Reliable?

G H

Positive?

O P

Reliable?

What’s the Real Test?

The Quest for Dominance

Group A:Turn and face the back of the room.

Group B:When you shake hands with your partner,

twist your hand so that it is on top of you partner’s hand instead of being parallel to their hand.

NO YES

What if you only market to the rational brain?

Questions?