Insights from Brand Minds 2024

I bet you are wondering what the quote in the image above has to do with Brand Minds and what I am going to talk about in this article. This was actually part of Martin Lindstrom's presentation from Day 2 but I felt it resonated really well with some of the other ideas shared throughout the event and felt really powerful to me. The quote is attributed to a janitor in a discussion with president John F. Kenndy during his visit at NASA before the moon landing mission. Talk about career goals :D

Great experience this year at Brandminds. This was my 3rd time attending and as I did for previous editions I want to share both the good but also what could have been better.

First of all, I want to say that I got a lot of insights form this years speakers and it’s fascinating to see how powerful the AI narrative has become and how each speaker either eluded to how this impacts us or had a whole session dedicated to the topic like the first part of Martin Lindstorm’s presentation.

Before diving into the details I want to also call out a few things that I believe could have been better. This years venue even though a bit more classy than Romexpo felt overcrowded and uncomfortably warm. . Overall, I felt this edition didn’t quite measure up to previous years, despite some speakers delivering powerful insights.

Now, let’s get into the content. I want to share 1 big idea from each speaker (or maybe 2 for some).

Erin Meyer was the first speaker on Day 1 and my personal favorite (if we just stick to Day 1).she talked about a topic that is very relatable - cultural differences - and throughout the speech she introduced a concept called cultural mapping - which is a process that breaks culture down into 8 behavioural scales (which you will see in the example below that compares Romania to U.S. on the 8 dimensions).

The one idea I want to highlight from her speech is that understanding and adapting to cultural differences is not just a matter of politeness but a key factor in improving team performance and avoiding miscommunication.

Since this was my favourite speaker I want to share a bit more than just 1 idea and go a bit deeper into an example. Two cultures that are different in many ways but need to work together pretty much daily if you are in a globalized business environment. The US culture is all about clarity and transparency using simple and explicit terms, even when discussing negative topics. Europeans tend to be more indirect, tend to soften criticism and expect the listener to read the air based on what is left unsaid sometimes.

Consider the differences between U.S. and European cultures. U.S. culture emphasizes clarity and transparency using direct and explicit language even when discussing negative topics. In contrast, many Europeans tend to be more indirect, softening criticism and expecting listeners to read between the lines. Do you agree?

Extra insights: if you want to have a comparison between two other countries you can do that easily following this link: https://cmer.in/qSZ1Wp

Next was Kjell A Nordstr?m (btw his first name is pronounced Chall - like the in word “challenge”) who I believe has outstanding story telling skills and kept me hanging on each word until the end of his presentation.

One thing he shared that I thought was interesting but at the same time a bit controversial was that cities are the new epicentres of growth and in 20-25 years 80% of the world population will be living in 650 cities that will take less then 2% of the surface of the planet.

But this is not the big idea I want to share from his speech - the big idea is that Kjell predicts that in the future all human knowledge will become ubiquitous (like snow in the winter as he pointed out) and that there is another type of knowledge that we are using called “silent knowledge” (example here was try to explain how acupuncture works - it’s actually really hard if not impossible and it’s being taught by masters and passed on from generation to generation). This brought some hope into an otherwise pretty gloomy future.

Adam Grant the keynote speaker, certainly delivered. I recognised some of the ideas he shared from his latest book called Think Again which I recommend as it offers a different perspective on the importance of rethinking and unlearning our assumptions and beliefs in an ever-changing world. We often tend to cling to outdated ideas which can limit our potential for growth.?

His big idea that I want to leave you with (again a bit controversial) is that brainstorming is not an effective technique even though very popular. Group brainstorming can stop ideas from coming out due to issues like social inhibition and the dominance of extroverted voices. His alternative is “brainwriting”, a method where individuals first write down their ideas independently before sharing them with the group.

Extra insight: Adam shared another interesting term when thinking about brainstorming called the “HIPPO” effect - Highest Paid Person Opinion - I think this one is self explanatory.

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Marisa Peer followed and while I resonate with some of the ideas that she shared her presentation didn’t keep me on the edge of my seat.

Her big idea is that mindset is the key to goal achievement. Using positive affirmations, expressing goals verbally and repeating them can have a profound impact on what we can accomplish and even help us overcome our limitations. Olympic athletes don’t say things like “I wish I can win today” but rather “I am winning today!”.

