They’re In Your Head | The Psychology of Ads

In this episode of Troublemakers, we explore how advertising isn’t just about selling products — it’s about influencing how we think, feel, and act, often without us even noticing.

From the moment we wake up, we’re exposed to over 5,000 brand messages a day. Each one is carefully designed to capture our attention, trigger emotions, and get stored in our memory — so that when it’s time to buy, one brand pops up first.

We break down the psychological techniques advertisers use to get inside our heads:

• Classical Conditioning: Repeatedly pairing a brand with a positive emotion so we associate the two unconsciously.

• FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): Creating urgency with phrases like “Only a few left!” to push us into acting fast.

• Misattribution of Arousal: Making us feel something from the ad (excitement, inspiration), then tricking our brains into linking that emotion to the brand.

• Social Proof: Using reviews, ratings, and popularity to make a product seem trustworthy.

• Scarcity & Loss Aversion: Framing things as “limited time only” or “don’t miss out” because we’re more afraid of losing than we are excited about gaining.

• Self-Concept: Positioning the brand as a reflection of who we are — or who we want to be.

We also explain how ads capture our attention in a split second, using bold visuals, color psychology, and personal relevance — and how emotion, more than logic, is what makes an ad stick.

To bring it all together, we highlight iconic campaigns that mastered these techniques:

• Apple – “Think Different”: Framed creativity and rebellion as part of the Apple identity.

• Volkswagen – “Think Small”: Broke the norm by embracing honesty, simplicity, and minimalism.

• Nike – “Just Do It”: Spoke directly to personal ambition and identity.

• Old Spice – “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”: Used humor, surprise, and smart targeting to flip the industry on its head.

Ads aren’t just trying to get us to buy. They’re shaping what we remember, how we feel, and what we believe we need.
By understanding how the psychology works, we can become more aware, more intentional — and a lot harder to manipulate.

💡 Takeaway:

Ads aren’t just trying to get us to buy. They’re shaping what we remember, how we feel, and what we believe we need.
By understanding how the psychology works, we can become more aware, more intentional — and a lot harder to manipulate.