25th Century Magazine: Forget about dystopia, the future is exponential!

Forget about dystopia, the future is exponential!

Voicers’ goals merge education and human potential to promote an inclusive society.

By Midierson Maia and Fabiano Ormaneze

Swimming against the tide, future thinker, Ligia Zotini Mazurkiewicz, believes, “The next great revolution will be a moral one, led by children who are now sitting on our laps.” It was with this strong belief that she created Voicers (www.voicers.com.br), a digital and educational start-up that works toward a noble purpose: to democratize access to technology and unite voices that think about the future. The goal is to portray the future—positively and exponentially—helping to avoid technological dystopias.

Before starting Voicers, Ligia, who obtained a bachelor degree in Business Administration, and a master’s in Marketing, had a twelve-year-long career working in multinational companies. She also worked as a Business and Language professor after participating in a Silicon Valley educational mission in 2016. She went back to Brazil determined to quit her job and search for a new purpose. Her heart was set on the idea that access to technology should not be restricted to small groups.

In 2016, as professor, she undertook an initial experiment which would become a major technology-diffusion project aimed at human education and training. “The years I worked in the corporate world were very important and happy years; but there was something that needed to be aligned. I felt the need to combine three characteristics that have always been with me: concern for education; passion for technology; and interest in a planetary consciousness, without borders,” she says.

She taught a course titled “Technology and Leadership in the 21st Century” for undergraduate students at the Faculdade Paulista de Pesquisa e Ensino Superior (FAPPES) during the one- semester course. “Since I could not tackle all the issues on my own, every week I invited someone— a voice—to talk to students. One would wear virtual reality glasses, another would bring a robot or a drone. In addition to this, the guest speakers had other amazing qualities: they were all fantastic human beings, and they all brought the vision to my classes: that appropriate technological training will prevent us from living in a dystopian future,” she says.

Ligia realized she was headed in the right direction and that a new life project was beginning to emerge when she monitored the success of one of the videos from her classes, which had thousands of reactions, comments and shares on social media. “As much as young people are connected to technology, in general, they are not the creators, inventors of all this. This helped the classes become very successful and reach broader audiences,” she recalls. At the same time, she felt that those activities and understanding of the technology linked to the exponential growth of human beings, could not be restricted to the classroom. This is how Voicers came about: focused on spreading ideas by people who anticipate the future and are experts in the areas of technology, science, innovation and, of course, human development.

To outline the project, she first brought together people with whom she had contact in the corporate world, and who are very knowledgeable in their areas. “But I always bear in mind that these partners of mine must be more than just very knowledgeable. That alone is not enough. They must also be lucid human beings with different qualities, including diversity and plurality.”

That’s how Voicers was born, in opposition to the multiple dystopias, which, especially in the movies and series produced in the US, presenting a devastating future. “I do not believe the future will be what Hollywood cinema has become used to showing us, which is to unite the best of technology with the worst in humans. We need to believe in exponential technology where human beings also use all their capacity for transformation,” argues the entrepreneur.

As a digital platform, Voicers currently brings together around 50 professionals from different areas and backgrounds who believe in technology, and in the potential of human beings, as long as educational work is involved. It’s as if these people already lived in the future and used the platform to amplify their voices, helping society prepare for the upcoming decades.

The platform has professionals from different areas such as Communication, Engineering, Administration and Design, who produce videos and broadcast them on the Internet. In addition, there are technological-experience activities aimed at groups, individuals, colleges or companies, as well as face-to-face meetings in various formats known as Tech Talks. The contents are grouped into three main thematic groups: technology, trends, and people in the 21st Century.

Human x Inhuman

Since there have been many literary and cinematographic dystopian productions over the last 50 years, Voicers’ vision is faced with the great challenge by presenting a new possibility for the world to deal with technological advances and with the relationship between human beings and technology. Ligia argues that it is necessary to rethink the relationship between human beings and technology.

