Here’s a thought that should make you squirm: some of the most powerful digital marketing strategies today didn’t come from Madison Avenue. They came from intelligence agencies.
Sounds extreme? Let’s unpack it.
From informants to Instagram: how surveillance went mainstream
In East Germany, the Stasi deployed one informant for every 63 citizens. Their goal? Total behavioral control. Through psychological pressure, disinformation, and relentless observation, they created a climate of paranoia that kept dissent in check.
Now replace “informant” with “tracker.” Replace “interrogation” with “personalized ad.” Replace dossiers with data lakes.
Today’s digital marketing doesn’t just observe behavior. It shapes it. In real time. At scale.
Data is collected from GPS signals, app permissions, browser history, social media interactions, even how long you dwell on a post. According to Statista, the average user generates over 1.7 MB of data per second in 2024. That’s not a footprint — it’s a surveillance trail.
Welcome to the algorithmic panopticon
Modern tech platforms are not neutral tools. They are instruments of behavioral design. Every notification, every autoplay, every infinite scroll is designed to guide your actions without your awareness.
Sound familiar? That’s not an accident.
China’s social credit system makes the logic explicit: digital behavior has consequences. Criticize the government? Your score drops. Miss a fine? You’re banned from booking flights. More than 23 million Chinese citizens were restricted from travel in 2018 alone due to their scores (BBC).
In the West, it’s subtler — but not gentler. The Cambridge Analytica scandal exposed how 87 million Facebook profiles were harvested to build psychometric models and deploy emotionally manipulative ads. Some researchers estimate this approach may have influenced up to 3% of swing voters in key states during the 2016 U.S. election.
Social engineering used to mean spy games. Now it means Instagram.
Fake news engineered to provoke outrage and drive virality.
Personalized ads so accurate they feel psychic.
Deep fakes that undermine trust in reality itself.
Take the 2020 “Plandemic” conspiracy video: shared over 8 million times within days before being banned. Or the deep fake of Zelensky urging Ukrainian troops to surrender — briefly aired on hacked news sites.
Modern marketing isn’t just persuasive. It’s performative psychology.
And the consequences are measurable: the MIT Media Lab found that fake news spreads 6x faster than real news on Twitter. Why? Because it’s emotionally engineered.
Skinner’s revenge: behaviorism goes digital
B.F. Skinner taught us that reward and punishment shape behavior. Silicon Valley took notes.
Duolingo punishes you with a broken streak.
Airlines reward you with miles.
Amazon nudges you with “based on your browsing.”
TikTok loops content until you forget you were watching.
Apps are now Skinner boxes. You are the lab rat. The cheese? Your own attention, recycled and sold.
In fact, Time Well Spent estimates that the average user checks their phone 96 times per day. That’s once every 10–12 minutes.
The result? A behavioral operating system optimized for revenue — not well-being.
The tools we built to connect, inform, and entertain have also become tools of subtle control. The difference is intent. And transparency. And consent.
Because manipulation without consent isn’t marketing. It’s coercion.
As marketers, designers, and technologists, we need to ask better questions:
Who benefits from this design?
What behavior are we shaping?
Is it in the user’s interest — or just the shareholder’s?
Examples of personalization by major tech companies.
The challenges and failures of personalization.
Critical opinions on why personalization might fail.
Negative implications of unethical personalization.
Practical tips to protect yourself from online tracking and unwanted personalization.
The Allure of Personalization
Sometimes you could receive an email that seems to have been written just for you, with product suggestions that perfectly match your tastes. Magical, right?
Well, not always.
Personalization in marketing promises to create tailored experiences that satisfy individual consumer preferences, increasing their satisfaction and loyalty.
But behind the magic, there are shadows we need to explore.
The Bright Side:
Engagement and Sales: According to McKinsey, companies excelling in personalization generate 40% more revenue than average (McKinsey & Company).
Customer Loyalty: 78% of consumers say that personalized communications make them more likely to repurchase (McKinsey & Company).
Before diving into specific examples, let’s set the stage for how some of the biggest players in the tech industry are leveraging personalization to enhance user experience and drive engagement. These companies use advanced algorithms and data analytics to tailor content, ads, and recommendations, creating a highly customized interaction for each user. While these strategies can significantly boost engagement and loyalty, they also raise important questions about privacy, data security, and ethical implications.
Here’s a closer look at how personalization is implemented by some major tech companies:
Amazon:Uses recommendation algorithms to suggest products based on purchase history and browsing behavior. This boosts sales and encourages impulsive purchases. Imagine browsing Amazon for a book, and suddenly, five more books that seem equally interesting pop up. Irresistible, right?
Netflix: Offers content recommendations based on past viewing preferences. If you’ve spent a whole week watching crime documentaries, don’t be surprised if Netflix suggests yet another thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This strategy keeps users glued to the screen, reducing subscription cancellations.
Google and Facebook: Personalize ads based on browsing data and online interactions. Have you ever noticed how a shoe ad magically appears after searching for “best running shoes” on Google? Coincidence? Absolutely not. It’s the power of personalization in action.
Spotify: Recommends music based on listening habits. If you’ve listened to “Bohemian Rhapsody” a hundred times, Spotify might suggest an entire classic rock playlist. This not only enhances user experience but also increases platform engagement and loyalty.
While personalization in marketing has its bright spots, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. The approach comes with numerous challenges that can compromise its effectiveness and create unintended consequences. Inaccurate or incomplete data can ruin the user experience and alienate customers, as seen with emails that incorrectly address recipients, showcasing personalization gone wrong. Additionally, the pressure to produce personalized content can overwhelm marketers, leading to lower quality and less effective marketing messages. In fact, 65% of marketers feel swamped by the need to generate enough content to support personalization efforts. Consumers also have high expectations for personalized interactions, with 71% expecting companiesto provide these experiences and 76% getting frustrated when their expectations are not met.
