Hacking the Unconscious

By: Rory Sutherland

Narrated by: Rory Sutherland

Rory Sutherland explores the stories and psychology behind the most influential marketing campaigns in history, and smashes apart received wisdom with a look at iconoclastic ideas.

Advertising guru Rory Sutherland is a world-leading proponent of behavioural economics. In Hacking the Unconscious, he looks at how this emerging science is used by marketers to influence us and challenges us to reassess which ideas we hold dear.

In part one, Marketing, Rory asks why certain ad campaigns, such as Nike's 'Just Do It' and the MND Ice Bucket Challenge, cast such a spell over us. Looking at 10 all-time great campaigns - including Coke's iconic 'Hilltop' ad, Dove's 'Campaign for Real Beauty' and De Beers' 'A Diamond Is Forever' - he discusses their success with the creative minds that conceived them.

Along the way, he ponders the allure of altruism, asks whether ads can be art, considers what 'Big Data' means for the future of marketing and shows how a powerful health campaign transformed attitudes, and saved lives.

Part two, Thought Cages, sees Rory confounding conventional wisdom with his intriguing, subversive and controversial concepts. Is education always a good thing? Would we be better off selecting our MPs by lottery? Plus, he looks at the dilemma the NHS faces - to be successful, or to be loved; speculates if we're really as rational as we think; exposes the fallacy of market research; shows how businesses play on our susceptibility to commitment; and wonders whether online retail will ever replicate the magic of the traditional shopping experience.

As he explores how 'psycho-logic', behavioural quirks and mind hacks could drive change, he formulates a magical series of radical ideas that may provide new solutions to society's problems.

Contributors include novelist Fay Weldon; onetime CEO of Cambridge Analytica, Alexander Nix; New York Times best-selling author Bryan Caplan; MP Jess Philips and Nassim Nicholas Taleb, statistician and author of The Black Swan.

Presented by Rory Sutherland

Produced by Steven Rajam and Michael Surcombe

Hacking the Unconscious

Featuring: Shelina Janmohamed, Steve Henry, Roger Greenaway, Nicola Raihani, Sara Pascoe, Geoffrey Miller, Daryl Fielding, J Courtney Sullivan, Fay Weldon, Scott Bedbury, Liz Dolan, Byron Sharp, Alexander Nix, Nick Hall, Lord Norman Fowler, Sammy Harari, Sir Nick Partridge, Jacqueline Gold, Jennifer Jacquet, Matt Brosnan

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 1-12 May 2017

Thought Cages

Featuring: Natalie Perera, Bryan Caplan, Nicholas Gruen, Jess Philips, Diana Fleischman, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Helena Cronin, Dave Trott, Ben Page, Nichola Raihani, Robin Hanson, Oliver Payne, Natalie Nahai, Leigh Caldwell, Jonathan Haidt, Owain Service, Sue Benson, Dan Ariely, Katherine Lewis, David Dalziel

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 19-30 November 2018

©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Great Content

I love the work of Rory Sutherland. The insights in this podcast series is really great.

I would not have marketed and branded this fine product as an "audio book". Maybe it should have been called a "podcast series" or some new name for a audio product of this nature.

Definitely worth "reading" / "processing"

Different format would be better

More of a podcast or radio host interview. Accents were sometimes difficult to understand. Better for me in written format. Delightful author and interesting marketing examples.

It’s Rory Sutherland. So, almost perfect as always.

This is basically a repackaging of Sutherland’s BBC Radio series from a few years back. In this format, though, it’s super accessible. Much of the content —not all — is covered in his book Alchemy, but the thing about Rory is that his knowledge is so dense, receiving the info again is always a treat.

loved Alchemy, hoping for more insights....

this is interesting on its own. however, if you enjoyed Alchemy already and you are looking for more magic from Rory Southerland, look elsewhere.
t
only disappointed in this book because I enjoyed Alchemy so much.

A spirited quick tour, more depth needed

This is a fun introduction to basic examples of behavioral economics and cognitive biases in the world of advertising and marketing. Well narrated with good interviews with some interesting people. But for those who have some familiarity with the basic concepts, this will seem a little light. The stories are engaging and reference highly familiar brands that makes its highly relatable material.