“When a machine does something better than a human being, it is, therefore, an inhuman work. What will be left when machines do the work that people used to do? We need to prepare people to create, care, heal, know, and share. That’s our job and our focus,” she explains. When it comes to human relationships in the future, Voicers’ vision is clear on the need to train people to live with diversity and plurality, constructing their own stories regardless of stereotypes and patterns. In addition, we must prepare for changes in the workplace and in the way we teach and learn.

In the future, there will be fewer opportunities for formal employment, which, if properly prepared for, can lead to the surge of great talents. Organized in new forms of employment relationships, the professionals of the future will not seek employment, but rather sources of income, using their talents in a plural form. The group argues that the security of employment contracts and stability can often mask real talents, and in this world, school must never remain centred on the reproduction of content that can be easily accessed. “Skills, in the future, will not be measured by the ability to remember things, but by what people will be able to create,” Ligia says.

Outcomes

After two years into the project, Ligia has already received positive feedback from several technology and automation companies. Despite that, she had to learn to deal with those who only see the negative aspects of technological advances. Some come to ask: “But won’t there be more unemployment?” To these, Ligia generally says: “There will be more people who can become unemployable, that is, they will lose their jobs. These are the people you have to prepare for inventive activities.” And what about fear? How do we deal with it? The answer is similar: The fear we are experiencing is a fear of the unknown, and Voicers’ proposal is to create narratives that would serve as bridges to the future.

 

Talk to Ligia: ligia@voicers.com.br

BRAND>ed Content: Engaging Content and Storytelling

BRAND>ed is a strategic brand digital marketing agency specializing in integrated marketing solutions as well as all aspects of online marketing and mobile. The following podcasts and articles will help you UNDERSTAND, DEVELOP and ACTIVATE your brand to success.

MarketingNow: Engaging Content

Join the conversation about marketing, new digital products, new digital services, social media marketing – anything in marketing in today’s world. Today’s topic is about creating relationships and extending them through social media.

The Art of Storytelling

Read this article to understand what we can learn from Bud Greenspan, a storyteller pioneer that understood how to capture an audience attention in a dramatic and meaningful way.

Storytelling – One Hotdog One Brand 

This article describes how you can create a story that gets noticed: starting with the brief and finding the simple moment of truth and clarity.

Flex Your Digital – “Don’t Lock It In”

When accessing and converting potential travellers to your airline, attraction, tour or hotel, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to SEO (Search Engine Optimization), Pay Per Click (PPC) campaigns or Social Media Marketing. The most valuable tool you have in the battle for Google’s favour should be the ability to evolve – learn more about “Digital Promoflex” in today’s marketing environment.

Planning

“For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”

—African proverb

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly identified a significant gap in management across all sectors; it has revealed that we are far from our ideal standards of planning.

As organizations, we have a set of business processes or routines that we follow year after year. Many of these simply take the previous year’s results and add incremental goals for the next year, which depends on growth objectives and board-level directives and ambitions.

Management is greatly focused on growth but lacks focus on future thinking, particularly crisis management. Firms lack the necessary skills to run the organization in the event something unexpected happens, which may very well threaten the organization’s well-being.

This uncertainty has led to a discussion amongst business leaders about planning for events like this pandemic; the resilience during and after; and the relationship between both planning and resilience.

Crises often lead to diversions from original plans, and create more pressure on senior management. To strengthen resilience and improve the likelihood of success, a clear plan should be in place to follow, irrespective of the situation the firm finds itself facing—whether a pandemic or a market disruption.

While planning is, perhaps, second-nature to humans, the more important question is: Do we plan correctly?

One of the analogies recommended to ensure that planning is simple and understood, is the “GPS analogy”, which clearly defines the three components of planning as:

1) Going to? – Where do we need to be?

2) Positioned where? – Where are we?

3) Search options – What options do we have to get there?

1- Going to? – Where do we need to be? Every good plan starts with the end -point:

– Where we need to be?

– What we want to achieve?

– What is our dream?

Simply stated, we need to clearly articulate our vision.

