Alchemy Book Review (Rory Sutherland)
“Alchemy by Rory Sutherland is a modern day classic and one of my favourite reads of all time”
About Rory Sutherland
Rory Sutherland is an advertising legend whose TED Talks have been viewed by millions. In his first, and somewhat belated, book, he successfully blends his experiences and insights, cutting-edge behavioural science and a touch of magic on his mission to turn us all into alchemists.
After the success of our first-ever book club, we have now held our second book club and this week Tony explores Rory Sutherland’s eagerly awaited ”Alchemy – The Surprising Power of Ideas that don’t make sense”.
Alchemy Book Review Outline
Alchemy by Rory Sutherland is a must-read for business owners, marketers and research & insight specialists. In particular, those who rely heavily on the assumption that we make logical decisions based on evidence and deductive thinking. In many, if not all, areas of our lives, reason plays only a small part in our decision-making. Instead, we are driven by unconscious desires, which is why placebos are so powerful, even when they lack logic.
We are drawn to the beautiful, the powerful, the extravagant and the absurd. So if you want to truly influence people’s choices, then you have to bypass reason and tap into their emotions. By the time you have read this book (which you must), I hope your mind will be converted to the importance of alchemy and magic!
Who this book is for
The audience for this book is most likely to be marketers, insight professionals and in particular, those involved in branding and advertising. I think it’s also a great book for business leaders, as it’s an important reminder that rational thinking isn’t always the best solution! (If you would like to be less rational and more brilliant, why not listen to this podcast by Rory Sutherland?)
“A flower is a weed with an Advertising Budget”
” Solving problems using logic is like playing golf with only one club”
Key points
“The opposite of a good idea can be another good idea”
The quote above is one of my favourites from the book. It stems from the notion that conventional logic favours a single answer. However, when dealing with people, research clearly shows this is never the case: if you’re looking to disrupt and find a new opportunity, you need to look at it differently… and sometimes turn everything on its head!
As the author highlights, Hoovers are an excellent example. Previously, they were a grudge purchase, only necessary if your old one broke. It was a purely utilitarian item. On this basis, it made no sense to invent a cool-looking, very expensive hoover, as there was no demand for it. But Dyson added excitement to the purchase of a boring household item and, in doing so, created some magic through innovation that led to one of the twentieth century’s most successful products.
“The problem with logic is it kills off magic“
In the book, Rory also claims that Niels Bohr (a Danish physicist, philosopher and Nobel Laureate) apparently once told Einstein, “No, no, you are not thinking; you are merely being logical“. Once you’ve devised what seems like a logical schema for problem-solving, you’ve created something based on very simple physics and maths. Consequently, something which will always give you a single right answer. But where logic exists, magic cannot!
If you want to improve someone’s experience, logic dictates that you improve the item or service itself, rather than the perception of it. But people don’t perceive the world objectively. Assuming they do means you will be confined to improving your product exclusively through objective means rather than altering or enhancing perceptions.
Overall thoughts
Rory Sutherland’s Alchemy is a really enjoyable read which strongly resonates with my own beliefs and way of thinking. But obviously far more eloquently! If it had a weakness, then it’s not always clear how to implement the important ideas raised. However, it highlights some important ideas that every business and marketing professional should be aware of. Thanks Rory – and really looking forward to your next expose!
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