Privacy concerns add another layer of complexity, as consumers are increasingly worried about data misuse. The Cambridge Analytica scandal highlighted the massive loss of trust that can result from data privacy breaches. Implementing advanced personalization technologies can also be challenging and expensive, which many companies struggle to integrate effectively. These issues underscore that while personalization offers many potential benefits, it also brings significant challenges that businesses must navigate carefully to avoid its pitfalls.
Critical Opinions on Personalization
Several experts believe that personalization might be destined to fail for various reasons. One major issue is data quality: if the data used for personalization is inaccurate or incomplete, the entire strategy can fail. Additionally, the pressure to show quick results can lead to mistakes that damage the brand’s reputation and alienate consumers.
Another critical aspect is psychological manipulation: personalization can be used to create artificial needs and influence consumer purchasing decisions, often to their economic disadvantage.
Unethical personalization can have serious consequences that extend beyond immediate marketing gains. By using personalization to manipulate consumers into making unnecessary or harmful purchases, companies exploit consumer vulnerabilities and create psychological manipulation. This strategy can induce consumers to spend more through targeted offers that create a sense of urgency or artificial need, leading to significant economic impacts. Additionally, personalization can create social disparities and dependencies on certain products and services, increasing the influence of specific companies over consumer behavior. This raises ethical concerns about the broader social implications of such practices.
How to Do Personalization the Right Way
To implement effective and ethical personalization, companies should take several critical steps. First, they should use first-party and zero-party data, collecting information directly from consumers to ensure greater accuracy and transparency, thus avoiding data misuse (Ninetailed). Investing in the right technologies and training staff properly to manage personalization strategies is also crucial for success (McKinsey & Company). Lastly, maintaining an ethical approach is essential; companies must ensure that their personalization practices respect consumer privacy and are not manipulative, thereby building trust and long-term loyalty with their customers.
How to Protect Yourself from Online Tracking and Unwanted Personalization
For those who don’t want to be tracked or personalized, here are some practical tips:
Use Privacy-Focused Browsers: Browsers like Firefox, Brave, or DuckDuckGo offer advanced privacy features and block trackers.
Privacy Extensions: Install extensions like uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger, or Ghostery to block trackers and invasive ads.
Browser Privacy Settings: Configure your browser settings to block third-party cookies and regularly clear cookies and cache.
VPNs: Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to encrypt your internet traffic and hide your IP address.
Anonymous Search Engines: Use privacy-focused search engines like DuckDuckGo that don’t track user searches.
Social Media Privacy Settings: Adjust privacy settings on social media platforms to limit data sharing and control who can see your personal information.
Opt-Out of Ad Personalization: Many platforms allow you to opt-out of personalized ads in the privacy settings.
Wrap-Up
Personalization in marketing presents numerous challenges and risks, but with a responsible and transparent approach, companies can harness its potential without compromising consumer trust and integrity. The promise of personalization lies in its ability to create tailored experiences that resonate deeply with consumers, driving engagement and loyalty. However, this promise is fraught with pitfalls, from data inaccuracies and content overload to unrealistic consumer expectations and significant privacy concerns. Balancing these strategies with ethical considerations is essential to ensure these practices are sustainable and beneficial for all parties involved.
Businesses must strive to collect and use data ethically, respecting consumer privacy and avoiding manipulative tactics. Investing in the right technologies and training staff adequately to handle these advanced systems is crucial for the successful implementation of personalization strategies. Companies that focus on transparency and build trust with their consumers will likely see long-term loyalty and positive brand perception.
As we navigate the complexities of the digital marketing landscape, it is imperative to remember that ethical personalization is not just about boosting sales or engagement—it’s about fostering a respectful and trustworthy relationship with consumers. By prioritizing ethical considerations, companies can create a more inclusive and respectful marketing environment that benefits both businesses and consumers.
Between Slack pings, Instagram scrolls, LinkedIn carousels, and twenty open tabs that scream “just one more click,” it’s easy to feel like we’re drowning in design made to seduce us—fast.
Speed has become the default setting for everything digital. Quick reads. Snappy CTAs. UX patterns optimized not for meaning, but for momentum.
We don’t consume information anymore.
We skim, swipe, discard.
And we call it efficiency.
But what if we’ve confused urgency with value? What if slowing down was the real power move?
Design as dopamine trap
Let’s be honest.
Most digital design today is behavioral manipulation in a fancy outfit. Infinite scroll, autoplay, microinteractions tuned to your nervous system. Interfaces are built like casinos:
frictionless, irresistible, and forgettable.
We’ve optimized everything for the click — and almost nothing for the consequence.
You get faster feedback, faster bounce rates, and faster burnout. Good design should feel like a conversation.
Instead, it’s become a slot machine.
But a quiet revolution is coming.
Some brands are flipping the script. They’re rejecting speed as the main KPI and embracing a radical idea: Design that slows you down.
Not because it’s clunky. Not because it’s inefficient. But because it’s intentional.
Let’s take a look at some of the rebels:
Aesop — Their website is famously quiet, elegant, even contemplative. No sticky navbars. No auto-play. Just space to breathe. The layout invites reflection. It’s UX as ritual.
Kinfolk & The Gentlewoman — These editorial brands embrace friction. Long scrolls, slow fades, unexpected compositions. Their visual language resists skimming. The experience demands attention — and rewards it with intimacy.
Off-White (Virgil Abloh) — In fashion, Abloh was a master of embedding slowness into visual communication. Hidden layers, delayed reveals, texts within texts. He weaponized friction to make people stop. In an industry driven by trends, he created moments.