Vision is The dream of where we need to be. Knowing what you want to achieve, seeing that end-result, and visualizing what it looks like, is essential for success.  One of the most powerful tools is to clearly detail it (i.e. write it down) where it can be seen, discussed, and ultimately realized. By visualizing the dream, it becomes part of your personal motivation, and attracts the positive result you are seeking.

2- Positioned where? – Where are we now? To execute this vision, we need to have a clear perception and knowledge of our current state and position.

– Where are we?

– What is our position?

– What is the cause for the current situation?

– What happened? Why are we in this situation? Are we aware

about the history and background?

It is critical to understand what our strengths are. What did not go as planned, and what could have been done to rectify the situation. It is also important to keep track of the impact of the results in order to build on them. This may be accomplished with a thorough analysis of successes, challenges and results.

3- Search options – What options do we have to get there?

When we know where we are now, and where we want to be, the third stage of planning is to bridge the gap. The most efficient way is by determining the options available and formulating a strategy to achieve it.

We need to determine and develop a strategic road map to provide the direction and maintain a forward focus.  This strategy is a series of measurable actions designed to close the gap, and are subject to change depending on the circumstances.

Building the necessary strategy should recognize the following key points:

  1. Options available
  2. Risk for each option, understanding or awareness of the risks/ issues that could stop you from performing the required task
  3. Key success factors for each option
  4. The human capital needed, roles and responsibilities, based on the actions needed to execute the goal
  5. Key performance indicators (KPI), to determine the progress
  6. Tools and support needed to deliver the plan

In times of uncertainty, it is clarity of purpose and vision, provided through the right plan, that will allow us to face uncertainties and steer in the right direction—for success.

Like any journey, this road map to success should be communicated in such a way that every person in the organization knows the plan; how it is actioned; and what it will ultimately achieve. These components can be brought together to create a common mission statement to explain its purpose, focus and vision for success.

CIMMO WELCOMES MADELEINE CHRISTMANN AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND EVENTS

TORONTO, ON – The Chartered Institute of Marketing Management of Ontario (CIMMO) Chief Content and Communications Officer, Paige Sontag, announced earlier this month that Madeleine Christmann has been named Executive Director of Public Relations and Events for CIMMO, effective immediately.

Madeleine is a young professional in the marketing industry who is currently completing her Bachelor of Commerce – Marketing Degree at Humber College in Toronto. Madeleine holds a diploma in Marketing for Fashion and Entertainment from the Toronto Film School. She will be joining the CIMMO team to execute and develop the PR strategy, assist the Communications and Content Officer in various tasks, as well as the coordination of CIMMO’s events.

Madeleine brings a fresh energy and the perspective of a current student with experience in writing PR, creating client collateral, event planning and developing strategic marketing plans. She is an excellent addition to the current CIMMO executive team.

The Journey Talk – Emme Anderson

Welcome to The Journey Talk with Rafa Uccello! Here we talk to young marketing professionals about their career journey, aspirations and inspirations. Get to know more about the people that are shaping the future of our industry.

 

This week, we chatted with Emme Anderson, a client strategist at Nielsen, who came to Canada to attend university, with the hope she can make a fresh in building a new career path.

Name: Emme Anderson

Pronouns: She/her

Education: University of Toronto, Bachelor of Commerce – Management/Marketing

Industry: Digital Marketing & Data Management 

Favourite quote: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

—Eleanor Roosevelt

Guilty pleasures: The Bachelorette and ice cream—preferably at the same time.

Q: Did you have a career in mind when you started?

I’m originally from California, and I have dual citizenship. When deciding where I should go to school, my parents mentioned Canada. Many don’t realize how many good schools there are here. I knew I was interested in business & marketing, and U of T had a great program. I wanted a fresh start from high school, so moving to Toronto felt like the right choice.

Q: At what point did you know what career you wanted, and what you wanted to achieve?

A: I knew I liked business, math and economics; my mom also works in the marketing industry. I was not sure specifically which path I wanted to follow within that industry, so I was looking at school programs with different options. Mid-way through university, one of my courses had a project where we had to talk about our career plans. We had to pick a dream job, explain why it was our dream job, and which steps we were going to take to achieve it. I pondered it for two weeks and thought about what I wanted to do with my life. I wrote it all down; this definitely helped me find some guidance.

