Slides from my presentation to Design U Community and Lazada on 18 September 2020. The presentation focuses on learnings from behavioural economics and how they can be applied by designers and researchers, including implicit visual approaches, behavioural approaches, and semiotics, with examples from Covid-19, psychology of beauty, customer experience, advertising testing and the meaning of hygiene.

1. Behavioural Economics
What Customers are Not Telling You

2. 5 Important Themes in Behavioural Economics
1.Thinking is (S)IMPLICIT
2.Context and NORMS
3.Memory AVAILABILITY
4.Identity is PERSONAL
5.Sense, Symbol & PATTERN

4. “Recall is like a search
engine … [it] is only as
effective as the cue
given. The capacity for
recognition is infinitely
greater than that for
recall.”
(Wendy Gordon)

5. TapestryWorks believe visual tasks make research
simpler for participants & give more truthful answers
Divider slide
Global Local Experiential

6. Pandemic Case
Study
Measuring Implicit
Feelings during
Lockdown (PSBB)

7. There are very high levels of negative sentiment and young
Indonesians are most impacted.
(Question: Please select 4 images that best represent your feelings about the quarantine period during Covid–19 pandemic / the life you will have after Covid–19)
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
TOTAL
Upto19years
20-24years
25-29years
30-34years
35-39years
40-49years
50yearsorover
Positive Negative
Total sample size n=674
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
TOTAL
Upto19years
20-24years
25-29years
30-34years
35-39years
40-49years
50yearsorover
Positive Negative
How I feel today (May) How I feel today (July)

8. The need for self-expression has grown (people can’t say how they feel)
(Question: Please select 4 images that best represent your feelings about the quarantine period during Covid–19 pandemic)
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
COURAGE
CREATIVITY
DISCOVERY
FREEDOM
FUN
LOVE
BELONGING
CARE
INNOCENCE
CONTROL
KNOWLEDGE
CONFIDENCE
May
July
Total sample size n=674 and n=404
INDEPENDENCE
INTERDEPENDENCE
STABILITY CHANGE

9. Overall, Indonesians’ emotions have
become more negative over time
10-15 April, 5 FGDs
(early lockdown)
5-7 May, Online survey (n=674)
(mid lockdown)
5 June-3 July, Online survey (n=404)
(post lockdown)

11. Case Study of
Beauty
The meaning of
female beauty
across Asian and
Western cultures

12. Responses to verbal concepts are highly skewed
Does confidence mean the same thing everywhere?
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
COURAGE
CREATIVITY
DISCOVERY
FREEDOM
FUN
LOVE
BELONGING
CARE
INNOCENCE
CONTROL
KNOWLEDGE
CONFIDENCE
Thailand
UK
Indonesia
Australia
Source: TapestryWorks Beauty Culture survey, August 2017, n=1,214, “What is beauty that you desire for yourself?”

13. Using visual concepts gives a granular and nuanced picture of
female beauty goals and cultural differences
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
COURAGE
CREATIVITY
DISCOVERY
FREEDOM
FUN
LOVE
BELONGING
CARE
INNOCENCE
CONTROL
KNOWLEDGE
CONFIDENCE
Thailand
UK
Indonesia
Australia
Source: TapestryWorks Beauty Culture survey, August 2017, n=1,214
INDEPENDENCE
BELONGING
STABILITY CHANGE

14. Morning routines energise women’s individual identity, day-time
routines are a fun break, evening is about reconnecting with loved
ones, and formal occasions require more charisma & confidence
NATURAL
DAILY
FORMAL
PARTY
Morning
Goals- preparing yourself for the
day, giving energy and impetus
Products used- skin care,
moisturizer, suncream, water
Day time
Goals -Touch up, reconnect
with self, break from routine
Products used- face powder,
cosmetics
Evening
Goals - Cleansing, intimacy
Products used- lotion,
moisturizer, night
cream, sometimes face mask
Special occasion
Goals - Transform,
empower, special
Products used- face
powder, cosmetic, spa
and salon treatments
Source: TapestryWorks online community of beauty routines, May 2017

15. Day-to-day beauty is natural and optimistic, while formal
occasions are about confidence and glamour.
Which emotions do local & international brands focus on?
NATURAL
DAILY
FORMAL
PARTY
Morning
Goals- preparing yourself for the
day, giving energy and impetus
Products used- skin care,
moisturizer, suncream, water
Day time
Goals -Touch up, reconnect
with self, break from routine
Products used- face powder,
cosmetics
Evening
Goals - Cleansing, intimacy
Products used- lotion,
moisturizer, night
cream, sometimes face mask
Special occasion
Goals - Transform,
empower, special
Products used- face
powder, cosmetic, spa
and salon treatments
Source: TapestryWorks online community of beauty routines, May 2017, “How do you feel before, during and after your beauty routine?”

