In the 1970s, Japan hated coffee.

Nestlé spent millions on ads, discounts, and promotions BUT failed.

Then they hired a child psychologist.

What happened next turned Japan into the 4th largest coffee importer in the world:
After World War II, Nestlé entered Japan, hoping to create a new market for coffee.

But no matter how much they advertised, coffee sales remained abysmal.

The reason?

Coffee had zero cultural significance in Japan and had no childhood nostalgia or emotional connection.

The $600B ad industry is being disrupted by a $19/month AI tool.

• Built by a YC founder
• Backed by Peter Thiel
• Used by $100M brands like Ridge

It writes, edits, voices, and runs ads while you sleep.

This is Icon: the world’s first AI CMO: Ad-making used to be hard:

• Brainstorm 100 concepts
• Write 100 scripts
• Match each line to 20 shots
• Manually edit 100 unique videos

• Test, iterate, track winners

Now? One tool does it all overnight.

You walk into IKEA for a simple shelf.

Two hours later, you’re leaving with a cart full of things you never planned to buy.

This isn’t an accident—it’s a $50 billion psychological trap.

Here’s how IKEA mastered human psychology to make you spend more:
IKEA’s story starts with Ingvar Kamprad, a dyslexic farm boy who built one of the most successful retail empires in history.

But IKEA didn’t succeed just because of great designs.

It succeeded because Kamprad reinvented how people buy furniture.

In 2018, Wendy’s launched the most savage marketing campaign ever.

No ads. No budget. Just ruthless tweets.

The result? Millions in free publicity—and they humiliated McDonald’s in the process.

Here’s how Wendy’s turned roasting into revenue: On January 2, 2018, a Twitter user asked Wendy’s a simple question:

"How much does a Big Mac cost?"

Wendy’s responded with: "Your dignity."

The 8 Greatest Ads & Why They Worked:

1. Volvo

Cost: $4M
Results: 48M views in 9 days, $170M in revenue.

Why it worked: Stunning visuals + clear product demonstration. 2. Apple’s “1984” Super Bowl Ad

Apple’s 1984 ad, inspired by George Orwell, positioned Macintosh as the rebel against conformity.

Cost: $900K
Results: 46% sales boost in 100 days.

Why it worked: Bold storytelling + a clear, disruptive message.

You don’t shop the way you think you do.

Paco Underhill cracked the code on why you buy.

And retail giants like Walmart & Costco use his secrets to control your every move.

Here’s how tiny design tweaks make you spend more (without realizing it):
In the 1980s, Paco Underhill noticed something that would spark a revolution in retail.

Shoppers’ behavior inside stores was filled with patterns—small, often unnoticed actions that determined whether they’d make a purchase or walk away empty-handed.

In 2018, Burger King stole millions of McDonald’s customers using one sneaky trick.

They pulled off a $6 billion heist—using McDonald’s own restaurants against them.

The result? 1.5 million app downloads in 9 days.

And McDonald’s couldn’t do a thing about it.

Here’s the story: By 2018, McDonald’s had a dominant presence in fast food, but Burger King saw an opportunity.

Mobile ordering was on the rise, and both brands were pushing their apps.

McDonald’s had more stores, more customers, and a bigger marketing budget.

They called them the ugliest shoes ever.

Then Crocs pulled a move that made them sell out instantly, crash websites, and flip for 10x retail price.

Not because of demand—but because they manufactured it.

Here’s how fake scarcity turned Crocs into a billion-dollar hype machine: Instead of marketing Crocs as “comfy clogs,” they turned them into collector’s items.

They collaborated with high-status brands that already had strong fanbases:

Balenciaga: Released a luxury, high-heeled version of Crocs ($850).

Casinos aren’t designed for gambling. They’re designed for trapping you.

No clocks. No windows. Near-wins that trick your brain.

Every detail is engineered to make you lose track of time and spend more money.

Here’s the psychological warfare behind casino design: 1. No Clocks, No Windows Strategy

Casinos disrupt your perception of time by removing external cues.

No windows mean you can’t see whether it’s day or night. No clocks ensure you never feel the pressure to leave.

The goal? Keep you in a gambling trance for as long as possible.

In the 1970s, Japan was a tea-drinking nation. Coffee didn’t stand a chance.

Nestlé tried everything—ads, promotions, discounts—but nothing worked.

Then they called in a child psychiatrist.

What happened next turned Japan into the 4th largest coffee importer in the world:
After World War II, Nestlé entered Japan, hoping to create a new market for coffee.

But no matter how much they advertised, coffee sales remained abysmal.

The reason?

Coffee had zero cultural significance in Japan and had no childhood nostalgia or emotional connection.

In 2017, McDonald’s introduced a simple machine that changed everything.

