Review Public Guest Lecture: „Neurobranding: What people really want (from brands)“

In a world where everything revolves around user centricity and customer experience – how can a brand remain relevant and stand out from the competition? The answer sounds logical: you have to give people what they really want, recognise their wishes and fulfil their dreams. But how does that work?

On May 8th, Daniel Könnecke, partner at Deloitte Digital, visited the Brand Academy for a guest lecture in order to answer exactly this question with a joint excursion into the human subconscious. Sounds abstract? Not if the speaker, after the introductory words of Prof. Ute Röseler, course director of Brand Management, takes over with a short rap before continuing with exciting and surprising facts.

Will I buy this sweater? Which car brand suits me best? 98 percent of our decisions are made unconsciously and long before we realize, states Daniel Könnecke. Knowledge about implicit needs is therefore of great importance for companies, because it is key to a goal-oriented customer experience.

To show how this key can be used, Daniel Könnecke presented Deloitte’s unique framework called Needsphere. Using most accurate testing methods, it can for example decode stress levels and sensations. Through this approach, feelings and connotations acquire a new and previously inaccessible scientific dimension for the economy.

This knowledge shows brands not only their potential, but also the way in which they can fully exploit it. Especially when it comes to different or international target groups. Who would have thought that in order to communicate the attribute “luxurious”, a different colour scheme is necessary in the USA than in China?

The neuroscientific approach can be applied to the entire customer journey. With this method, companies can make focused decisions based on scientific evidence rather than gut feeling. What does this mean for Brand Academy students? “A brand is more than just its logo. Brand management will become even more important in the future than it already is”, the guest motivated his audience.

We would like to thank Daniel Könnecke for his inspiring lecture – 100% consciously, of course!