Page 84 - Decoding Decisions ~ Making sense of the messy middle

84 CHAPTER 4 INFLUENCING THE MESSY MIDDLE

3. Presence can be all it takes to shift preferences in the

messy middle

There’s power in just showing up at the right moment. And this effect is
visible across every category we tested. This is such a fundamental truth that
we’re making it the last of our three insights.

Even in a complex world, sometimes all it takes to make a big impact is to
show up at the right time. 20

Even in a complex world, sometimes

all it takes to make a big impact is to

show up at the right time.

Getting comfortable in the messy middle

The messy middle isn’t always an easy place for marketers to navigate.
But as our experiments show, with a few powerful behavioural cues to act
as signposts, brands can show up at the right moment and win consumer
preference, whatever their category.

In the next chapter, we’re going to be building on these results by looking
at the wider implications of our experiments for both established and
challenger brands marketing in the messy middle.

20 The “mere exposure” effect also suggests that continued presence should have a long-term impact on consumer affinity and preference,
as repeat exposure to something engenders an increase in positive feelings about it.