What Grabs Your Attention

August 19, 2010

Interview with Dr. A.K. Pradeep, author of the book The Buying Brain: Secrets for Selling to the Subconscious Mind

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Mike Carruthers:
Grabbing your attention has become increasingly difficult for marketers and advertisers because you’re bombarded by so many messages. But new research shows what the brain really does pay attention to.

Dr. A.K. Pradeep:
And there is a strict hierarchy. We call this motion, novelty, error and ambiguity.
 

Dr. A.K. Pradeep, author of the book The Buying Brain...

Motion is extremely important for the brain. If it moves I’m biologically programmed to monitor it because it could hurt me. So number 1 is motion.

Number 2 is novelty.

We are biologically programmed to seem novelty. We consistently manipulate words, images and you can’t help doing that – you’re commanded to seek novelty. So anything that appears a little different the brain loves.

The 3rd thing the brain pays attention to is error. Take the Toys R Us logo the R is backwards.

You will still be able to read it but your brain spotted an error, “It says wait a minute”. So whenever there is a resolvable error that was intentional the brain loves it.

And the 4th thing is ambiguity.

When something is ambiguous the brain races to complete it. It could be imagery that is ambiguous, anytime something is ambiguous the brain races to finish it and to enjoy therefore what could be underneath this little package. 

To hear the complete unedited interview, click here