This is a great book, everyone should read. In these slides, I've presented some of the top level ideas.

1. Alchemy
Rory Sutherland

2. Psychology in advertising
Examples of our instincts driving our decision-making

3. Status signalling
● Frederick the Great (intentionally) kickstarted the overwhelming popularity of
potatoes by making them a royal vegetable only to be consumed by the royal
family.
● In trains, the standing spot with a view is more appealing than a seat without
(unless the former is next to the toilet).
● A handwritten wedding invitation is more enticing than an email invitation.
An appeal to our subconscious desire for status

4. Trust Signalling
● The vigorous training of black cab drivers reassures our safety.
● The extra fries you get at Five Guys.
● Offering musical tickets at discounted prices sold less than offering them at
full price.
● If IKEA was convenient, it would be too good to be true.
“If they can afford to have costly measures, their brand is trustworthy”

5. Placebo Signalling
● The more we pay for a painkiller, the stronger we feel its effects.
● The ‘door close’ button in elevators is often fake.
● Red Bull is expensive, tastes bad and is sold in small cans. Therefore it is
‘potent’.
● Banana liqueur is delicious in the Caribbean. Horrid in the UK.
● Wine tastes better when poured from a heavier bottle.
Psychological effects can create physical ones.

6. How to be an alchemist?
What you can do to start thinking psycho-logically

7. Opposite of good is also good
● Not many people own this product, so it must be good.
● Lots of people own this product, so it must be good.
● Very long letter selling a product is reassuring because it is long.
● Very short letter is reassuring because it is short.
● Dutch town traffic experts improved traffic safety by removing road markings
altogether.
Always consider the opposite of a conventional idea
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8. Same thing, different expression
● The airgate is closed so it will have to be bus, but the bus will drive you all
the way to passport control so you don’t have to walk far.
● The product is expensive, but you will soon find it’s worth it.
● This airline doesn’t offer free meals, drinks or checked luggage, but the
flights are very cheap.
Change the context of the problem and a turn a negative into a positive
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9. ● Why do people go to the doctor? To get reassurance.
● Why do people hate standing in the train? Because of the
status that comes with sitting.
● Why do people not like when the flight is delayed? Because
there is no certainty over for how long.
What is the real why?
There are no silly questions, post-rationalisation often obscures the psycho-logical motivation
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