Marketers have hacked your brain (and that’s a good thing)
Kyle S. Reyes | August 15, 2016
(Adobe Stock photo)
Hacking has been in the headlines quite a bit lately. The Democrats aren’t too happy about it.
First Clinton’s server. Then Pelosi. So what’s next?
How about … your brain?
It’s true. There’s a growing fear among researchers that hackers are starting to figure out how to read our brain signals.
It all comes back to some technology called BCIs – or “Brain-Computer Interfaces.” It’s not new technology. As a matter of fact, it’s widely used in both the medical field along with the entertainment and gaming industries.
Here’s an example of how it works (without getting too technical). Subliminal messages are put into video games … then users’ private information is gathered.
As we enter into this new world of “The Internet of Things,” we are going to see more and more connectivity between our brains and our purchases. And that’s going to create a prime market for hackers to tap into your brain and use the data to sell you things.
But guess what? In some ways … we’ve already hacked your brain.
And as a marketer, I think it’s absolutely spectacular.
Pokemon Go, anyone?
How many people have been walking into bars, restaurants or other retail locations because they’ve been following their app…and then ended up making purchases? Were they angry at the fact that their brain was hacked as they sat there sipping their beer? I doubt it.
The best marketing agencies in the world utilize behavioral data to predict what actions consumers will take…and ultimately what they’ll buy.
Take, for example, the guy who forgot his anniversary was coming up.
When he logged onto Instagram and he was served up a promotion to send his wife flowers, do you think he was pissed? More likely than not Instagram – or should I say the advertiser – saved him a headache.
What about the woman who has been looking for the perfect running shoes but didn’t know about the new brand that was the perfect fit for her foot? Think she was ripping mad when an advertiser showed her a 360-degree video on Facebook for their brand new product? Not at all. She pulled out her credit card with a smile on her face.
I know, I know. You’re sitting there flipping out about “your privacy.” Get over it. If you really cared about your privacy, you wouldn’t have told everyone on Facebook/Twitter/Snapchat/Instagram how dilated you were at the moment you entered into the hospital for the birth of your child. You told everyone about your cervix, your exact location, the fact that your house was going to be empty for two days and every detail of your new child – but you’re going to complain about privacy?
While you’re seething, I’ll be working on an ad for a supplement that’ll calm your nerves. Keep an eye on your Instagram. Because I’ve hacked your brain, and I know exactly how to find you …
Kyle Reyes is President and CEO of The Silent Partner Marketing. He’s also an acclaimed keynote speaker on entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing and social media. You can find him on Facebook, LinkedIn and Snapchat @dasilentpartner. Read his past blogs here.