Amber Case and Calm Technology — Her work advocates for interfaces that stay in the background. Not every notification needs to buzz. Not every UI needs to glow. Calm tech respects attention as a scarce resource, not a commodity to mine.
VK (Russia’s Facebook) — In a bold UX experiment, VK made new users answer a few reflective questions during sign-up. Slower onboarding = higher retention. The friction filtered noise.
These aren’t accidents. They’re signals.
Slowness is not inefficiency. It’s a strategy.
Think about it: when did you last remember a lightning-fast experience? Now think of the ones that made you pause.
Memorability often lives in the resistance.
When everything is instant, delay becomes luxury. When everything is gamified, contemplation becomes rebellion.
When everyone wants your attention, the rarest brands are the ones who don’t beg for it.
The age of anti-anxiety design
Here’s the part nobody talks about:
☞ fast design is making us sick.
It accelerates decision fatigue. It erodes trust. It keeps us in constant pre-reaction mode.
Slow design isn’t just aesthetic. It’s psychological. It restores agency. It whispers instead of shouting.
It offers space instead of stimuli.
It doesn’t just ask “what do you want to do next?” It asks “why are you here?”
What this means for your brand, product, or message.
Don’t slow things down just for the sake of being quirky. But do ask:
Can I remove urgency from this interface?
Can I replace stimulus with substance?
Can I create depth without overwhelming?
Because here’s the real opportunity:
In a market saturated by seamlessness, friction becomes differentiation.
If your audience is drowning in notifications, maybe silence is your brand voice.
If your users are lost in speed, maybe clarity is your anchor.
If your competitors are sprinting, maybe walking is your edge.
Your move.
Design something that doesn’t rush.
Design something that feels like a conversation.
Design something that makes people stop — and maybe even stay.
Until next time, stay deliberate.
Alex
Want to design digital experiences that don’t just convert — but resonate?
At Kredo Marketing, we help brands build interfaces that are intentional, emotional, and unforgettable.
Let’s rethink the way your users interact with your brand.
Welcome to another edition of Business Hacks & Theories! If you enjoyed our last issue, “The Surprising Power of the Endowment Effect in Business,” get ready because this time we’re diving into a fascinating exploration of a very tangible asset in the business world:
physical beauty.
How much is beauty worth? What are the economic implications of being attractive? And, importantly, what are the social and moral considerations of this phenomenon?
Buckle up and let’s uncover the economics and ethics of attractiveness!
Imagine waking up one day to find that you’re suddenly considered incredibly beautiful. The world reacts differently: people are kinder, more attentive, and opportunities start to appear. But how much is this really worth in economic terms? What are the deeper social and moral implications? Let’s explore this complex issue through a detailed analysis.
The “Beauty Premium”: An Intangible Yet Tangible Asset
The “beauty premium” refers to the economic advantage that attractive individuals often enjoy. Research by economists like Daniel S. Hamermesh shows that attractive people can earn 10-15% more than their less attractive counterparts.
Let’s break this down.
Suppose the average annual salary is $50,000. With a beauty premium of 10%, this individual could earn an additional $5,000 per year. Over a 40-year career, with a 3% discount rate, this results in a Net Present Value (NPV) of around $114,702.59.
Career Opportunities and Promotions
Beyond salary, beauty can influence career trajectories. Attractive individuals often find it easier to secure jobs and promotions. Assuming promotions bring a 15% salary increase, three significant promotions in a career could add another $22,500 to lifetime earnings.
Salary increment per promotion=$50,000×0.15=$7,500
Companies use attractive people in advertising, exploiting the “halo effect,”where the attractiveness of a spokesperson influences the perception of the product.
For instance, an attractive influencer might boost sales by 10%, increasing annual revenues by $100,000 if total sales are $1,000,000.
Let’s see now what Halo Effect is.
Psychological Bias: The Halo Effect
The “halo effect” is a cognitive bias where our overall impression of a person influences our perceptions of their other attributes. Attractive individuals are often perceived as more competent, intelligent, and friendly, regardless of their actual abilities.
Analysis of the Halo Effect:
Hiring Decisions: Recruiters may unconsciously prefer attractive candidates, assuming they possess superior qualities.
Performance Evaluations: Supervisors might give higher ratings to attractive employees, skewing merit-based evaluations.
Daily Interactions: Positive perceptions can lead to better social and professional opportunities for attractive individuals.
The Economics of Beauty
The beauty industry is vast and diverse, encompassing a wide range of products and services that cater to different aspects of personal care and aesthetics. The demand for cosmetics, including makeup, skincare, and haircare products, is continuously growing. This growth is driven by constant innovation and the ever-evolving consumer desire for new trends and products.
Aesthetic treatments are also on the rise, with non-invasive procedures like Botox and fillers becoming increasingly popular. These treatments reflect a societal trend towards maintaining a youthful appearance without undergoing major surgery. Despite the costs and risks associated with plastic surgery, invasive procedures such as facelifts and liposuction continue to be in high demand. This highlights the lengths to which individuals are willing to go to achieve their desired look.
Moreover, there is a significant shift towards sustainable and organic beauty products. Consumer awareness and concerns about environmental impact are driving this trend, leading to a burgeoning market for eco-friendly and organic alternatives.
Economic and Social Costs
While the beauty industry is undeniably lucrative, it comes with substantial economic and social costs. One major issue is the financial pressure individuals feel to spend large amounts on beauty products and procedures in order to meet societal standards of attractiveness. This pressure can lead to significant personal expenditure and financial strain.
Additionally, the environmental impact of the beauty industry cannot be overlooked. The production and disposal of beauty products contribute to environmental degradation, posing a significant challenge to sustainability efforts.
