Hacking the Human Mind: The Behavioral Science Secrets Behind 17 of the World's Best Brands - Paperback

by Michaelaaron Flicker (Author), Richard Shotton (Author)

'A book for the ages.' --Rory Sutherland, Author, Alchemy

How did the world's best brands get so big?

They had more than great products -- they hacked the human mind.

This book reveals their secrets.

Richard Shotton (The Choice Factory, The Illusion of Choice) and 9x CEO MichaelAaron Flicker take a look at the behavioural science underpinning the success of 17 leading brands, including Apple, Dyson, Red Bull, and Starbucks.

What is it about Amazon that pulls us back again and again? How does a two-minute wait make Guinness taste better? Why do we pay more for water than we know it's worth? The answers are here.

And it's not just theory. Hacking the Human Mind is a practical guide, filled with techniques for you to try today. So you too can make your brand the one people reach for -- without them ever really knowing why.

Author Biography

Richard Shotton is the founder of the behavioral science consultancy Astroten. He is also the author of The Choice Factory, a book on applying behavioral science to marketing. It has sold 85,000+ copies, a 4.6 rating on Amazon, and has been translated into 15 languages. It won best sales and marketing book at the 2019 Business Book Awards. He built upon these ideas in The Illusion of Choice (2023) and is the co-author to his latest book Hacking the Human Mind (2025).

MichaelAaron Flicker is the founder and president of XenoPsi Ventures, a brand incubator firm providing financial, marketing and intellectual capital to a growing portfolio of companies. He has worked with many of the country's leading brands including Nike, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Chubb, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, ACE Insurance and Evan Williams Bourbon. As a thought leader at the intersection of business consulting, advertising, and technology, MichaelAaron is regularly writing and speaking at industry events and is regularly featured in publications such as Advertising Age, MediaPost, VentureBeat, and Chief Marketer. He is co-author of the book Hacking the Human Mind (2025).