17. Brand memory is not the same as user experience
Source: Daniel Kahneman (2011) Thinking, Fast and Slow

18. Case study
Helping an airline
strengthen their frequent
flyer lounge design and
sensory touchpoints

19. Helping an airline strengthen their lounge
design and sensory touchpoints
• Cathay Pacific were undertaking a redesign key lounges in Hong
Kong airport, focused on their most loyal customers.
• They identified opportunities to strengthen their sensory
signature with a sensory audit.
• This was followed up with a qualitative evaluation of customer
experiences, benchmarking against other forms of hospitality,
and including pictures and videos.
• “In the moment” data collected from Cathay Pacific’s in-lounge
customer experience measured the emotional and experiential
needs of their most frequent flyers, including positive and
negative sensory experiences

20. Cathay Pacific had a weaker sensory
signature than key competitors
Airline Sense Symbol Story esSense®
Strengths & opportunities
***** ** **** ****
Strong use of senses;
opportunity to improve leverage
of key brand symbols such as
‘Singapore girl’
*** ** ***** ***
Strong storytelling; opportunity
to use physical senses (e.g.,
signature dishes, drinks) and
brand symbols more effectively
* *** ** **
Opportunity to use physical
senses, such as smell, taste,
touch and color schemes to
build stronger signature
* * * *
Focus on British identity, but use
of brand history, other British
symbols and brand storytelling
can be strengthened
Cathay Pacific had a weaker sensory
signature than key competitors
Airline Sense Symbol Story esSense® Strengths & opportunities
***** ** **** ****
Strong use of senses;
opportunity to improve leverage
of key brand symbols such as
‘Singapore girl’
*** ** ***** ***
Strong storytelling; opportunity
to use physical senses (e.g.,
signature dishes, drinks) and
brand symbols more effectively
* *** ** **
Opportunity to use physical
senses, such as smell, taste,
touch and color schemes to
build stronger signature
* * * *
Focus on British identity, but use
of brand history, other British
symbols and brand storytelling
can be strengthened

21. In-lounge experience data was integrated with motivational profiling to
prioritise improvements (which focused around customized spaces)
0
20
40
60
80
100
POWERFUL
CREATIVE
UNIQUE
DIFFERENT
FUN
INTIMACY
BELONGING
PROTECTION
SIMPLICITY
RESPECTED
SMART
CONFIDENTIdeal lounge
Current experience
Food & drink
(PEAK EXPERIENCE);
Noise level
Furniture & fittings;
Design of Space
Furniture & fittings;
Design of space
Pictures & Decorations

23. People are drawn to faces, but they need to be
personally relevant (even in the beauty category)
Beautiful faces are the
norm in the category,
but may be creating
repetition blindness,
especially without
product context.
Shoppers notice such
faces and immediately
move on. They would
pay more attention if
they were more
identifiable or with
relevant emotions.
Eye tracking shows that perfect faces are
not always the most interesting for
shoppers. This cartoon face gets attention
because the emotional story is more
personally relevant.

24. Case Study of Advertising Evaluation
What is the role of identity and the
impact of celebrities and influencers in
beauty advertising?

25. L’Oréal’s La vie en rose with Maudy Ayunda
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay8BdxLxoJU

26. The ad is associated with formal goals and lacks a lighter touch
“The brand is classy and elegant, and
Maudy is beautiful, sexy and elegant.
If the model is changed, maybe I will
choose someone really Asian.”
“Rigid and serious, just
showing a career woman.”
“I don’t like the model because
she is not smiling much.”
Source: TapestryWorks online community of beauty routines, May 2017 , “Which image best reflects how you feel about this ad?”
“Maybe those lipstick are great
for older women, but not really
for teenagers. She is too young
to play the model.”

27. Wardãh Lip Cream - Sandra Dewi & Rahline Syah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp1AAQ9v5rI

28. The ad mixes daytime associations with harmony and happiness
Source: TapestryWorks online community of beauty routines, May 2017, “Which image best reflects how you feel about this ad?”
“Giving an impression of
togetherness and happiness
because Wardãh can be used by
teenager and fashionista. They
show the product is universal.”
“They look beautiful, happy,
energetic and smart.”
“They fit each other, while one is
using hijab and one is not so its s
universal. Also one has thin lips
and one thick so the product is
suitable with any lips. If I was to
change one of them, it would be
to have brown skin.”

29. Work in Thailand confirms that celebrities
aren’t always the answer, but Identity is
• What values and attributes do you
want to borrow from the person?
• What is the cultural fit between
the person and the brand?
• Is there a smooth transition
between of meanings (is individual
story consistent with brand)?
• Can you use the person as a long-
term brand asset rather than a
short-term attention getter?

31. The brain is
a PATTERN
recognition
machine

32. Holistic Health
Every brand is now a healthcare brand

33. 33
Hygiene is
multi-dimensional
and codes are
changing
HYGIENE
Clean Comfort
Proximity
Power
Protection
ScienceHarmony
Purity
War
Medical

34. HYGIENE
CODES (Verbal & Visual)
RELATED MEANINGS
CATEGORIES
Simple design
“No frills”, commodity feel
Clear packaging, transparency
Childlike
White colours
Simple, pure, innocent
Good value
Essential
Simplicity (Purity)
Antiseptic
Feminine hygiene
Hand sanitizers
Laundry

35. HYGIENE
CODES (Verbal & Visual)
RELATED MEANINGS
CATEGORIES
Brand names (attack, against)
Language of war, battle
Movement, brightness, flashes
Red color
Antiseptic
Hand sanitizers
Laundry
Oral care
Aggression, warfare
Power
Danger
War (Attack the Enemy)

36. www.culture.kitchen
Corporate Responsibility & Brand Purpose
Sustainability Redefined
Simple Pleasures
Holistic Health
Global Pandemic, Local Solutions
Personalisation vs. Privacy
Accelerating Digitalisation

37. Five Lessons for Designers & Researchers
• Make research SIMPLICIT for participants
• Use recognition before recall
• Understand context and social NORMS
• Don’t just rely on what people tell you
• You can only measure what is mentally AVAILABLE
• Brand memory is not the same as user experience
• Buying behaviour depends on PERSONAL identity
• Values transcend demographics
• Analyse the PATTERNS that shape categories
• Use semiotics and cultural analysis

38. thank you
culture sense for brands
For more information contact:
neil@tapestry.works
@tapestryworks (Twitter)