Lastly, the relentless pursuit of beauty can have severe psychological consequences. Many individuals experience issues such as body dysmorphia and low self-esteem as a result of the constant societal emphasis on physical appearance. This psychological toll underscores the complex interplay between beauty, economics, and personal well-being.
Entrepreneurs Who Capitalized on Their Looks
Numerous individuals have capitalized on their looks to achieve remarkable business success. One notable example is George Clooney, who leveraged his good looks to become a highly successful actor, producer, and entrepreneur. Clooney’s charisma and charm helped him build a diverse career, and he ultimately sold his tequila company, Casamigos, for a staggering one billion dollars.
Similarly, Gisele Bündchen used her supermodel status to establish a thriving business empire in the fashion and beauty industries. Her iconic presence on the runway and in advertising campaigns has not only made her one of the highest-paid models in the world but also a savvy entrepreneur with successful ventures in skincare and lingerie.
Kim Kardashian is another prime example of someone who has turned her beauty and media presence into a multi-million-dollar business. Leveraging her massive social media following, she has launched successful lines of cosmetics, clothing, and more, solidifying her status as a formidable businesswoman.
David Beckham, the renowned footballer, has also utilized his looks and fame to secure lucrative endorsements and launch his own lines of fashion and grooming products. Beckham’s appeal and style have made him a global icon, allowing him to transition smoothly from sports to business with great success.
Wrap-up
Beauty has a tangible and significant economic value, influencing earnings, career opportunities, and consumer behavior. However, this reality creates inequalities and injustices based on a superficial trait, supported by psychological biases like the halo effect.
Addressing these injustices requires increased awareness and targeted interventions to ensure that everyone, regardless of physical appearance, has equal opportunities for success and economic recognition.
This includes fair hiring practices, merit-based performance evaluations, and education that promotes self-esteem and diversity.
Ultimately, while beauty can open doors and offer economic advantages, society must work to ensure that these doors are open to all, based on skills, abilities, and merit rather than physical characteristics.
Welcome back to another edition of Business Hacks & Theories! We hope you enjoyed our last issue, “Decoding the Cognitive Biases Hijacking Your Business Brain.”It was all about those sneaky little biases that can throw a wrench in your decision-making process. This time, we’re diving into something just as crucial:
how various industries are profiting off the increasing rates of depression in society.
Buckle up because we’re about to uncover some eye-opening truths!
What’s Inside This Issue?
Pharmaceutical Profits How Big Pharma markets antidepressants.
The Self-Help Boom The rise and controversies of the self-help industry.
Wellness Wonders or Blunders? Dietary supplements and their shaky scientific backing.
Tech and Therapy The digital age of mental health apps and online therapy.
Media Madness How movies, TV, and ads shape our mental health perceptions.
Social Media Traps The cycle of FOMO and targeted advertising.
Let’s Get Into It!
Pharmaceutical Profits: Big Pharma’s Big Wins
Alright, let’s kick things off with the pharmaceutical industry. Remember Prozac? Launched in 1987 by Eli Lilly, it was the first SSRI and revolutionized how we treat depression. Their marketing was genius, using emotive “before and after” images that painted a picture of transformation from sadness to joy. These ads appeared everywhere, from Family Circle to Good Housekeeping, helping Prozac become a billion-dollar blockbuster.
But here’s the kicker: many clinical trials for antidepressants have been criticized for being biased. Companies often highlight positive results while downplaying the negatives, giving us a skewed view of these drugs’ effectiveness and safety.
Prozac original ads
The Self-Help Boom: From Bestsellers to Bizarre
Now, let’s talk about the self-help industry—a billion-dollar behemoth. It’s all about selling books, courses, and seminars promising to change your life. Take James Arthur Ray, for instance. Known for his role in “The Secret,” he hosted a retreat that tragically resulted in three deaths. Or consider Napoleon Hill, whose book “Think and Grow Rich” sold millions despite allegations of fraud.
Then there’s Tony Robbins, the high-energy guru famous for his intense seminars. Critics argue that his methods can be emotionally manipulative, exploiting vulnerable people desperate for change. And don’t forget Jay Shetty, the former monk turned life coach, accused of plagiarizing content. Despite the controversies, these figures continue to thrive, selling hope in various formats.
Wellness Wonders or Blunders?: The Supplement Saga
The wellness market is booming with products like Raspberry Ketone and Ginkgo Biloba, marketed with grand promises but little scientific backing. These supplements claim to improve everything from memory to weight loss, but studies often don’t support these claims. For example, St. John’s Wort is touted for depression but can dangerously interact with other medications.
Raspberry Ketone is often promoted as a miracle weight loss supplement, but the science is not on its side. Most studies supporting its efficacy are either conducted on animals or are too limited to be conclusive. Yet, marketing tactics include celebrity endorsements and dramatic before-and-after photos to lure in desperate consumers (Mayo Clinic).
Ginkgo Biloba is sold as a memory enhancer. Despite its popularity, extensive research shows minimal benefit. Companies market this supplement using imagery of vibrant elderly individuals and claims of cognitive rejuvenation, tapping into the fears of aging and cognitive decline (Penn Medicine).
St. John’s Wort is another popular supplement, especially in Europe, for treating mild to moderate depression. However, its interaction with other medications can be dangerous.
Marketing often emphasizes its “natural” aspect, appealing to those wary of pharmaceuticals, but neglects to mention potential risks (Penn Medicine).
Melatonin is widely used for sleep disorders. While it may help with jet lag or shift work sleep disorder, its effectiveness for general insomnia is debatable. Nonetheless, ads depict peaceful sleep and stress-free mornings, appealing to the sleep-deprived masses (Penn Medicine).
