Brandwashed Audiobook By Martin Lindstrom cover art

Brandwashed

Tricks Companies Use to Manipulate Our Minds and Persuade Us to Buy

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Brandwashed

By: Martin Lindstrom
Narrated by: Dan Woren
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From the bestselling author of Buyology comes a shocking insider’s look at how today’s global giants conspire to obscure the truth and manipulate our minds, all in service of persuading us to buy.

Marketing visionary Martin Lindstrom has been on the front lines of the branding wars for over twenty years. Here, he turns the spotlight on his own industry, drawing on all he has witnessed behind closed doors, exposing for the first time the full extent of the psychological tricks and traps that companies devise to win our hard-earned dollars.

Picking up from where Vance Packard's bestselling classic, The Hidden Persuaders, left off more than half-a-century ago, Lindstrom reveals how advertisers and corporations:

• Intentionally target children at an alarmingly young age
• Stoke the flames of public panic and capitalize on paranoia over global contagions, extreme weather events, and food contamination scares.
• Are secretly mining our digital footprints to uncover some of the most intimate details of our private lives
• Purposely adjust their formulas in order to make their products chemically addictive
• And much, much more.

This searing expose introduces a new class of tricks, techniques, and seductions--the Hidden Persuaders of the 21st century--and shows why they are more insidious and pervasive than ever. Advertising Consumer Behavior & Market Research Marketing Marketing & Sales Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Social Psychology & Interactions

Critic reviews

"I've only read two business books from cover to cover in the last five years: Buyology and Brandwashed. It is no coincidence that Martin Lindstrom is the author of both of those books. Brandwashed is smart, thought-provoking, and laugh out loud funny."
-Steven Levitt, Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago and bestselling author of Freakonomics

-“If you buy products, you need to read this book. It's really that simple.”
- Tom Rath, New York Times Bestselling author of StrengthFinder 2.0 and How Full is Your Bucket

"If you want to learn to cut through marketers' phoney health and wellness claims and make smarter decisions - about both your body and your money - you need to read this eye-opening book."
-Dr Oz, bestselling author of YOU: The Owner's Manual health series.


“Parents of small children who read this book will cringe (while lunging for the power button on the computer). Savvy marketers will take notes.”
-Fortune

"A fascinating read. ...Given just how marketing-saturated our culture has gotten, Lindstrom's book argues convincingly that no one should view himself or herself as a rational actor. It's worth thinking about the next time you walk out of Best Buy in a daze, having no idea what the heck you just spent $600 on.
-The Boston Globe.

“I am fascinated and empowered by Martin’s work, both as a business woman and as an individual consumer trying to buy smarter! Martin has changed the way I view brands and consumer behaviors. Very enlightening!"
-Tyra Banks

"A crucial bridge between the unconscious mind, the brand that's marketing to you, and the impulse to buy...it's a wake-up call that you can't afford to ignore!"
-- Jean Chatzky, bestselling author of Money 911, Financial Editor NBC Today

“I can’t think of a better tour guide to take us into the black box that is brand marketing. I’ll never look at my favorite brands the same way again!”
- Bill Tancer, bestselling author of Click: What Millions do Online and Why it Matters.

“Martin Lindstrom makes the point that marketing today is about connecting with the consumers emotionally in order for them to participate in the brand. Surely he received some of his inspiration from Priceline.com and “the negotiator.” I found his book insightful and informative.”
-- William Shatner
Eye-opening Insights • Comprehensive Marketing Tactics • Excellent Narrator • Real-life Examples • Insightful Research

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Would you listen to Brandwashed again? Why?

Great book that explores the various tools and tricks marketers use to sell to us. Some of them actually scared me - marketing to unborn children?... WOW.

This is a true tour-de-force written in a brilliant maner. Simple to understand and easy to follow, without boring you to tears. Full of real life examples of how we are bering brainwashed by brands...

What does Dan Woren bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great reader - keeps you wanting to listen more.

Brillian book on Marketing!

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To be honest, I found little in this book to be truly surprising. Nevertheless, the author clearly hs the expertise and background to share concrete examples of marketing tactics. I found myself especially in awe of tactics used by Whole Foods, and smiled when reading about how clothing manufacturers continue to "grow" sizes to match our countries growing wasteline (most people are more likely to buy Brand X jeans that "fit them" then acknowledge that they're actually 4" bigger around the waste than they were in college). My only real complaint about the book is that- until the final paragraphs of the last chapter- it completely ignores any of the advantages and positive effects of targeted marketing (ie. the fact that I may discover, purchase, and improve my life by using a product that I might never had know existed).

Fascinating Collection of (What Should Be) Obvious

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Definitely buy the book. The author will even explain WHY you are reading through these recommendations right now and why it will make you more likely to buy his book. The author ignores the ancient plea to "PAY NO ATTENTION TO MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN." If you are craving to hear the details of genius-level strategies aimed at YOU....then here it is on a silver platter.

Although the author will literally spellbind you with 10 hours of addictive, yes addictive, facts about you and me as consumers...I believe you'll be surprised by your own reaction to this expose. I found myself feeling fascinated and delighted when the marketers got it right, even when I understood the invasive efforts they employed.

On accident, I believe this book behaves more as a journey to the center of the HUMAN PSYCHE. You ARE being studied. You will make trillions of decisions during your lifetime...only now, with the awesome powers of the 21st Century at hand, geniuses have planted a flag at each cross-road. To buy, or not to buy....THAT is truly the question.

The Conspiracy Against Our Subconscious

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This was a very informative book in understanding the power of word of mouth marketing.

opened my eyes to the world of branding.

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I enjoyed this. It has a "touch of the obvious" about it but goes deeper than that. It was worth the price of admission and the narration is strong. If you'd like to fight back against the brands around you, this is a good place to begin.

Good Stuff

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