Mind Meld

Mind Meld explores the intersection of marketing, technology, and culture through various lenses, including consumer behavior, digital trends, and social media strategies. It dissects how these elements influence purchasing decisions, brand engagement, and societal norms, often leveraging psychological insights and contemporary phenomena.

Consumer Behavior Digital Marketing Social Media Trends Technology and Innovation Cultural Phenomena Psychology in Marketing Brand Strategy

The hottest Substack posts of Mind Meld

And their main takeaways

Can Brands Face the Uncomfortable Truth?

78 implied HN points • 16 Jun 20
  1. Brands are under scrutiny for their responses to racism and the BLM movement.
  2. Hate is not the only problem with racism; apathy, ignorance, and access perpetuate it too.
  3. Brands should acknowledge their role in perpetuating racism and take meaningful actions to address it.

Do Enough People Care About Climate Change?

58 implied HN points • 21 Sep 20
  1. Massive wildfires have devastated areas on the West Coast, highlighting the impact of climate change.
  2. Public engagement with climate change remains low in the United States, with many perceiving it as a non-urgent risk.
  3. Understanding human psychological biases can help improve climate change engagement by making impacts relatable, building collective efficacy, and emphasizing the present.

Why Do We Trust Lebron James and Amazon?

58 implied HN points • 07 Sep 20
  1. Successful people balance risks in different areas of their lives to be original in one aspect while remaining conventional in others.
  2. Accumulating idiosyncrasy credits allows individuals like Branch Rickey, Gandhi, and Lebron James to make risky decisions and move influence.
  3. Brands like Nike and Amazon can take marketing risks because of the goodwill they've built over time, allowing them to push boundaries and try new things.

Why Do We Fall for Political Sabotage?

58 implied HN points • 14 Aug 20
  1. Conjunction fallacy: People tend to believe in detailed scenarios even if they are unlikely.
  2. Illusory Truth Effect: Repeating information can make people believe it, even if it's false.
  3. Political media is skilled at using cognitive biases to influence perspectives.

Why Do Most Boycotts Fail?

58 implied HN points • 22 Jul 20
  1. Boycotts aim to bring about change by causing economic loss or expressing moral outrage.
  2. Consumer psychology plays a significant role in whether boycotts are successful.
  3. Factors like desire for change, self-enhancement, counterarguments, and consumption costs affect consumer decision to boycott.
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If TikTok Gets Banned, Who Takes Over?

58 implied HN points • 16 Jul 20
  1. Instagram is a leading candidate to take over if TikTok gets banned
  2. Youtube has strong algorithmic support but lacks in quick content creation like TikTok
  3. Byte shows potential similarity to TikTok but still has work to do in terms of famous creators and monetization

Could This Company Make Ads Less Disruptive?

39 implied HN points • 14 Oct 20
  1. Consumers are tired of disruptive online ads.
  2. Toucan sells words for sponsored ads, not digital real estate.
  3. Toucan's approach could change how ads work by focusing on simplicity and learning.

Why Does Scarcity Appeal To Us?

39 implied HN points • 30 Jun 20
  1. Scarcity messaging in marketing can make us value items more if they are scarce.
  2. Psychologically, scarcity biases affect our buying decisions.
  3. Creating mystery and scarcity can drive consumer interest and desire.

How Do Mirror Neurons Trick Our Buying Decisions?

19 implied HN points • 05 Aug 20
  1. Mirror neurons can cause us to mimic actions we see or read about.
  2. These neurons play a significant role in influencing our buying decisions.
  3. Marketers can leverage mirror neurons to create emotional connections with consumers.

Unraveling the Mystery of Netflix's TU-DUM

4 HN points • 20 Jan 22
  1. Sonic branding is the process of distilling a brand into a few seconds of sound.
  2. Humans are naturally sensitive to sound and react quickly to it.
  3. There is a growing trend towards incorporating sonic branding into social audio, smart speakers, and in-person experiences.