Echinacea is marketed as a remedy for the common cold, yet scientific studies provide inconsistent results. Its appeal lies in its “natural” label and the promise of fewer sick days, capitalized on through catchy slogans and health influencer endorsements (Science-Based Medicine).
In the digital age, mental health apps like Calm and Headspace are all the rage. They offer meditation and mindfulness practices, promising relief from anxiety and depression. These apps have turned into billion-dollar businesses, leveraging emotional success stories and celebrity endorsements to attract users.
Calm, for instance, uses serene visuals and soothing voices from celebrities to promote its premium services. They promise a journey to a stress-free life, often ignoring that meditation alone might not suffice for serious mental health issues.
Similarly, Headspace markets itself with colorful animations and friendly tones, suggesting that a few minutes a day can significantly improve mental health. While these apps can be beneficial, they can also create unrealistic expectations about the ease and speed of mental health improvements.
Online therapy platforms like BetterHelp and Talkspace advertise themselves as convenient solutions for mental health issues. They promise therapy at your fingertips, often at lower costs than traditional therapy. However, the quality of care can vary, and these platforms have faced scrutiny over privacy concerns and the qualifications of their therapists.
Media Madness: Influencing Perceptions
Movies and TV shows often dramatize mental health issues, sometimes inaccurately. For instance, many shows and films dramatize mental health issues, influencing public perception but also perpetuating stereotypes. These portrayals boost viewership and profits but can negatively impact how society views mental illness.
For example, a popular show might depict a character with depression in a way that oversimplifies or glamorizes their struggles, potentially misleading viewers about the reality of living with such conditions. These dramatizations can create a skewed understanding of mental health, leading to stigma and misinformation (Resources To Recover).
Advertisements also play a significant role in shaping perceptions. For instance, beauty and fashion ads often feature models with perfect bodies, setting unrealistic standards. Brands like Victoria’s Secret use digitally altered images to sell their products, which can contribute to self-esteem issues and depression among consumers. These ads suggest that buying their products will lead to happiness and social acceptance, exploiting insecurities for profit (Verywell Mind).
Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok are designed to keep users engaged as long as possible. They create a cycle of dependency, where users are continuously exposed to content that evokes envy and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). This can worsen depressive symptoms, as users constantly compare their lives to the seemingly perfect ones they see online.
Instagram, for example, uses algorithms to show users posts that are likely to generate engagement, often highlighting content that triggers strong emotional responses. This can lead to a distorted view of reality, where users believe everyone else is happier and more successful (Verywell Mind) (Child Mind Institute).
Facebook employs similar tactics, with notifications and targeted content that draw users back to the platform. These strategies increase the time users spend online, exposing them to more ads. These ads are highly targeted, using data on users’ emotional states and behaviors to push products that promise to improve mental health. This can exploit users’ vulnerabilities, encouraging them to buy products they might not need (Mudita Products) (Frontiers).
Wrapping Up
The way depression and mental health struggles are exploited across various industries is both complex and concerning. From pharmaceutical companies to the booming self-help market, the drive for profit often overshadows genuine care for individuals’ well-being.
Pharmaceutical Companies: These giants leverage extensive marketing campaigns and selective clinical trials to promote antidepressants. The portrayal of a quick fix through medication often hides the nuanced reality of treating mental health conditions, sometimes leading to dependency or overlooking alternative therapies.
Self-Help Industry: This sector thrives on promises of personal transformation and quick fixes. High-profile figures like James Arthur Ray, Napoleon Hill, Tony Robbins, and Jay Shetty have built empires by selling hope. However, the controversies and tragic outcomes associated with some of their methods highlight the need for a critical approach to self-help solutions.
Wellness Products: The supplement industry taps into the desire for natural remedies but often markets products with dubious scientific backing. The emphasis on naturalness and quick benefits can lead consumers to overlook potential risks and side effects.
Digital Mental Health Solutions: Apps and online therapy platforms offer accessibility and convenience but come with their own set of challenges. While they can be beneficial, they sometimes create unrealistic expectations about mental health improvements and raise concerns about privacy and the quality of care.
Media and Advertising: Movies, TV shows, and advertisements shape our perceptions of mental health, often in ways that are not accurate or helpful. They can perpetuate stereotypes and unrealistic standards, contributing to stigma and misinformed public opinions.
Social Media: Platforms like Instagram and Facebook exploit emotional vulnerabilities through targeted advertising and algorithms designed to keep users engaged. This can exacerbate feelings of inadequacy and depression, creating a cycle of dependency and constant comparison.
As consumers, it’s crucial to approach these products and services with a critical eye. Awareness and education are key to navigating the complex landscape of mental health marketing. By understanding these dynamics, we can make more informed choices and advocate for ethical practices in how mental health is portrayed and treated.
This is our 100th edition of Business Hacks & Theories, and I just want to say:
Thank you. ❤️
Over the past months, we’ve explored the weird, the brilliant, the broken, and the beautiful corners of marketing, branding, economics, and behavior.
We’ve dissected logo psychology, algorithmic traps, chaos packaging, and branding in VR. This space has grown into a place for critical thought, honest analysis, and a touch of provocation. And today, we’re doing all of that—but with scalpel precision. Because this is no ordinary topic.
To mark this milestone, we’re diving into Extreme Rebranding—not a color palette update or a typeface refresh, but the kind of radical brand transformation that alters a company’s DNA.
The Theory Behind the Transformation
Extreme rebranding isn’t about chasing trends—it’s about restoring narrative control. It emerges when a brand’s existing identity is no longer compatible with its environment, its audience, or its ambitions. This level of change is a strategic decision rooted in semiotics, behavioral economics, and corporate survival instinct.
