WHAT IS YOUR BRAND SIGNALING?

5 Tips for Better Brand Signalling.

In placebo studies, you learn quickly that every input has a reaction, whether it is color, attitude, body language, style, etc. every action, creates a reaction. It's a form of human hardwiring, let's call it social inertia. We react to our surroundings. It's one of our coolest super powers as humans.

Human Superpower

Humans don't only adapt to physical environments, we also react to slight changes in our social surroundings.

Even wilder, human bodies physiologically respond to watched (e.g. Movies, Videos, Gifs, Images) and imagined (e.g., Literature, Podcasts, daydreaming) environments too.

And there's nothing you can do about it. Human biochemistry has adapted to constantly reacting to the people, places, and things around us. It's how our ancestors gained status, belonging, and resources to survive.

So how does this work in branding?

SUCCESSFUL BRANDS ALL UNDERSTAND ONE THING

Successful brands understand that it is easier to work with human biological hardwiring (no matter how bizarre it may be) rather than trying to change it. They pay attention to how people like to interact with brands and strategically design brand touchpoints accordingly. They talk less about themselves, and more about customers deepest aspirations. Instead of selling a coca-cola soft-drink, they sell connection and joy! Impactful brands know how to use human hard-wiring to appeal and satisfy.

In a modern-retelling of Nietzsche, successful brands know how to become the "opiate of the masses."

Here's a little sneak peak of HOW they do it!

FIVE WAYS SUCCESSFUL BRANDS HACK HUMAN BIOLOGY FOR BETTER BRAND SIGNALING

TIP #1: Implement Mirror Neurons

Mirror neurons evolved to help our ancestors learn from each other's behavior. We mentally "practice" what we see happening around us. Whether it is a kiss, a fall, or a new tik-tok dance, our brains imitate what we watch. So, the easiest way to make a customer feel something, is to portray and display it.

A brand that uses mirror neurons well is Coca-Cola: they consistently show people using their product while engaging in pleasurable experiences like laughing, watching movies, eating, touching, dancing, etc. This stacks the deck, so to speak, in their marketing efforts because they're selling a feeling, not a product. And the fail-proof way to create a feeling? Mirror neurons!

Show, don't tell. Signal, don't speak. Express, don't explain.

A quick way to improve your brand using mirror neurons is to use Imagery with Genuine Facial Expressions. People are hardwired to notice faces before any other type of imagery. We can also tell instantly if the expressions are real or fake. So, portray authentic, relatable human expressions that you want all of your customers to feel.

TIP # 2: Use Costly-Signals

In ecology, a costly-signal is a cue that is difficult to fake, so we tend to unconsciously trust those signals quicker, deeper, and longer. Peacock's feathers, elk antlers, and loud toad noises are all signals of health in the animal kingdom. It's what mates look for to tell status among a lot of potential suitors.

....

It is no surprise that we see a ton of celebrity faces in trust based-economies, like crypto and bitcoin. Celebrities are hard to fake.

• Capture Lifestyle Over Product Photography: Set the stage. Tell a story. Humans are able to read hundreds-of-thousands of micro-signals a second. The more you can show through lifestyle photography

A brand that uses costly-signaling well is Khloe Kardashian's Good American: They always have models of diverse sizes which signals relatability, inclusivity, and approachability.

TIP # 3: Be an Original.

The human brain is hardwired to produce a dopamine-reward when discovering something new.

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• Novelty Is King In A Saturated Market: In the world of quick social-selling, newness and differentiation become

TIP # 4: Tap Into Emotions.

In humans, the emotional ancient-alligator part of the brain reacts markedly quicker to information than the executive, thoughtful part of the brain.

Over 90% of communication is non-verbal. Never say what you can show.

• Moving Imagery Always Beats Still Imagery: Human eyes notice and track moving videos and gifs quicker and longer than still images, which we can get blinded too.

TIP # 5: Keep it Simple.

Humans get overwhelmed very easily.

• Do ALL The Thinking For Your Customers: A trick of the trade is to show a 12 yr old and a grandmother your idea, if they don't get it and can't repeat it back 5 minutes later, it's too complicated.

If you've made them think, you've already lost them.

What is your brand signaling? Book your very own brand reading from BRANDTHROPOLOGIE today!

BOOK BRAND READING

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COSTLY SIGNALING

Let's do some anthropological math real quick. If a picture is worth a thousand words. In today's economy, a short video is worth a million views and a costly-signal is worth a billion understanding......

HARMFUL:

1. All About the Company/Brand/Product:

What does it signal? We're showing what we want to sell, rather than what the customer wants to buy.

Cons:

• Wastes the 7 seconds the customer gives you.

• Signals newbie, start-up, amateaur-level.

Quick Fix: Put yourself in your customer's perspective. What is she looking for? What does she want to see to make her decision? What would convince her to purchase, join, like, share?

2. Basic, Boring, Background

What does it signal?

You are a commodity and competing with cheaper prices.

Cons:

• Hard to stand out in a saturated market.

• People become blinded to the common, our brains put it in the background processing and we forget it faster.

• Commodities signal low quality, bad for the environment, and unethically made.

Quick Fix: Stop using standard templates. Design outside the box. Make images bigger.

3. Perfection, Superficiality, Consumerism

What does it signal?

"Money can buy perfection."

There is new sociocultural rebellion against the "instagram-perfect" "tik-tok-filter" fakeness of social media that craves nostalgia, authenticity, and uniqueness.

Cons:

• ..

• People don't buy products, they aspire to a lifestyle.

• Superficiality signals consumerism, inauthenticity, and fakeness, which puts into question your brands quality, trust, and

Quick Fix: Show real human expression in your photographic style. Hire unqiue, imperfect models. Celebrate intersectionality in all it's forms: race, gender, sexuality, ableism, age, size, etc.

BENEFICIAL:

1. Customer-First Experience Design: Make it SUPER easy for customers to purchase and improve conversion, it's a win/win, that's why it's so surprising ALL brands are doing it!

2. Custom =luxe:

3. 5:1 sell value:

They work with the selfish, sociocultural, and algorithmic market tides, instead of against it.

CONSUMERS ARE SELFISH

Instead of creating the brand, product, photography, taglines, etc. exactly as THE COMPANY wants it to be, impactful brands build entire campaigns around how CUSTOMERS want things to be. They see the end-user as God, and they worship accordingly.

SOCIOCULTURAL FLUX

ALGORITHMIC CONTROL