Q: What is something impactful that you learned?

A: I think that not everybody you meet through school or work will think the same way as you. This can be from their work styles to the way they communicate. I started noticing this in University where you have to work in a group of people you have never met before and may not share the same vision as you. You have to learn how to easily adapt in order to work more effectively with people. With work, I’m constantly meeting new people; having those interactions during university, definitely helped prepare me for that. You need to figure out the best way you can adapt to different situations; to be more efficient.

Q: What is one thing you wish you knew when starting your career in marketing?

A: I wish I knew that you don’t need to be perfect at everything all the time. When I started, I was nervous and wanted to do everything, perfectly. If I received constructive feedback from someone, I would still take it negatively; I thought that I wasn’t performing well. However, perhaps I merely made a minor error, and the feedback was a way for my team to help me grow and learn. In the marketing industry, for example, it’s not only your particular job or the projects you work on, that might go through constant change. Consequently, it’s common to make mistakes and have to learn new things on a regular basis. With COVID, all of us went through multiple changes in a short period of time; we all had to learn how to adapt—quickly! It’s ok to make mistakes; you just have to stand tall and learn from them.

Q: What keeps you motivated and inspired in your professional life?

A: That is definitely a hard one. Of course, there are days I’m unmotivated. I live alone in an apartment, so the transition from in-office work to remote work, due to COVID, was definitely an adjustment. You go from seeing people every day, to being very isolated. I do have a cat that keeps me company, though!

I don’t feel like I need validation from other people but I really love when I get positive feedback—everyone does! This can be from a manager, or conversely, someone I can help. But in the end, if I am able to provide them with a good solution they’re happy with, it gives me validation; it motivates me with my day-to-day tasks.

I enjoy being around my team and collaborating in person. If we were to go back to in-office working, I would definitely like it, even though I got used to work from home. Online meetings can be a bit distancing without the in-person connection. My team and I want to make ourselves available so the people that we are working with can connect with us.

BRAIN TO BEHAVIOUR: UNIVERSAL GRAMMAR

Welcome to the CIMMO Brain to Behaviour Perspective Series – where we will introduce a psychology principle and draw a parallel with modern-day marketing. Enjoy – and feel free to continue the conversation in the comments!

 

You really have to put aside all grammar rules in order to understand universal grammar. “30-Second Psychology” outlines how Noam Chomsky did just that to come up with universal grammar: the idea that all sentences can have multiple meanings because they are the “outward expression of a much deeper mental structure … shared by all humans” (Jarrett, 2011, p.138). “30-Second Psychology” uses the example of “I know students like pizza” to exemplify the theory, where the sentence could mean “I’m aware that students enjoy pizza, or that I’m familiar with students as I am with pizza” (Jarrett, 2011, p.138).

Now let’s combine this theory with marketing: often, brands will use slogans that provide more than one meaning; this leverages our deeper mental structure to associate the brand with key messages, images or themes. This is done in many different ways. Here are my favourite examples:

  1. Making a pun off the brand name: this ensures consumers can easily relate the slogan back to the brand and the brand is associated with a key message, image or theme.

[JOHN DEERE LOGO] Nothing runs like a Deere

  • This slogan uses a pun on Deere/deer, and in doing so, positions the brand as reliable/fast.

[TRIX CEREAL LOGO] Trix are for kids

  • This one uses a pun on Trix/tricks, and in doing so, positions the brand as fun/cheeky.
  1. A broader example of universal language does not include the brand name at all, but relies on the entire expression to convey multiple meanings: this is often seen with well-known brands whose brand message, imagery and themes are all very well known.

[VEGAS LOGO] What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas

  • This slogan demonstrates that Vegas offers a unique travel experience and there are no consequences to what happens in Vegas.

[GATORADE LOGO] Is it in you?

