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Let's talk about: Neuromarketing (a.k.a. how sellers secretly win you over)

  • Writer: Gustė Gintautaitė
    Gustė Gintautaitė
  • Jun 18
  • 4 min read

Every day, you make tons of decisions - what to wear, what to eat, what to drink, what to buy. And most of the time, it feels like you’re in control. Like you are the one making the call. But what if that’s not always true? What if something as small as background music, the shape of a bottle, or a familiar logo is quietly affecting your decisions without you even noticing?


Neuromarketing is a mix of marketing and brain science. It looks at how things like emotions, memories, habits and even senses (like taste, sound or smell) affect what we buy or prefer. Big brands have been using neuromarketing for years. They know that people don’t always choose based on logic - they choose based on feelings. So instead of just trying to sell you a product, they sell you a feeling or a story - one that your brain is more likely to say “yes” to.


When Coke changed the recipe and the world flipped


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Back in 1985, Coca-Cola was losing market share to its biggest rival - Pepsi. So, they decided to do something bold - change their recipe. They tested the new version in blind taste tests with over 200,000 people and the results were clear - people loved the new Coke. The taste beat both the original formula and Pepsi.


Naturally, Coca-Cola felt confident launching the new recipe. If people said it tasted better, then it had to be a smart business move… right? Give people what they want. Simple as that. Right?


Well… not exactly.

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The launch of new Coke was met with absolute chaos. People weren’t just upset - they were angry. Protesters took to the streets, Coca-cola’s headquarters received 8,000 angry calls per day. People were panic buying all the OG coke still left on the shelves. Why did this happen, if everyone loved the new version in blind tests?


Coca-Cola forgot one thing: emotion. People weren’t just drinking Coke - they were drinking memories, childhood, tradition, and

comfort. The brand wasn’t just about taste - it was about heritage. For consumers, changing the recipe felt like erasing a part of their identity. Even if the new one tasted better, nobody wanted it.


So, after 79 days, Coca-Cola brought back the original drink, called it “Coca-Cola Classic,” and learned an expensive lesson: logic doesn’t always win - sometimes feelings do.


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But Coke vs. Pepsi wasn’t over... (will it ever be?)


Fast forward to 2004. A group of researchers decided to scan people’s brains as they drank either Coca-Cola or Pepsi. First, participants tasted both drinks blindly - more than half preferred Pepsi. Then they did the test again, but this time, they told people what they were drinking. And boom. Now 75% said they preferred Coca-Cola.


Even more interesting? Brain scans showed that the emotional, memory, and decision-making areas of the brain lit up when drinking Coke - but not when drinking Pepsi. So, even though the drinks are super similar, coca-cola triggers something extra. Not in your taste buds, but in your feelings. That’s the power of branding. It’s not about the product anymore - it’s about the story you believe. And that is neuromarketing in action.


So next time you are deciding which drink to pick, ask yourself - is it the taste, or the story behind it?

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Music, wine, and our subconscious


Think you're immune to your surroundings when shopping? Think again…

20 years ago, researchers ran an experiment: could music influence what kind of wine people buy?


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They tested this by playing only French music in the wine store one day and only German music the other. The result? When French music was on, people mostly bought French wine. When it switched to German, German wine became the top choice. In both cases, sales changed by an unbelievable 3 to 1 ratio.


But here’s the fun part - 90% of the customers said the music didn’t affect them at all.

That’s the fascinating part of neuromarketing. It works quietly. It’s not about ads screaming at you to "Buy Now!" - it’s about subtle nudges that feel invisible but make a difference. 



Netflix Knows Where You’ll Look... or Click


What if Netflix is actually choosing what you watch more than you are?

It all comes down to UX design. Netflix arranges shows and movies in a way your eyes naturally move - starting at the top left corner of the screen, moving to the right, then down. This is called the “F-pattern”, because that’s the shape your eyes make when scanning a screen.


By putting the best, most relevant stuff in those “hot zones,” Netflix increases the chances that you’ll click, keep watching and stay on the platform longer.


You think you’re choosing what to watch, but actually Netflix is the one showing you where to look and click, based on your scanning behaviour and viewing history.


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So… are we really in control?


As you may probably got it by now: our choices aren’t always as rational as we think.

Yes, most of us want to believe we make smart, logical decisions. But your brain isn’t a computer. It’s a mix of memories, emotions, habits, and feelings. Brands know this. And they use it to their advantage.


But here’s the fun part - now you know. So next time you pick a soda, buy a bottle of wine or binge a Netflix show, ask yourself: Is this really my choice… or did someone plant the idea in my head?





 
 
 

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