At its core, a brand exists to signify consistency, trust, and differentiation. But when that meaning collapses—due to cultural shifts, technological disruption, or reputational decay—the semiotic value of the brand turns against itself.
The old signs become liabilities.
Extreme rebranding becomes the only viable form of detox.
It has to work on three levels:
Symbolic: the brand must communicate rupture, signaling that something fundamental has changed.
Operational: the internal practices and business strategy must evolve in sync.
Emotional: the audience must be brought into the new narrative in a way that feels meaningful, not manipulative.
In that sense, rebranding at this scale is more akin to identity therapy than graphic design. And every brand that survives it does so by confronting a central tension:
continuity vs. reinvention.
The case studies that follow are not the story. They are the evidence. Each one shows how theory translates into execution—and what happens when the execution hits (or misses) the mark.
Burberry – From Gangwear to Global Luxury
Burberry’s transformation is a masterclass in reclaiming cultural capital.
By the early 2000s, the brand’s iconic check pattern had become associated not with British elegance but with counterfeit markets and football violence.
The brand wasn’t just outdated—it had become stigmatized.
The leadership duo of Ahrendts and Bailey didn’t simply refresh the aesthetic. They pulled off a full semiotic reboot: digitally native campaigns, streamlined product architecture, runway credibility, and above all, narrative clarity.
The brand told a new story—about British design, digital luxury, and modern heritage.
This case illustrates how effective rebranding requires coherence between symbol (visual), strategy (distribution and pricing), and story (heritage reimagined for now).
Dunkin’ – Cutting the Donuts, Sharpening the Focus
When Dunkin’ dropped “Donuts” from its name, it was signaling something deeper: a strategic repositioning away from legacy product definitions and toward lifestyle utility. In economic terms, Dunkin’ stopped defining its category as a “donut chain” and embraced its place in the $80B global coffee economy.
The rebrand worked because it aligned with consumer behavior and market data. Coffee was the high-frequency, high-margin product.
Everything—from store design to app UX—reinforced the new identity: fast, efficient, caffeinated.
What this shows: a successful extreme rebrand doesn’t just change the name—it changes the value equation.
Old Spice – Absurdity as a Strategic Weapon
Old Spice’s reinvention under Wieden+Kennedyis one of the boldest cases of brand surrealism deployed for market gain.
The process began with a fundamental assessment: the brand was irrelevant to younger audiences and stuck in a cycle of nostalgic inertia. Axe had cornered the youth market with provocative edge, while Old Spice sat dusty on the shelf.
The rebranding was conducted in carefully orchestrated phases. First, the agency identified the need to completely reverse the tone. Instead of mimicking the hyper-sexual tone of Axe, they leaned into absurdity, irony, and unexpected self-awareness. The now-legendary campaign “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” wasn’t just an ad—it was a thesis statement.
Next came execution across media: video ads, social interaction, and product naming followed the same exaggerated, playful language. Each point of contact reinforced the shift. Then came product line expansion and packaging redesign, which broke from traditional masculinity tropes and embraced bold color, clean vector graphics, and irreverent names.
Internally, the brand voice was recalibrated to allow creative freedom while staying within a surrealist narrative. The key to success? Consistency in the chaos.
Audiences not only accepted the shift—they celebrated it.
Old Spice didn’t just refresh its look. It reprogrammed its semiotics. It taught its audience how to interpret it anew. That’s not just a rebrand—it’s cultural sleight of hand with a sales boost.
Pfizer – Rebuilding Trust After Global Spotlight
Pfizer didn’t choose to rebrand—it was forced to. The pandemic made it a protagonist, and with attention came scrutiny. The company had to shift from industrial anonymity to public trust.
The challenge wasn’t just visual—it was philosophical.
The new branding, with its DNA-helix symbol and fluid identity system, signaled a repositioning: from corporate pharmaceutical to mission-driven biotech innovator.
The tone softened. The story changed from “we make drugs” to “we unlock breakthroughs.”
Here, the rebrand became an act of reputation recontextualization—using visual cues and narrative pivots to change not just perception, but public expectation.
Rebranding Is a Systemic Intervention
Extreme rebranding isn’t a project.
It’s a systemic intervention. It forces every function—from HR to product to comms—to align around a new organizing idea. Without that alignment, the rebrand is hollow.
What the best rebrands teach us is that branding is not the cherry on top of strategy.
It is strategy—visualized, embodied, and deployed.
So if you’re considering a rebrand, ask yourself: Are you repainting the walls—or rethinking the foundation?
Thanks for staying with me for 100 chapters of this wild marketing journey.
Here’s to the next 100.
Until next time, stay iconic.
Alex
🔥 Thinking about a rebrand? At Kredo Marketing, we help brands evolve with clarity and depth.
Today, every click, swipe, and search you make is tracked, analyzed, and monetized. But at what cost? In this edition of “Business Hacks & Theories,” we dive into the murky waters of “surveillance capitalism”—a phenomenon that turns your privacy into a product and your daily life into a goldmine of data
The term “surveillance capitalism” might sound like something out of a dystopian novel, but it’s very real. Coined by Shoshana Zuboff in her 2019 book “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism,” it describes an economic system built on the extraction and commodification of personal data.
Definition and Mechanisms
Surveillance capitalism hinges on the collection of detailed behavioral data, which is then transformed into predictive products. These products are sold in behavioral futures markets for profit. What sets this apart is that the data isn’t just used to improve services—it’s used to predict and influence your behavior.
This all started in the early 2000s when Google rolled out AdWords, using search data to target ads. The idea caught on quickly. Facebook, Amazon, and others saw the potential to turn personal data into big bucks. Today, your online activity fuels a massive industry dedicated to knowing what you’ll do next.
