Cracking the Code on Brand Growth with Leslie Zane Ep 223 - The Global Discussion

Leslie Zane, the President and Founder of Triggers® Brand Consulting, TEDx Speaker, and author of The Power of Instinct, Joins Host Simon Hodgkins on The Global Discussion for an engaging conversation. Zane, a trailblazer in marketing and brand strategy, shared her insights on how businesses can harness the power of the unconscious mind to accelerate growth, build stronger brands, and drive real change. From Harvard Business School to Cracking the Code on Brand Growth

Leslie Zane’s journey started at Harvard Business School and continued through high-profile roles at industry giants like P&G. Along her journey, she noticed a critical gap: many businesses struggled to grow despite their marketing prowess. Realizing the need for a repeatable process for growth, she left the corporate world in 1995 to establish her own company, Triggers® Brand Consulting. Her mission was clear—to develop a scientific, reliable approach to brand growth that businesses of all sizes could apply. Over the last 30 years, Zane has cracked the code, and now, through her book, she aims to make these transformative techniques accessible to everyone. The Power of Instinct: A New Era of Marketing Zane’s book, The Power of Instinct, is a comprehensive guide that flips the traditional marketing script on its head. Rather than relying on persuasion and conventional tactics that appeal to the conscious mind—often with limited success—Zane encourages marketers to tap into the instinctive mind, which drives 95% of human decision-making. “Think of the conscious mind as the path of greatest resistance,” Zane explains. “The unconscious mind is the path of least resistance, and that’s where the power lies.” By leveraging cognitive shortcuts, Zane’s method enables brands to bypass the skepticism and rigidity of the conscious mind, creating an instinctual connection that drives faster, more effective results. The Brand Connectome: Building Strong, Instinctive Connections One of the most compelling concepts Zane introduced during the episode is the Brand Connectome. This unique model, trademarked by her firm, represents the cumulative memories and associations that a brand builds over time in the consumer’s mind. This network of connections ultimately dictates which products or services a consumer instinctively reaches for. Why Emotional Advertising Misses the Mark In a marketing landscape dominated by emotional advertising, Zane challenges the status quo. Leslie shares that emotions—while powerful in the moment—often fail to create lasting connections. Instead, she advocates for the use of memorable verbal and visual assets that become embedded in the consumer’s subconscious. AI, Neuroscience, and the Future of Marketing Zane also discussed the parallels between AI and the human brain, noting that AI’s ability to connect millions of dots in real time is similar to how the instinctive mind works. “The brain is a connection machine,” she says, emphasizing that AI and the brand connectome operate on the principle of making associations. By understanding these connections, brands can more effectively manage their growth and overcome obstacles. Follow The Global Discussion on LinkedIn, YouTube, Spotify, and more! Stay tuned for more inspiring stories from Creatives, Leaders, and Thinkers on The Global Discussion. Join the newsletter for updates on new episodes. Watch or listen to The Global Discussion Web: https://www.theglobaldiscussion.com⁠ Audio Podcast: ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Google⁠ | ⁠Apple⁠ Video Podcast: ⁠https://www.theglobaldiscussion.com⁠ YouTube: ⁠https://bit.ly/TGD-YouTube⁠ Follow us on LinkedIn/Social Media https://www.linkedin.com/company/theglobaldiscussion Others: X, Instagram, and Facebook