Jim Kwik had a similar approach to the previous speaker as his big idea revolved around the power of mental optimisation. He emphasised? that mental performance is not fixed, and with the right techniques—such as visualization, speed reading, and mnemonic devices people can unlock their brain's full potential to achieve personal and professional growth.

Extra insight: when taking notes divide the page in 2 and on the left side write down key ideas and high level concepts while on the right side write reflections and how you plan to use the ideas - this ensures you are using both sides of the brain (left = logic, rational thinking, right = creative thinking).

David Sinclair closed day 1 with amazing insights - I can honestly say that some parts of his presentation blew my mind - like the ability to restore sight in a mouse and a monkey using epigenetic reprogramming. This technique involves resetting the aging clock of cells by introducing a combination of three genes into the retina. So we are talking about reversing cell aging here which I believe is truly groundbreaking.?

It’s hard to stick to just 1 big idea from David’s presentation so I want to share something extra as well. His presentation focused on slowing down the aging process as well as the concept of healthy aging and he emphasised that it’s never too late to start!

One recommendation he shared that I feel strongly about and actually started including this in my daily routine is intermittent fasting. He recommends eating within a 6-hour window each day. This approach allows the body to undergo processes like autophagy, where it cleans out damaged cells and regenerates healthier ones, potentially slowing or even reversing aspects of aging.

Day 2

Day 2 was equally captivating, with Martin Lindstrom being my favourite speaker this year and we got almost 3 hours of his time during his 2 sessions.

His first presentation focused on AI but extended into broader technological themes, while the second concentrated on branding and developing a branding culture.

It’s hard to share just 1 big idea from Martin’s 2 presentations so I will do a pros and cons below on AI and technology and share 1 big idea from his second session:

Cons

? We are spending more than 66% of our waking hours in front of a screen with Gen Z getting up to 75%. This is worrying as well for us as adults but especially for our children and the next generations that are starting to experience the downside this brings to mental health

? A study presented by Lindstrom looked at cognitive performance in the presence of technology. As showed in the image below the study concluded that even when our phone is in the same room as us face down on the table with the notifications turned off this causes a decrease in cognitive performance.

Bonus insight: PVS (Phantom Vibration Syndrome) - this is the perception that your phone is vibrating when it is not. It is believed to be a result of habitual checking behavior where people are so accustomed to anticipating notifications that their brains generate these false sensations.

Pros

? Virtual and Augmented Reality: Lindstrom believes AI, when combined with VR and AR, can create powerful virtual experiences that feel real, which can be used in areas like branding, consumer education, and even health-related applications. A study presented by Lindstrom showed the use of VR to aid in breathing exercises for patients, where a virtual tree responds to the patient’s breathing patterns.

??The Metacebo effect is an extension of the placebo effect but applied to virtual experiences. He described how, similar to the placebo's impact on health, the metacebo effect allows virtual experiences to create real physical sensations. For example he mentioned how certain virtual experiences, like interacting with brands in the metaverse (Ariana Grande’s concert in the metaverse), can elicit real emotional responses or even influence physical states like energy levels or relaxation

Finally, one big idea from the second part of Martin Lindstorm’s presentation was a lesson in branding and I will add his quote: “Branding is not about what something says or what it means, but how it makes us feel”. There were many examples shared that explained how different companies put this in practice but I believe the one below from Swiss Airlines showcases this perfectly.

In the Swiss Airlines rebranding, Martin Lindstrom’s team identified passenger anxiety as the key issue, rather than typical concerns like legroom or food. The team worked to reduce stress at every stage of the journey from booking to baggage claim by offering real-time updates and personalized information. This focus on eliminating anxiety helped enhance the overall flying experience and set Swiss Airlines apart from competitors.

And that's a wrap of Day 2!

Overall this edition of Brandminds was a good learning experience that challenged some of my perspectives and opened up my mind to new possibilities.

As we navigate the complexities of our respective fields, it’s important to remember that every role, no matter how small (which takes me back to the quote in the opening "I'm here to put the man on the moon") contributes to the larger mission. Whether we’re reshaping our understanding of cultural differences, rethinking traditional brainstorming methods, or focusing on mental optimization, each insight gained from this event serves as a building block for personal and professional growth.

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