Picture this: You're wrapping up an online shopping session, with the mouse hovering over the checkout button. Suddenly, you notice a little green leaf next to one of the delivery options. "Huh," you think, "that's new." Without much thought, you select it and complete your purchase. Congratulations! You've just been "nudged" into making a more sustainable choice. But how did that happen, and why should marketers care?

As marketers, we are constantly looking for ways to enhance the customer experience and achieve a sustainable revenue stream. But what if the key to success lies not in what customers tell us, but in what their brains reveal?

If you are a pet owner, chances are high you are guilty of talking to your cat or dog as if it’s human. Or even give it its own little raincoat when the weather is bad. That sort of interaction is how we create a strong emotional bond with our pet and how it becomes part of the family. Or maybe you give your car a name. A bit strange, but it helps to create a sense of personal connection and attachment to the vehicle. Ever heard of the movie Cast Away? This movie depicts a deep truth about the irrepressible social nature of humans: the main character, who is left alone on a deserted island, personifies a volleyball and names him Wilson. He does this because of his basic need for social interaction. Wilson is the symbol of hope and of his salvation.

Picture this: you're wandering the aisles of a grocery store, looking for a healthy snack. You come across two seemingly identical products, but one has a brand name that's as long as a Shakespearean monologue, while the other has a snappy, short name that's easier to remember. Which one are you more likely to trust as the healthier choice? Did you rely on your instincts and beliefs about the product rather than scrutinizing its nutritional label? 

As consumers, our food choices are heavily influenced by our intuition (Chan & Zhang, 2022; Motoki & Togawa, 2022). In turn, our intuition is largely shaped by branding elements. From brand names to logos and even the personality associated with a brand, these cues offer us valuable information that guides our purchasing decisions.

For instance, foods packaged in green or blue colors are often perceived as healthier, while those in red packaging may trigger a different response (Huang & Lu, 2015; Schuldt, 2013). But what about brand names? Can a simple name affect how we perceive the healthfulness of a product? 

“Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world” the words of Mark Twain, an American writer in the late 1800s. “I know because I've done it thousands of times.” In the present day, it’s crystal clear that smoking and alcohol consumption is a great health risk, but still, it’s very difficult for people to quit or decrease their consumption of these indulgence. 

The motto “Prevention is better than cure” (Dutch philosopher Desiderius Erasmus) has motivated scientists around the world to look into ways to help people live healthier lives and avert diseases. Moreover, more and more companies are becoming socially responsible and looking into ways to promote healthy purchase decisions.

But how to do that?