It doesn’t cook or flip burgers—but it’s made them billions.

This machine knows how to make you spend more, eat more, and come back for more.

Here’s how McDonald’s self-order terminals became their $2.1B secret weapon: Self-order terminals were first introduced in 2008, with Europe as the testing ground

Today, they’re in nearly every McDonald’s worldwide.

The results?

1. In Germany, profits increased by 15% after introducing SOTs.

The 10 greatest ads and what made them effective:

1. Volvo

Jean-Claude Van Damme’s epic split between two trucks showcased Volvo’s dynamic steering precision.

Cost: $4M
Results: 48M views in 9 days, $170M in revenue.

Why it worked: Stunning visuals + clear product demonstration. 2. Apple’s “1984” Super Bowl Ad

Apple’s 1984 ad, inspired by George Orwell, positioned Macintosh as the rebel against conformity.

Cost: $900K
Results: 46% sales boost in 100 days.

Why it worked: Bold storytelling + a clear, disruptive message.

This guy is the Yoda of branding.

Seth Godin cracked the code on why brands like Apple, Nike, and Starbucks became unforgettable.

Here’s how his ‘Purple Cow’ philosophy changed marketing forever: Seth Godin noticed a problem:

Most companies try to appeal to everyone—and end up being forgettable.

They’re like cows in a field.

You’ve seen cows before. Nothing new. You stop noticing them.

In 2018, Wendy’s launched the most savage marketing campaign ever.

No ads. No budget. Just ruthless tweets.

The result? Millions in free publicity—and they humiliated McDonald’s in the process.

Here’s how Wendy’s turned roasting into revenue: On January 2, 2018, a Twitter user asked Wendy’s a simple question:

"How much does a Big Mac cost?"

Wendy’s responded with: "Your dignity."

Why You Can’t Put Your Phone Down?

Social media isn’t addictive by accident—it’s designed to be.

Tristan Harris revealed how persuasive tech keeps you hooked.

Here’s how those same strategies can turn curious visitors into loyal customers: 1. Social media platforms exploit natural human tendencies through "persuasive design" techniques based on behavioral psychology.

These techniques include:

- Dopamine-driven feedback loops

Every notification releases dopamine, reinforcing behavior and keeping users hooked.

This guy doesn’t just market; he hacks your brain.

Roger Dooley’s “Brainfluence” transformed how Amazon, Tesla, and Netflix get you to buy without thinking twice.

Here’s how neuromarketing is shaping the future of advertising:
1. Neuromarketing is the science of understanding how your brain responds to marketing stimuli.

It’s not manipulation—it’s optimization.

Brands use these insights to:

1. Design better ads.
2. Create irresistible offers.
3. Build loyalty by appealing to your subconscious mind.

This guy is the Yoda of consumer psychology.

Rory Sutherland doesn’t sell products; he transforms perceptions.

Here’s how his behavioral insights turned brands like Ogilvy, Coca-Cola, and Dove into marketing geniuses: 1. Understanding Perception Over Reality

Rory argues that value is subjective.

Example: The Eurostar campaign.

Problem: Passengers complained about long travel times between London and Paris.

Traditional solution: invest $6 billion to reduce the journey by 30 minutes.

Amazon isn’t just a store—it’s a masterclass in addictive design.

Jeff Bezos engineered a seamless shopping experience that makes 'Add to Cart' feel irresistible.

Here’s the genius behind the world’s most effective UX design:
1. The 1-Click Revolution

Introduced in 1999, 1-click purchasing was a game-changer.

It allowed customers to skip the usual checkout steps, making buying as easy as tapping a button.

Bezos understood that friction kills conversions.

He didn’t just design logos—he created legends.

Paul Rand’s genius turned IBM, ABC, and UPS into icons.

Here’s how his timeless principles of simplicity and clarity revolutionized branding: 🧵
Paul Rand grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he developed a passion for art and design.

Despite lacking formal training in graphic design, he taught himself by studying European modernist movements like Bauhaus, Cubism, and Constructivism.

Big budgets don’t guarantee success. Creativity does.

In 1984, Jay Conrad Levinson taught small brands to think big with "guerrilla marketing."

Here’s how he transformed marketing forever:
Guerrilla marketing is all about using low-cost, high-impact strategies to capture attention.

Instead of relying on big budgets, the approach emphasizes creativity, innovation, and boldness.

This guy is the Yoda of branding.

Seth Godin cracked the code on why brands like Apple, Nike, and Starbucks became unforgettable.

Here’s how his ‘Purple Cow’ philosophy changed marketing forever: Seth Godin noticed a problem:

Most companies try to appeal to everyone—and end up being forgettable.

They’re like cows in a field.

You’ve seen cows before. Nothing new. You stop noticing them.