Early in my marketing career, I kept running into the same paradox: the marketing campaigns that actually moved the needle led with emotion, yet most clients insisted on leading with facts—bullet points, technical specs, rational arguments.
That’s when I began looking for a better way to explain what I’d seen in the real world: people don’t act based on logic—they act based on instinct and feeling. I needed a model that was fast, sticky, and practical. Something that made the science of human behaviour easier to apply in branding, leadership, and communication.
That’s how I developed the Divided Brain metaphor.
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Imagine two interlocking gears: the fast, emotional Old Brain and the slower, rational New Brain. The Old Brain is large, always on, and designed to keep us alive. The New Brain is newer, smaller, and is responsible for handling logic, planning, and language. Together, they drive every thought, choice, and behaviour you make. But here’s the key: they don’t always agree.
The Old Brain reacts instantly, often before we’re even aware. It operates like an automatic transmission—quick, intuitive, and energy-efficient. The New Brain is more like a manual transmission. It can override instinct, but it takes effort. You have to slow down and consciously shift gears.
And most of the time, we don’t.
That’s why so many seemingly irrational behaviors make perfect sense once you understand which brain is in control. The Old Brain seizes; the New Brain explains.
This idea isn’t just a metaphor. It echoes decades of behavioral science:
Though the metaphor simplifies the brain’s incredible complexity, it captures a critical truth: decisions are made by two systems. And the fast one usually wins.
As a marketer, your job is to compete. Compete differently with The Blake Project.
In branding, that means we must speak to the Old Brain first. Trigger familiarity. Tell stories. Create emotional shortcuts. Because the New Brain won’t buy what the Old Brain doesn’t feel.
In my book The Divided Brain, you’ll learn how to speak to both gears—starting with emotion, then reinforcing with logic. That sequence is the difference between being heard and being remembered.
Contributed to Branding Strategy Insider by Paul Larche, Author of The Divided Brain
At The Blake Project, we help clients worldwide, in all stages of development, define and articulate what makes them competitive and valuable at pivotal moments of change. Please email us to learn how we can help you compete differently.
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