Brand messages and visuals have the ability to either encourage or discourage consumer behavior. When faced with several choices, consumers’ instinctual reactions can cause them to either identify with the option at hand or see it as an unfamiliar and non-essential item. The “psychological distance” they feel related to the product they’re interacting with can have a very real effect on engagement and ultimately consumer choice.  

For brands to utilize the learnings behind this neuroscience concept, it’s important to know the building blocks needed for a successful communications strategy. Reducing this psychological distance through smart brand communications is key to winning over consumers and creating deeper connections over time. 

With this goal in mind, Unilever and SKIM partnered together to create the “golden rules” of psychological distance, or a framework for attracting interest and attention through true connection.

 “In preparation for a haircare brand relaunch, it was vital to perfect  on-pack communications. Tapping into consumer psychology was a key element in our process of revitalizing our product claims. The SKIM approach helped us meaningfully connect with consumers and drive choice at the point-of-sale.

Sophia Moghadam
Hair Claims Expert, Unilever

Join our session at IIEX Behavior for a discussion on how Unilever approached this process and transformed the concept to revitalize their product claims. 

What you’ll learn: 

  • Learn about high and low psychological distance and how they impact consumer behavior  
  • How to trigger positive brand perception by applying the “Golden Rules” of reducing psychological distance  
  • Get inspiration from Unilever’s strategy to optimize product claims that exceed consumer needs  

Date: Wednesday, December 6, 2023 
Time: 12:10pm ET
Location: Virtual  

About the presenters 

Sophia Moghadam – Unilever 
Hair Claims Expert

Sophia began her career at Unilever, and has been working for the company for over 15 years, specialising in Haircare product claims for 8 of those years. Her main responsibility is leading the claims programme for Dove Haircare, one of Unilever’s billion-dollar hair brands. Her job is to translate technical and scientific insights into consumer relevant language and product winning claims, while honouring Dove’s Real Beauty philosophy. 

Nikki-Westoby

Nikki Westoby – SKIM 
Brand Communications Lead

Nikki Westoby is the Brand Communications Lead at SKIM, and also heads up the in-house Behavioural Science team. Starting out in academia, Nikki gained her PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience by investigating the subconscious influences that affect consumers’ conscious perception and evaluation of brands and communications. She since moved away from academia, but retained the passion for measuring and understanding the consumer responses to brand communcations that influence consumer decisions, and this has been the focus of her career ever since. For over 15 years, Nikki has been working to bring innovative technologies (neuro, AI) and thinking (psychological frameworks, behavioural science) to brands seeking to better connect with their customers.

About IIeX Behavior

We dive deep into the depths of consumer behavior and insight innovation, making sense of the complex biological, cognitive, and psychological factors that drive your audience’s actions. You’ll learn directly from the pioneers of innovative behavioral science tools and gain transformative insights from leaders who’ve leveraged non-conscious measurement and behavioral principles to create winning marketing campaigns and steer profitable business decisions.   

Can’t make it to IIEX Behavior, but want to know more? Reach out and we’ll be happy to connect you to one of our experts!