  • This slogan questions if you have consumed the product recently—pushing you to want to purchase the product, and, if you have the strength and ambition needed to take on life.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

  • Sentences with double meaning are very common—think of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech, “I have a dream”—dream can be the thoughts that occur during sleep or ambition—does it really pose a problem? Or do we need to rely on more than just syntax to convey our message (like tone, emphasis, etc.)?
  • Is universal grammar more prevalent in spoken language than written?
  • Do strict grammar rules like the Oxford comma eliminate the problem of universal grammar?

 REFERENCES

Jarrett, Christian. (2011). 30-Second Psychology. Prospero Books.

BRAND>ed Content: Focus on the Digital Landscape and the Tourism Industry

BRAND>ed is a strategic brand digital marketing agency specializing in integrated marketing solutions as well as all aspects of online marketing and mobile. The following podcasts and articles will help you UNDERSTAND, DEVELOP and ACTIVATE your brand to success.

 

It’s a Digital Wasteland Out There 

As the digital channel continues to grow, we have seen an increasing amount of clutter similar to the traditional channels. More and more advertisers who once enjoyed using banner and web advertising to drive customers to online offers are now experiencing weaker results and ROI. Read about how understanding the digital user and how to access them has become more and more important in developing effective marketing strategies.

 

Take a look at the TNS Digital Life Interview on the same topic. 

 

Power your Brand  

Getting your point across is not only a quantitative exercise; it is more effective when the data is expressed as qualitative emotional insights using old-fashioned intuition that piques the attention of your audience. Read about how creating emotional connections with an audience is the key to getting real engagement, through the relational technique of storytelling.

 

What are the NTO, PMO, RTO, DMO, and DMF Roles in Tourism?

The Tourism industry in Ontario has seen some disruptive change over the past number of years with the formation of the Regional Tourism Organizations (RTO) structure. The adopted foundation was designed to support the Tourism Sector in Ontario through a regional approach, one that aimed to reduce the overlap of roles and responsibilities with the multiple Destination Marketing Organizations (DMO), some that could sustain themselves while others who relied on Provincial marketing agency distributions. Read how one of the main issues that was identified and still exists today, is that the industry is constrained by a variety of interests and unclear responsibilities.

REDEEMER UNIVERSITY MARKETING DEGREE EARNS CIMMO ACCREDITATION

Toronto, ON, Canada (September 20, 2020)- The Chartered Institute of Marketing Management of Ontario (CIMMO) is pleased to announce that Redeemer University has received accreditation for the Bachelor of Arts in Business Marketing. Founded in 1988, CIMMO is the only chartered marketing association in Ontario that serves as a global accrediting body for marketing programs and is a marketing education network connecting students, educators, and marketers worldwide.

“CIMMO Accreditation identifies institutions that have demonstrated educational excellence in all areas, including teaching, research, curricula development, and student learning,” said Emily Gaszynski, Chief Accreditation Officer of CIMMO adding: “We congratulate Redeemer University and Professor Laurie Busuttil, Chair of the Business Program, on earning accreditation for their marketing degree program, and applaud the entire Redeemer team including the administration, faculty, directors, staff, and students for their roles in earning this important achievement.”

Synonymous with the highest standards of quality, CIMMO Accreditation inspires new ways of thinking within marketing education in Ontario. Globally, Redeemer University now joins the group of selected business schools that have earned this high level of recognition.

Professor Laurie Busuttil, the Business Department head, said, “I wish to thank those at CIMMO Accreditation for this recognition. The Business Department at Redeemer has worked hard to achieve this distinction and will continue to enforce the code of ethics and promote and employ the standards established by CIMMO.”

CIMMO Accreditation provides a framework of 12 international standards against which marketing programs assess the quality of their educational services. These standards ensure continuous improvement, state-of-the-art marketing skills and competencies, keeping the schools’ focus on their mission to innovate and drive impact. CIMMO-accredited programs have successfully undergone a rigorous review process conducted by their peers in the marketing community, ensuring that they have the resources, curriculum, and commitment needed to provide students with a high level, future and market-focused marketing education.

