• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, July 5, 2013

It’s hard to meet a CMO these days who isn’t tossing around words once reserved for psych wards or brain surgeons, whether it’s MRI analysis of new products or the amygdala’s response to food packaging. A new paper from Deloitte takes a much bigger-picture view on the role of neuroplasticity, the capacity of the brain to rewire itself in response to circumstances, and how a better understanding of it can lead to more profits. Jonathan Copulsky, principal at Deloitte and an author of the paper, tells Marketing Daily more about how marketers can—and should--capitalize on this constant process of brain rewiring.

Q: What do marketers need to know about the brain’s plasticity?

A: We used to think that the brain would only rewire itself in response to trauma—for example, a soldier who suffered a traumatic injury after an explosion. And we used to think brains stopped rewiring themselves at a very early age. Now we know that’s not true. Brains can and do rewire themselves, and it doesn’t have to be the result of trauma. When we look at things like automated kiosks and self-checkout, we can see can how people have adapted. But we wanted to take a step back from specific technology changes (like the way we have readily moved from keyboards to touchscreens, for instance) and see some broader patterns. We’ve found three that are critical for marketers—the do-it-yourself drive, the anytime-anywhere phenomenon, and the wisdom of the tribe, which describes how people now want to know what other people think about their purchases.

Q: Which is most important?

A: Well, we think all of them. But if I could only choose one, I would say it’s the wisdom-of-the-tribe trend, this desire of individuals to rely on the opinion of others. It’s not new—people have relied on other people’s opinions for a long time. Look at Consumer Reports. But it is dramatically reshaping what marketers do. Here’s a simple example—my wife and I recently took a road trip from Chicago to Arkansas. Years ago, we would have been influenced by a single guide from AAA. But with a smartphone, we were tapping into dozens of suggestions along our route, from places like Yelp. All those potential reviews might influence us, and as a marketer, I need to understand the hierarchy of influencers. You could go broke trying to touch every person who might be an influencer, so how do you do it in a systematic, affordable way?

Q: So what about this anytime/anywhere trend?

A: So we’ve seen so many examples of this—people want to do anything from any device, at any time of the day. But rather than focus on the technology that allows this in and of itself, CMOs need to focus on the technology as it relates to these megatrends, whether it’s 3D printing or same-day delivery service. The question needs to be, how can this technology better serve my customer’s needs by saving time and minimizing their wait?

Q: Given this brain evolution, what do you think marketers are doing wrong?

A: They should be focusing more on ways to enhance people’s physical experience with their products and services, not just digital ones. People are omnivorous and omnichannel, but it is so important to create a strong social and psychological value at the point of purchase. Yes, more people are getting groceries delivered and buying clothes online, but most of those transactions still happen in stores. 

Q: So marketers are overfocused on digital experiences?

A: Yes. Case in point: The Chicago Blackhawks just won the Stanley Cup and Chicago had a parade, and two million people showed up. They all could have seen it on TV, or via computer, but there are other elements at play. People want to be part of experiences, and, yes, they want to use technology to enhance them. But that doesn’t negate a core need to participate.