In a world where financial uncertainty and spending difficulty are increasing, System 2 thinking becomes more prominent.
A hugely popular and influential theory in behavioural economics, System 1 and System 2 describe the opposing ways we think:
- System 1 – subconscious, instant, intuitive and emotional.
- System 2 – slower, rational, logical and evaluative.
System 1 thinking: how advertisers connect to us
We rely far more on System 1 thinking than we may realise, enabling us to cope with the many thousands of micro-decisions we need to make in our daily lives.
Marketers have long taken advantage of this; often the most impactful and successful campaigns are those that use emotion to tap into our intuitive thought processes via implicit associations.
System 1 processes are often maintained for a long time and can even become distinctive assets for a brand or product (John Lewis does this well every Christmas; leveraging sentimentality and Christmas spirit so their festive advertising has become a staple of the season).
System 2 thinking: the dark horse of brand communications?
Recent insights from Savanta’s Consumer Compass and Omnibus surveys suggest that System 2 thinking should be increasingly considered in marketing campaigns.
Our Consumer Confidence Index has seen its lowest-ever scores in the past 12 months, and Q1 2023 sees a record high for people claiming they are feeling financially ‘squeezed’. Moreover, our Omnibus shows that 73% of UK consumers are ‘becoming more considered, and thinking more about how they spend their money’.
In a world where financial uncertainty and spending difficulty are increasing, System 2 thinking becomes more prominent.
A balancing act for effective communication
There will always be a (significant) need to attend to System 1 thinking; it’s the dominant way we make decisions and is where vital subconscious emotional connections are made.
But it may now be the case that System 1 alone, and its subtle nudges to influence consumers, may not be enough.
Supplementing a System 1 approach with System 2 content (details, facts and an overt call to action) will enable consumers to confidently make informed and rational decisions.
This combination will future-proof your campaigns against increasingly challenging market conditions.
What approach should your brand apply? To learn more about how research can future-proof your campaigns, get in touch with us by emailing: [email protected]
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