To acquire the accreditation, the institution must first become a CIMMO member or maintain in good standing CIMMO’s institutional membership. The program also needs to undergo curriculum changes, developing and implementing a mission-driven plan to satisfy the accreditation quality standards. Furthermore, the CIMMO marketing accreditation requires the satisfaction of an additional set of accreditation standards specific to the discipline and the marketing profession.

“Redeemer’s commitment to earning the institutional membership and the Marketing Degree accreditation is a true reflection of the dedication, not only to their students and the marketing community but to the marketing industry as a whole,” noted Emily. “CIMMO accreditation signals that the Redeemer’s marketing graduates who have completed the marketing degree program are grounded in solid foundational skills and are prepared to assume critical responsibilities, serving the business ecosystem while promoting integrity to their practice of the marketing profession.”

About CIMMO

The Chartered Institute of Marketing Management of Ontario is the only chartered professional marketing body in Ontario. It was created by the Proclamation Pr 13 enacted by her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario on May 24 of 1988. Since then, CIMMO has evolved to reflect the rapidly changing needs of the marketing industry, connecting educators, students and the marketing industry to achieve a common goal: to create the future generation of marketing leaders helping to make the world a better place through marketing.

 

Contact:

 

Paige Sonatg

Chief Content and Communications Officer

Paige.sontag@34.130.12.5

 

The Journey Talk featuring Erika Sabrina Giuggio

Welcome to The Journey Talk with Rafa Uccello! Here we talk to young marketing professionals about their career journey, aspirations and inspirations. Get to know more about the people that are shaping the future of our industry.

 

This week, we got to chat with Erika Sabrina Giuggio, a young entrepreneur and marketer who is creating her own opportunities toward accomplishing her dream of owning a business.

 

Name: Erika Sabrina Giuggio

Pronouns: She/ her

Education: Bachelor of Commerce – Marketing, CEM

Industry: Digital Marketing  

Favourite quote: ” The more you learn, the more you earn” —Warren Buffet

Guilty pleasures: Queen of the South, and reading a book by the ocean

 

 

Did you have a career in mind when you started?

Yes, I had a few options I was seriously considering. Just before I started my marketing degree at Humber, I wanted to become an entrepreneur. I come from a family who has always been in business, so I had this influence right at home. In 2017, I filed a patent in the U.S. and Canada called Cosmetic Brush Systems. I used my knowledge, experience and resources on campus throughout my college career to get my start. If that didn’t pan out, my second option was to work in a corporate setting in marketing, specializing in digital and social media.

At what point did you know what career you wanted to be in and what you wanted to achieve?

During my Cosmetic Brush Systems idea, I knew, even at the tender age of 15, I wanted to be an entrepreneur. As I mentioned, my entire family and extended family are in business. I saw how hard they worked, but I also saw the financial freedom it can come with, and living life on your terms. I had the support and connections to try and make it out there, and I knew I could achieve the same—if not better.  And by better, I mean, making an environmental impact that slows down the process of climate change.

But then COVID-19 happened, and realizing my dream is, for now, on the back-burner. I mean, who’s putting on make-up when your mask is covering it? I applied for a few marketing positions; I got a job at a travel company downtown. Unfortunately, the Monday following, they called to tell me they’re closing six of their offices, worldwide. I kept applying and getting interviews, but kept receiving job offers that made working at McDonald’s more attractive, in terms of pay. So, I declined. Now even though this might come across as “millennial entitlement”, I knew I wanted mor, and needed more. This was the reason behind my new mindset and attitude, that, “If you can’t find a job, create one”. And I did just that. I started Erika Giuggio Consulting. Initially, my plan was to do this short-term, while at the same time, developing my portfolio. Well, things changed—yet again! It’s now become more like a long-term venture. Perhaps, eventually, I may not even end up in marketing. For the future,I want to scale the business using white labels and to outsource the work. Ideally, I would focus more in the project management section of the company.

Life throws you curve balls: You’ll either sink or swim. We make choices—and they’re ours to make.

What is something that you learned that has impacted you?

“The more you learn, the more you earn,” & F.A.I.L.

