Psychology Hacks of the World's Best Advertisers - Rory Sutherland

Chris Donnelly Podcast August 29, 2025
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Chris Donnelly Podcast

@chrisdonnellypodcast

About

Over the past two seasons, I’ve met some incredible people and had a great run.
 But I’m in a different chapter now and putting everything into building Searchable.com Right now, I’m learning so much, having great conversations with entrepreneurs and testing new strategies every day. I want to share these practical lessons, as well as everything I've learnt over the last 16 years, directly with other founders.
 If that sounds like you, check out my new channel @ChrisDonnellyBusiness for weekly uploads on how to build and scale businesses. If not, enjoy the archive of great conversations here.

Video Description

Ever wondered why your perfectly logical idea still flops? Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman of Ogilvy, thinks logic is the real enemy of innovation. In this episode, Rory dismantles everything you thought you knew about business, branding, and consumer behaviour. From pricing psychology to irrational decision-making, he shows why people don’t buy what's logical, they buy what feels right. And if you’re a founder, marketer, or builder of any kind, this episode is your blueprint for thinking differently. Here’s what we cover: • Why logic kills creativity in business • The psychological levers that actually drive sales • Why branding is about perception, not performance • What most startups get wrong about value But this isn’t just theory. Rory also talks about: • The danger of over - optimisation • Why data can’t explain human behaviour • How real innovation happens outside the spreadsheet If you want to build a brand that people fall in love with, not just tolerate, this is the episode to watch. Sign up to Revolut Business at https://www.revolut.com/rb/wakeup and add money to your account before September 14th, 2025, to receive a £200 / $200 welcome bonus. Subscription fees and T&Cs apply. Available for new Business customers in the UK and US. US Customers: Revolut is not a bank. Banking services are provided by Lead Bank, Member FDIC. The Revolut USA Prepaid Visa and Prepaid Mastercard are issued by Lead Bank pursuant to licensing by Visa(c) U.S.A. Inc. and Mastercard International for Mastercard cards. Your funds are FDIC insured up to $250,000 through Lead Bank, Member FDIC. See https://www.revolut.com/en-US/ for more details. 00:00 Introduction 03:04 Fat-Tailed Marketing 05:40 Blockbuster Not Buying Netflix 11:35 Reverse Benchmarking 20:40 Business Idea: Car Rental Company 26:30 How to Think Non-Rationally 36:30 Reframing the Value of Something Psychologically 39:00 Perception vs Value 43:00 Success of Family-Run Business (Buckies) 49:00 Jaguar Marketing 53:20 Why People HATE Innovation and New Inventions 1:03:40 Why Is Marketing Doomed? 1:10:30 Heathrow Pod 1:23:45 Best Marketing Ever 1:25:50 How Marketing Is Changing with AI 1:32:00 Think Like a Cop 1:38:00 How Increasing Your Price Can Make You More Money 1:45:00 How to Find the Best House 1:54:05 How Are Older People Going to Deal with AI? 1:56:50 Why Millionaires Are Leaving the UK 2:01:30 Why the Tax System Is F*cked for Young People Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/ Follow Rory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorysutherland/?originalSubdomain=uk

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