A neurobranding expert has urged business leaders to rethink how they build and position their brands, as it becomes increasingly difficult to capture people’s attention in today’s crowded communication space. Speaking during a sold out executive masterclass held in Kigali on June 16 under the theme “the human advantage in an AI world”, Nurveen Ratty, Neuro-branding strategist and chief executive of Neuro Branding Academy Africa, said attention has become the first hurdle for brands trying to connect with consumers. The masterclass brought together CEOs, business leaders, chief marketing officers, and advertising and branding professionals for a full-day session focused on strengthening how brands are built, managed, and positioned in a competitive market. The Neuro Branding Academy Africa, based in Gishushu, Kigali, is an executive training institution that works with senior professionals to help them understand how consumer decisions are formed and how to improve brand communication strategies. The human brain drives all buying decisions Ratty said the human mind is still behind every buying decision, even with so many messages competing for attention. “The most powerful engine in the world is still the human brain. Brands are now competing in a space where people are easily distracted and overwhelmed.” He warned that many marketing strategies are still built on assumptions rather than a clear understanding of how consumers behave in reality. “Most of the marketing we do is based on assumptions. We think we know,” he said. Neurobranding and how decisions are made Ratty said neuromarketing is helping change that approach by focusing on how decisions are actually formed. “Neuromarketing is the neuroscience with precision, scientifically proven, of how people make decisions,” he said. He explained that most decisions are not fully conscious, but formed in ways people do not always recognise or explain later. He added that 95 per cent of all decisions people make are subconscious. Ratty said that people make choices first and then justify them logically afterwards. “People don’t buy the best product, they buy the one that feels right to them.” Why Attention is harder to capture and emotion drives consumer choice The human brain, Ratty said, is constantly filtering information in order to manage overload, which affects how messages are received. “We are wired to save energy; the audiences tend to ignore messages that are complex or difficult to process. In today’s environment, people are exposed to large volumes of information daily, making clarity and simplicity essential for any brand that wants to be noticed and remembered.” He said constant exposure to messages has made it harder for brands to remain top of mind as consumer behaviour continues to change. “You might have a post out there, but the moment the consumer scrolls, they forget you,” the branding strategist stated. According to Ratty, emotion matters more in consumer decisions than price or product comparisons. For him, brands that understand how people process information and connect emotionally will be better positioned to remain relevant and memorable.
