Leslie Zane
Cracking the Code on Brand Growth with Leslie Zane Ep 223 - The Global Discussion
Leslie Zane, the President and Founder of Triggers® Brand Consulting, TEDx Speaker, and author of The Power of Instinct, Joins Host Simon Hodgkins on The Global Discussion for an engaging conversation. Zane, a trailblazer in marketing and brand strategy, shared her insights on how businesses can harness the power of the unconscious mind to accelerate growth, build stronger brands, and drive real change.
From Harvard Business School to Cracking the Code on Brand Growth
Leslie Zane’s journey started at Harvard Business School and continued through high-profile roles at industry giants like P&G. Along her journey, she noticed a critical gap: many businesses struggled to grow despite their marketing prowess. Realizing the need for a repeatable process for growth, she left the corporate world in 1995 to establish her own company, Triggers® Brand Consulting. Her mission was clear—to develop a scientific, reliable approach to brand growth that businesses of all sizes could apply. Over the last 30 years, Zane has cracked the code, and now, through her book, she aims to make these transformative techniques accessible to everyone.
The Power of Instinct: A New Era of Marketing
Zane’s book, The Power of Instinct, is a comprehensive guide that flips the traditional marketing script on its head. Rather than relying on persuasion and conventional tactics that appeal to the conscious mind—often with limited success—Zane encourages marketers to tap into the instinctive mind, which drives 95% of human decision-making.
“Think of the conscious mind as the path of greatest resistance,” Zane explains. “The unconscious mind is the path of least resistance, and that’s where the power lies.” By leveraging cognitive shortcuts, Zane’s method enables brands to bypass the skepticism and rigidity of the conscious mind, creating an instinctual connection that drives faster, more effective results.
The Brand Connectome: Building Strong, Instinctive Connections
One of the most compelling concepts Zane introduced during the episode is the Brand Connectome. This unique model, trademarked by her firm, represents the cumulative memories and associations that a brand builds over time in the consumer’s mind. This network of connections ultimately dictates which products or services a consumer instinctively reaches for.
Zane likens this to “sleep shopping,” where people unconsciously grab familiar brands without a second thought. The goal for brands, she explains, is to build a healthy connectome—one that is large, filled with positive associations, and distinctive enough to stand out. “The more connections a brand has in the mind, the more likely it is to become the automatic choice,” she says.
Why Emotional Advertising Misses the Mark
In a marketing landscape dominated by emotional advertising, Zane challenges the status quo. Leslie shares that emotions—while powerful in the moment—often fail to create lasting connections. Instead, she advocates for the use of memorable verbal and visual assets that become embedded in the consumer’s subconscious. “Emotion goes in one ear and out the other,” Zane notes. “It’s these consistent, tangible assets that build a strong brand connectome and drive instinctive preference.”
AI, Neuroscience, and the Future of Marketing
Zane also discussed the parallels between AI and the human brain, noting that AI’s ability to connect millions of dots in real time is similar to how the instinctive mind works. “The brain is a connection machine,” she says, emphasizing that AI and the brand connectome operate on the principle of making associations. By understanding these connections, brands can more effectively manage their growth and overcome obstacles.
A Call to Harness the Power of Instinct
Zane’s parting message was clear: anyone can leverage the power of instinct to achieve their goals, whether it’s building a brand, advancing a career, or even improving personal relationships. “The brain is malleable,” she affirms. “No one is stuck. You can make change happen faster than you think if you harness the power of instinct.”
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