A Sense of Place

Years ago, I recall a devout Christian describing her experience in the Holy Land, where she touched the stone on which the body of Jesus reputedly had been placed. She described getting dizzy and weak in the knees from the contact. I don't…

Study: Why Golfers Choke

The game of golf is more mental than most sports. Incredible size, strength, and speed aren't required, although obviously considerable athletic skill is needed to succeed. What's also necessary is the ability to control fine, precise…

The Brain on “Chilling” Music

In Audio Branding, I wrote about subtle uses of music to influence our behavior. Most of the uses of music for branding or sales enhancement are so subtle that listeners may not be consciously aware the music is even playing - it's…

Medical Marketing: Is That REAL Pain?

Robert Burton of Salon wrote an interesting piece that discusses both the field of prescription drug marketing and how fMRI brain scans have been used to show that pain is "real." Fibromyalgia is a condition in which patients seem to…

Convince with Confidence

Is it better to know your stuff, or act like you do? If you are in the business of convincing other people, whether as a consultant, salesperson, team member, or almost any other position that requires others to believe you, it pays to be…

Exercise, Weight Loss, & Your Brain

From both physicians and fitness gurus, the mantra for effective weight loss is the same: diet and exercise. And we've all had friends who gushed about starting a modest walking program, for example, and saw themselves drop unwanted…

HUMMER: All About Branding

Since it was announced that GM was selling the HUMMER brand to Chinese firm Tengzhong, I've followed the commentary on Twitter (I'm @rogerdooley) with interest. There were a few surprises. One was that there are a lot of mindless HUMMER…

Daydreaming Key to Creativity

When I want to solve a problem or come up with a creative idea, I usually sit down and think about it. This could be the wrong strategy, according to University of British Columbia psychology professor Kalina Christoff. The UBC prof is an…