The opposite of trust?

According to the Oxford Languages dictionary, the opposite of trust is distrust. The two concepts are like two sides of the same coin. However, according to the paper “What Does the Brain Tell Us About Trust and Distrust? Evidence from a Functional Neuroimaging Study”, authored by Angelika Dimoka, trust and distrust are two very different … Continue reading The opposite of trust?

My PhD, 10 years on

This month (November 5th to be exact) marked the 10th anniversary of my PhD viva. I did my PhD at LSE with Dr James Backhouse, and investigated the profiling of undesirable customers (or customer screening). I looked at how organisations define who is a desirable customer, and who isn’t one; and the process that they … Continue reading My PhD, 10 years on

Knowing when you can trust your gut

Working in digital marketing, you probably have situations where you have to make a decision, even though you really wish that you could collect additional data. Maybe you want to find a few examples of successful content ignition from your own market, rather than from another market that is only somehow related. Or you … Continue reading Knowing when you can trust your gut

Labels matter for how organisations treat customers

A pudding tastes better when it is described as ‘healthy’ than when it is described as ‘diet’. A business proposal is more credible and persuasive when it is delivered by someone with the title 'director' than when delivered by the same person but using any other title. And students judge online courses more favourably when … Continue reading Labels matter for how organisations treat customers

The tree lost its bra

This time last year, this tree had a bra. Actually, 2 or 3. I can’t remember exactly how many. Not far from this tree, there is a bridge with lots of locks in its railings, tied by couples as a symbol of their love. It’s a tradition. Maybe the bra-thing is a tradition, too, I … Continue reading The tree lost its bra

What others do and say

We have been looking at schools for our youngest. It is not an easy task; even if you have been there before; and even if the child in question is just a few years old. At least, I know that I am not alone (minus the gifted part). In the process, we considered ‘product characteristics’ … Continue reading What others do and say

Language, emotions and decision making

Some time ago, I got a pile of books in a library clearance. There are some real gems among them – some of the books, I knew beforehand that they were special, such as a copy of Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations; others, I am discovering how special they are as I ‘work’ my way … Continue reading Language, emotions and decision making

The power of labels – Does a rose by any other name smell just as nice?

It has long been established that brand names influence our consumption behaviour, by shaping our perception of taste or, even, quality. Magnetic resonance imaging scans have shown that exposure to well-known brands activates the part of the brain associated with positive emotions, and that well-known brands are processed with less brain effort than lesser-known ones. But … Continue reading The power of labels – Does a rose by any other name smell just as nice?