While it might seem harmless—after all, who doesn’t want personalized ads?—the implications are far-reaching. Companies can predict and manipulate behavior at an unprecedented scale, raising serious concerns about privacy, security, and ethics.
IoT and the Ubiquity of Data Collection
Enter the Internet of Things (IoT), a network of smart devices that monitor everything from your sleep patterns to your driving habits. By 2025, we’re looking at over 75 billion IoT devices worldwide, generating a staggering amount of data.
Some use cases—>
Amazon: Take Alexa, Amazon’s voice assistant. It records everything from your music tastes to your shopping habits. In 2020, Amazon made over $21 billion from cloud services and ads, thanks largely to data from IoT devices.
Google: Google’s Nest thermostats don’t just regulate your home’s temperature; they track your energy use and even your movements at home.
Data Extortion Strategies
Big tech has perfected the art of data extortion. They lure you in with free services, then harvest your data like farmers in a digital field. Most of the time, users have no clue what they’re really giving away. Let’s dig deeper into how these companies get their hands on your data and turn it into gold.
◼️ Freemium Models
One of the most common strategies is the freemium model. Apps and services are offered for free with basic functionalities, but to unlock premium features, users often need to provide more personal information or agree to broader data sharing terms.
◼️Hidden Data Collection
Many apps collect data that is not necessary for their core functionality. For example, a simple flashlight app might request access to your contacts, location, and even your microphone. This excessive data collection is often hidden in lengthy and complex terms of service agreements that users rarely read.
◼️Social Engineering
Tech companies also use social engineering tactics to encourage data sharing. Features like social media quizzes, “login with Facebook” options, and friend-finding services entice users to share more personal information. These features make it convenient to connect with others but also serve as a data-gathering tool.
◼️Continuous Monitoring
Devices and services are designed to collect data continuously. For instance, smart home devices like Amazon Echo and Google Home are always listening for their wake word, but they also capture a lot of incidental audio data. Fitness trackers and smartwatches constantly monitor your health metrics, which can be sold to third parties, including insurance companies.
Data Integration
Companies like Google and Facebook don’t just collect data from their own platforms; they integrate data from multiple sources. By combining data from social media, search history, email, and third-party apps, they create comprehensive profiles that are incredibly valuable for targeted advertising.
Consent Through Design
Often, consent is obtained through design choices that nudge users towards agreeing to data sharing. For example, privacy settings might be buried deep in menus, or the default options might favor data collection. These design choices make it easy for users to unknowingly consent to extensive data sharing.
Some cases—>
Facebook: Remember the Cambridge Analytica scandal? Millions of users had their data mined without explicit consent, all to sway political elections. This fiasco cost Facebook a $5 billion fine from the FTC in 2019.
Free Apps: Ever wonder why some apps are free? They collect your contacts, location, and activity data, then sell it to the highest bidder. For example, many weather apps have been found to share location data with advertisers.
Loyalty Programs: Retailers use loyalty programs to collect purchase data. Every time you scan your loyalty card, companies gather information on your buying habits, which they use to target you with personalized ads and promotions.
These strategies highlight how pervasive and sophisticated data collection methods have become. While users enjoy the benefits of personalized services and free apps, they often pay with their privacy, feeding a vast ecosystem of data exploitation that drives the profits of tech giants.
Surveillance capitalism doesn’t just invade your privacy; it can also deepen social inequalities. Algorithms used for loan approvals or job screenings can perpetuate biases, leaving some people unfairly excluded.
Predatory Lending: Some financial companies use your data to find and exploit vulnerable individuals with high-interest loans.
Employment Screening: Recruitment algorithms might filter out candidates based on biased data, perpetuating existing inequalities.
Regulation and Resistance
Regulations like the GDPR in Europe aim to curb the excesses of data exploitation by enforcing strict consent and transparency rules. But tech giants, with their global reach, often find ways to sidestep these regulations.
Some examples –>
GDPR: Since 2018, GDPR has slapped several companies with hefty fines for data breaches, including a €50 million penalty for Google in 2019.
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA): This 2020 law gives Californians rights similar to GDPR, promoting greater data transparency and control.
Astronomical Profits
The data economy has exploded in recent years. Giants like Google, Facebook, and Amazon have built empires on the back of data collection and analysis.
Google: In 2021, Alphabet (Google’s parent company) pulled in over $257 billion, mostly from digital advertising.
Facebook: Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook) raked in $117.9 billion in 2021, primarily through personalized ads.
Amazon: Amazon Web Services, fueled by user data, contributed over $62 billion to the company’s annual revenue in 2021.
Techniques to Avoid Being Tracked
To protect your privacy, you need to be proactive. Here are some tools and strategies to help you stay under the radar.
Strategies and Tools:
VPN (Virtual Private Network): Encrypts your internet traffic, masking your location and activity.
Secure Browsers: Use privacy-focused browsers like Firefox or Brave, which block trackers.
Ad Blockers: Extensions like uBlock Origin can block ads and trackers.
Digital Awareness: Be mindful of the services you use and limit your exposure on social media.
Surveillance capitalism makes us rethink the value of privacy in the digital age. As technology evolves, we must balance innovation with individual rights, ensuring progress doesn’t come at the cost of dignity and freedom.
Surveillance capitalism represents a seismic shift in how economic value is created and extracted. By monetizing personal data, companies have unlocked new revenue streams, but at substantial ethical and societal costs. The commodification of personal information has sparked a crucial debate about the limits of technological advancement and the need for robust regulatory frameworks to protect individual privacy.