Professors repeat this over and over again, but you need to read beyond the textbooks. You need to be learning about what’s happening in the digital sphere, and you need to be doing it every day. I’m glad I took that advice. I would not be where I am today, nor the person I’m striving to be as a professional marketer and entrepreneur. Marketing is all about “Capturing hearts and minds of consumers.” How you market to them today may not be how to market to them tomorrow. The more you learn, the more likely you are going to provide results in an ever-changing environment. More results, bigger $$$. When I hire employees, I tell them from day one, “The more you learn, the more you earn.” Your potential is unlimited when you hustle. When you keep up, you provide more results; when you give more results, you develop a fantastic portfolio to charge more for your work. It’s as simple as that.

F.A.I.L

In my academic and professional career, I use to beat myself up when I would make mistakes, especially big ones. But I later realized it was okay to make them. Relax. Learn from your mistakes and move on. When you pondering them, you’re just wasting time. F.A.I.L stands for the first attempt in learning. Learn, and keep going.

What is one thing you wish you knew when starting your career in marketing?

I wish I knew what I was in for when I started consulting. Providing a service is 10% harder than a product. With a product, you become obsessed with your audience, learn what they want and sell it to them. With a service, there is a lot more work involved.

What keeps you motivated and inspired in your professional life?

What keeps me motivated and inspired is the fantastic support network around me such as CIMMO, my mentors and my coaches. As an entrepreneur, you need a mentor or a coach. Or both! There are some days you are going to wake up and say, what am I doing? Am I a burnout? Is this crazy? I’ll just go work for someone else. And you need someone to keep you in line and tell you to remember how far you’ve come. Not to quit. Stay the course. What also keeps me motivated is meeting new people—in a professional setting or otherwise.  As someone that would go out all the time before COVID-19, the pandemic has adversely impacted how I interact with others.

BRAIN TO BEHAVIOUR: CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

Welcome to the CIMMO Brain to Behaviour Perspective Series – where we will introduce a psychology principle and draw a parallel with modern-day marketing. Enjoy – and feel free to continue the conversation in the comments!

First, what is classical conditioning? It is actually pretty simple, and a great way to predict behaviour in both animals and humans. “30-Second Psychology” outlines how Ivan Pavlov would ring a bell before he fed his dogs. After much repetition, the dogs would salivate at the sound of the bell. By creating an association between the bell and food, Pavlov had conditioned his dogs to behave in a certain way. This ultimately means by providing a stimulus, Pavlov was able to predict the dogs’ behaviour (Jarrett, 2011, p.134).

Now how does this align with marketing? When creating brand imagery and messaging, marketers want to create an association between their brand or product, and ultimately engage consumers. Netflix is an example of a brand that uses a short, recognizable sound to signal consumers their product is being used—you know, the “dun dun.” But does it elicit a behaviour that is favourable to Netflix? That “dun dun” signals that someone is about to get comfy and stream a show—and you probably want to do the same.

Brand imagery can do the same. Think about those glowing arches of goodness—your brain goes straight to McDonald’s. You likely also think of McDonald’s when you see red and yellow together. Sometimes brands will also piggy-back off other brands to create association, and ultimately get you to purchase their products. When the Toronto Raptors score 12 three-pointers, McDonalds gives away free medium fries; they are creating an association between the two brands.

By displaying repetitive brand images in advertising, brands are conditioning us to think of their brand, products or services. This, ultimately, helps brands predict consumer behaviour, which is a unique form of classical conditioning.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

  • What other brands have done a good job of using audio or visual cues to predict/elicit a specific behaviour from consumers?
  • Do you feel any brands in particular have an impact on you like McDonald’s arches have for me?
  • Is there an ethical line that brands can cross in using brand cues to elicit behaviour from its consumers? 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paige is a passionate marketing professional with experience providing data-driven insights to clients using a wide range of advertising technology platforms. She is Chief Content and Communications Officer at CIMMO. Paige holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours in English and Psychology at Queen’s University, and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Research Analysis at Georgian College.

 REFERENCES

Jarrett, Christian. (2011). 30-Second Psychology. Prospero Books.