Comments on: To Trust or Not To Trust http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/ Fascinating, Inspiring, Rewarding and Engaging kinded spirits. Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:20:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Kahuna's Nemesis http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-160130 Kahuna's Nemesis Tue, 22 Apr 2008 06:59:00 +0000 http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-160130 Kahuna strikes again. Teach him for being so bigoted. Kahuna strikes again. Teach him for being so bigoted.

]]> By: BIG Kahuna http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155370 BIG Kahuna Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:54:26 +0000 http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155370 I'm the same way over Coke. What they did to you was give you a serious dose of branding. I still buy Crest toothpaste after all these years... I’m the same way over Coke. What they did to you was give you a serious dose of branding.

I still buy Crest toothpaste after all these years…

]]> By: Christy http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155349 Christy Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:24:10 +0000 http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155349 Wow. I experienced the Coca Cola museum (exhibit, whatever) for the first time yesterday, and it's a *fabulous* example of a brand being able to evoke an oxytocin (or "connection") response through its ... um... branding. (Advertising? communications? dare I say marketing??) I wasn't thinking about this as we walked in just before lunch, so I can't put my finger on just when the "happy feeling" started totally taking over, but it did! It's probably a good thing for a cynic like me that they show the advertising collages on the second floor, which is not the first thing you're likely to visit. Otherwise, I would have rejected all the "happy, happy, joy, joy" crap as corporate sunshine. Yes, in the back of my mind, I know Coke is so totally bad for your body, but I at least walked out of there, happily toting my free bottle of Coca Cola and a few trinkets from the gift shop. What on earth did they do to me?!?! Wow. I experienced the Coca Cola museum (exhibit, whatever) for the first time yesterday, and it’s a *fabulous* example of a brand being able to evoke an oxytocin (or “connection”) response through its … um… branding. (Advertising? communications? dare I say marketing??)

I wasn’t thinking about this as we walked in just before lunch, so I can’t put my finger on just when the “happy feeling” started totally taking over, but it did! It’s probably a good thing for a cynic like me that they show the advertising collages on the second floor, which is not the first thing you’re likely to visit. Otherwise, I would have rejected all the “happy, happy, joy, joy” crap as corporate sunshine.

Yes, in the back of my mind, I know Coke is so totally bad for your body, but I at least walked out of there, happily toting my free bottle of Coca Cola and a few trinkets from the gift shop.

What on earth did they do to me?!?!

]]> By: BIG Kahuna http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155340 BIG Kahuna Sun, 02 Mar 2008 23:37:34 +0000 http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155340 Of course it does but WOM people think WOM is always the answer. If ads are done correctly they can evoke a great response. Just like direct mail, search engine optimization, on and on. There is no one medium better than all. What get's people trusting you is developing your brand. WOM is just a tactic that falls under branding. There is nothing above branding it's the ultimate way to develop a relationship with your target markets (WOM could be a tactic to facilitate this). And it all starts with your brand identity. By the way did anyone not know that people buy from others they know and trust? I'm very interested in what Justine has to say but I want to know stuff I don't know. Buying from people we're comfortable with is nothing new where I sit. Of course it does but WOM people think WOM is always the answer. If ads are done correctly they can evoke a great response. Just like direct mail, search engine optimization, on and on. There is no one medium better than all. What get’s people trusting you is developing your brand. WOM is just a tactic that falls under branding. There is nothing above branding it’s the ultimate way to develop a relationship with your target markets (WOM could be a tactic to facilitate this). And it all starts with your brand identity.

By the way did anyone not know that people buy from others they know and trust? I’m very interested in what Justine has to say but I want to know stuff I don’t know. Buying from people we’re comfortable with is nothing new where I sit.

]]> By: Susan Kuchinskas http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155253 Susan Kuchinskas Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:42:31 +0000 http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155253 Two quick comments: I think the best way to create the oxytocin connection in a sales encounter is by being genuinely warm and connected yourself. Good sales people do this naturally. If your brain is brimming with oxytocin, you will automatically behave in ways that evoke the oxytocin response in others. I was just talking about this with my dad, a former salesman, the other day: http://www.hugthemonkey.com/2008/02/how-to-sell-you.html Re WOM versus media, I have no proof, but I am pretty sure that media can evoke the oxytocin response. Sociologists talk about "para-affiliation," that is, the feeling of being connected to someone or something even though there's no real, physical connection. For example, loyalty to a sports team is an example of para-affiliation, as is love of God or country. Now, it's becoming very clear that oxytocin is at the root of all human affiliation, from trust to love, so I'd bet money that it also is involved in para-affiliation. Brands certainly produce feelings of affiliation in people, so I think you could safely say that a good ad, in whatever medium, likely creates an oxytocin release. Two quick comments: I think the best way to create the oxytocin connection in a sales encounter is by being genuinely warm and connected yourself. Good sales people do this naturally. If your brain is brimming with oxytocin, you will automatically behave in ways that evoke the oxytocin response in others. I was just talking about this with my dad, a former salesman, the other day:
http://www.hugthemonkey.com/2008/02/how-to-sell-you.html

Re WOM versus media, I have no proof, but I am pretty sure that media can evoke the oxytocin response. Sociologists talk about “para-affiliation,” that is, the feeling of being connected to someone or something even though there’s no real, physical connection.