As consumers, we need to be vigilant and proactive about protecting our data. Understanding the mechanisms and implications of surveillance capitalism can empower us to make informed choices about the services we use and the information we share. At the same time, policymakers must enact and enforce regulations that safeguard privacy and promote transparency in data practices.
The future of surveillance capitalism hinges on our collective ability to navigate the complexities of the digital economy while upholding fairness, equity, and respect for individual rights. By fostering a culture of digital literacy and ethical responsibility, we can harness technology’s benefits without compromising our fundamental values.
As Digital Marketer and owner of Kredo Marketing keting, I’m knee-deep in data-driven strategies. But I draw a hard line at unethical data use. Our agency transparency, consent, and ethical practices in every campaign. Data should enhance user experience and add value, not exploit or manipulate. It’s high time the marketing industry adopts ethical standards that respect privacy and build trust.
Welcome back to “Business Hacks & Theories,” my newsletter where we dive into the tactics and strategies that shape our digital world. This is my fourth article, and today, we’re tackling a topic that’s as important as it is unsettling:
the manipulative marketing tactics of far-right extremist groups.
The Sylt Incident
In the picturesque setting of Sylt, a recent event has cast a dark shadow over this idyllic German island. A viral video emerged, showing young neo-Nazis singing racist songs and performing Nazi salutes at a club.
This incident sparked widespread outrage on social media and revealed how these groups harness modern digital tools to spread their pernicious messages. But this isn’t an isolated case; it’s part of a broader strategy that uses digital marketing techniques for harmful purposes.
A Deeper Dive into Digital Marketing Tactics
Far-right extremist groups across Europe have become adept at using digital marketing strategies to disseminate their ideologies and recruit new members. Their methods are disturbingly effective, blending traditional marketing tactics with modern digital tools to maximize their reach and impact.
Social Media: The Echo Chamber Effect
Social media platforms are the frontline in the battle for hearts and minds. Far-right groups create engaging content designed to be shared widely, often leveraging the power of hashtags to increase their visibility. The video from Sylt is a prime example of this tactic, using the virality of social media to spread their message far and wide. By tapping into trending topics and inserting their content into broader conversations, these groups ensure that their messages reach beyond their immediate followers.
Example:
Hashtag Campaigns: Far-right groups in Europe use hashtags like #GreatReplacement, which refer to conspiracy theories about demographic changes, to connect their content with broader conversations about race and identity, amplifying their reach.
Content Creation: The Power of Memes and Videos
Memes and videos are potent tools in the far-right’s arsenal. They distill complex ideologies into easily digestible and shareable content. Memes, in particular, use humor or irony to mask the underlying hateful messages, making them more palatable and likely to be shared by unsuspecting users.
Example:
Racist Memes: In Italy, the far-right group CasaPound has used memes to spread their message subtly. A meme might show a peaceful Italian village juxtaposed with misleading crime statistics about immigrants, subtly promoting xenophobic ideas.
Influencer Marketing: Leveraging Popularity
Influencer marketing is another tactic borrowed from the corporate world. Far-right groups collaborate with online personalities who, knowingly or unknowingly, spread their ideology. These influencers might share content that aligns with far-right views, thus exposing their large followings to extremist ideas.
Some prominent far-right YouTubers in Europe include:
Paul Joseph Watson: Known for his anti-immigration and anti-Islam content.
Lauren Southern: A Canadian alt-right activist with a strong presence in Europe.
Martin Sellner: Leader of Generation Identity, known for his anti-immigration stance.
X Influencers:
Katie Hopkins: A British media personality known for her provocative and far-right tweets.
Tommy Robinson: Founder of the English Defence League, frequently tweeting anti-Islam content.
Gavin McInnes: Co-founder of Vice Media and founder of the Proud Boys, known for his far-right views and controversial statements.
Algorithm Manipulation: Gaming the System
Far-right groups are skilled at manipulating social media algorithms to ensure their content gets maximum exposure. By coordinating likes, shares, and comments, they can trick algorithms into promoting their content more widely. This technique, known as algorithm gaming, boosts the visibility of their posts, reaching users who might not actively seek out such content.
Coordinated Engagement: Members of far-right groups might like and comment on each other’s posts in a coordinated effort to boost engagement metrics, tricking algorithms into promoting their content more broadly.
Exploiting Online Communities: Targeting the Vulnerable
Online communities, such as forums, chat rooms, and gaming platforms, are fertile ground for recruitment. Far-right groups infiltrate these spaces, targeting young, impressionable individuals who might feel alienated or disenfranchised. By presenting their ideology as a solution to these feelings of alienation, they can attract recruits looking for a sense of belonging.
Gaming Platforms: Far-right groups have been known to infiltrate gaming communities, where they can engage with young people and subtly introduce extremist ideologies.
Crowdfunding and Merchandising: Financing Hate
Crowdfunding platforms are used by far-right groups to raise money for their activities. They appeal to supporters for donations to fund events, legal defenses, or propaganda campaigns. Additionally, they sell merchandise like clothing and accessories emblazoned with far-right symbols, turning supporters into walking advertisements for their cause.
Merchandise Sales: Far-right groups in France, like Génération Identitaire, sell items such as T-shirts, hats, and stickers with their symbols, spreading their message and generating funds.
Conclusion
The tactics used by far-right extremist groups to market their ideology are both sophisticated and deeply manipulative. By understanding these methods, we can better develop strategies to counteract their influence and protect vulnerable individuals from being drawn into these dangerous movements. Increased awareness and proactive measures from both users and platform providers are essential in combating the spread of extremist content online.
By providing real examples of how far-right groups use digital marketing tactics, I hope to shed light on the seriousness of this issue and encourage proactive measures to counteract their influence.
