161: Adam Ferrier on why listening to your customers can be bad for your brand

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This week we have been exclusively watching 'Magic Mike', shaking a Magic 8-Ball and listening to '24k Magic' by Bruno Mars (which is just awful) in order to win the slightly nervous attention of Adam Ferrier, founder of Thinkerbell; the thinkers, tinkers and practitioners of ‘measured magic’.
A psychology brain sat on top of some sturdy strategy bones, Adam is a rare voice of reason in the largely barmy brand world – as well as being the chief sceptic when it comes to the industry obsession with ‘the customer’. He’s also the author of more superb books, including ‘The Advertising effect: How to Change Behaviour’ and supplements all this talk-talking with some serious walk-walking through his work that brings marketing science and creative thinking together.
In this episode Adam shares his expertise on brands who forget how to be brands, why every business problem is a behaviour change problem and the forgotten benefits of simply fitting in.
This episode is very proudly dedicated to Anne Young.
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Timestamps

09:16 - The impact of D&AD annuals on Adam's career choice
11:19 - Transition from forensic psychology to marketing
16:12 - The perils of customer obsession
22:57 - Balancing brand and customer needs
25:11 - The importance of consumer research
Adam’s Book Recommendations are:

Stop Listening to Your Customers by Adam Ferrier:
The Advertising Effect: How to Change Behaviour by Adam Ferrier:
Love's Executioner and Other Tales of Psychotherapy by Irvin Yalom:
Existential Psychotherapy by Irvin Yalom:
Here and Now: Tales from the Heart by Irvin Yalom:
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