For example, loyalty to a sports team is an example of para-affiliation, as is love of God or country. Now, it’s becoming very clear that oxytocin is at the root of all human affiliation, from trust to love, so I’d bet money that it also is involved in para-affiliation.

Brands certainly produce feelings of affiliation in people, so I think you could safely say that a good ad, in whatever medium, likely creates an oxytocin release.

]]> By: BIG Kahuna http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155128 BIG Kahuna Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:45:24 +0000 http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155128 Well then I need to go gather some oxytocin. I'll pipe it into all my new business meetings. Well then I need to go gather some oxytocin. I’ll pipe it into all my new business meetings.

]]> By: Billy http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155107 Billy Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:52:57 +0000 http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155107 All I know is: I have 4 kids... so I am staying the hell away from dogs. Great post, Justine. All I know is: I have 4 kids… so I am staying the hell away from dogs.

Great post, Justine.

]]> By: Justine http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155102 Justine Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:09:57 +0000 http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155102 Steve you nailed it. Thank you for clarifying what I meant to say (sorry if it wasn't clear the first time). If we can identify those situations in which people feel safe and/or focus on communicating to customers through people they trust, then we have a better chance of reaching them. They are in a more relaxed and approachable state. And more motivated to interact. I do think there are implications for word of mouth vs. traditional media approaches of communication. It would be a fascinating study to see if oxytocin is released when a close friend recommends something versus you seeing it advertised on TV (in fact I'm emailing Paul about that today..). There are also implications for how to create a more productive work environment. I think Paul talks about this in the book he edited that just came out "Moral Markets", though I haven't read it yet. Steve you nailed it. Thank you for clarifying what I meant to say (sorry if it wasn’t clear the first time). If we can identify those situations in which people feel safe and/or focus on communicating to customers through people they trust, then we have a better chance of reaching them. They are in a more relaxed and approachable state. And more motivated to interact.

I do think there are implications for word of mouth vs. traditional media approaches of communication. It would be a fascinating study to see if oxytocin is released when a close friend recommends something versus you seeing it advertised on TV (in fact I’m emailing Paul about that today..).

There are also implications for how to create a more productive work environment. I think Paul talks about this in the book he edited that just came out “Moral Markets”, though I haven’t read it yet.

]]> By: Jennifer http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155101 Jennifer Thu, 28 Feb 2008 14:54:50 +0000 http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155101 I think we should bring a dog to every new business meeting. Time for Mud to start earning that space on the website! But seriously, folks. If we understand the ways in which oxytocin is naturally triggered, then we can understand the kind of interactions that inspire and merit trust... then maybe we can go out of our way to create circumstances and talk to people in ways that respect that little biological clue. I think we should bring a dog to every new business meeting. Time for Mud to start earning that space on the website!

But seriously, folks. If we understand the ways in which oxytocin is naturally triggered, then we can understand the kind of interactions that inspire and merit trust… then maybe we can go out of our way to create circumstances and talk to people in ways that respect that little biological clue.

]]> By: Mr. Steve http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155099 Mr. Steve Thu, 28 Feb 2008 14:36:19 +0000 http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/27/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/#comment-155099 Monsieur Kahuna: Read the next to last paragraph...it's brilliant. There is a chemical reaction that occurs in our bodies when we trust. And if we can reach consumers (or employees, or blog readers) at those moments, then we have a special connection. But tossing ads out into the ether with no such connection puts traditional advertising at a disadvantage. In other words, YES, it does matter how you're asking. And it matters when you ask. A billboard or magazine ad doesn't mean nearly as much as word of mouth...and we have even more biological proof of that. Don't mistake her use of the word "subtle" for "easy"...conversation with consumers is never easy, but it's much subtler than yelling at them through banner ads, billboards and super bowl ads. Just my two cents. Great post Justine! Monsieur Kahuna:

Read the next to last paragraph…it’s brilliant. There is a chemical reaction that occurs in our bodies when we trust. And if we can reach consumers (or employees, or blog readers) at those moments, then we have a special connection. But tossing ads out into the ether with no such connection puts traditional advertising at a disadvantage.

In other words, YES, it does matter how you’re asking. And it matters when you ask. A billboard or magazine ad doesn’t mean nearly as much as word of mouth…and we have even more biological proof of that.

Don’t mistake her use of the word “subtle” for “easy”…conversation with consumers is never easy, but it’s much subtler than yelling at them through banner ads, billboards and super bowl ads.

Just my two cents. Great post Justine!

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