Jung von Matt/Limmat launches Bias-Based Creativity

Cognitive biases are thought patterns that we are all subject to without being aware of them. For example, in situations of uncertainty, we blindly copy the behavior of others (herding bias). This was the case in the spring of 2020, for example, when many people fell into a compulsion to hoard toilet paper and when the shelves of retailers were empty. Jung von Matt/Limmat uses these and more than 160 other scientific findings from behavioral research as an opportunity for more effective creation. This gave rise to the "Bias-Based Creativity" approach, in collaboration with Johanna Gollnhofer, Associate Professor of Digital Marketing at the University of St.Gallen.

Fresh perspectives from research 

Cognitive biases have a major influence on our daily decision-making behavior - not least as decision drivers in our role as consumers. "We know from research how strongly purchase decisions are determined by Cognitive Biases. To date, behavioral research has identified and scientifically studied more than 160 such Cognitive Biases," says Gollnhofer. Stefan Naef, Chief Consulting Officer of Jung von Matt/Limmat adds: "Thanks to the interface with research, we can optimally use the scientific findings as Behavioral Insights - they open up fresh perspectives on consumer behavior and thus create new opportunities for creative interactions between brands and their customers".

Creative offer with potential

"The targeted use of Cognitive Biases allows brands to realize even more effective communication," says René Schwarz, Chief Experience Officer at Jung von Matt/Limmat. The customer-centric offering opens up new profiling opportunities for brands in the market, as Stefan Naef points out: "There are some brands internationally that are successfully using Cognitive Biases, but there are still only a few in Switzerland. We see great potential for local brands to optimize their communication impact in a targeted way."

One Swiss company that already uses Cognitive Biases for marketing communication is the Zürcher Kantonalbank ZKB. Together with Jung von Matt/Limmat, ZKB optimized the campaign for the pillar 3a app "Frankly" with the help of Cognitive Biases. Monica Dreyer, Head of Marketing and Branding at ZKB, is convinced that cognitive biases can give brands clear competitive advantages: "With the intelligent use of cognitive biases, marketing measures become more concrete, more well-founded and therefore more efficient."

Focus on the entire marketing funnel

The Bias-Based Creativity approach, which was developed interdisciplinarily with experts from various disciplines from research and practice, encompasses several dimensions: Starting with the segmentation of target groups via Bias-Based Campaigning to Bias-Based Conversion, Cognitive Biases can be used in a targeted manner along the entire marketing funnel. "During the conceptual development, it became clear to all involved how comprehensive the possibilities of the Bias-Based Creativity approach are. Since cognitive biases play a fundamental role in conscious as well as unconscious decision-making processes, we can use them as behavior insights for a wide variety of creative challenges," states Christian Omlin, Strategist at Jung von Matt/Limmat and part of the project team.

Effectiveness thanks to selection and simulation

In view of the more than 160 cognitive biases, there is a wide playing field of possibilities for every brand challenge. This makes careful selection all the more essential. "There are a great many Cognitive Biases - which is why it is all the more important to first understand them thoroughly before you can apply them," says Matthias Fuchs, a doctoral student at the University of St. Gallen and part of the project team. To ensure the effectiveness of the selected biases, the Bias-Based Creativity offering includes comprehensive testing of different biases. This allows the greatest potential for success to be assessed at an early stage of the conception process and the creative approaches to be optimized on the basis of data. "In this way, we can guarantee the greatest possible customer centricity and accuracy of fit for the communication solutions," says René Schwarz.

Scientific description of the procedure with cognitive biases as download