Event Topic for November

Predictably Irrational

Have you ever made a decision you knew was irrational? (It’s ok to admit it. We’re all human.)  Have your customers ever made an irrational decision, such as buying from your competitor when you offer better value?

Behavioral economist Dan Ariely, the author of Predictably Irrational, understands why we do what we do – better than we do – and is willing to share with us from his research findings. As marketers, increasing our understanding of consumer behavior is a critical element in building successful businesses and brands.

At our November Marketing Mondays event, Dan will discuss how the principles of behavioral economics can help us understand some of the irrationalities that influence everyday behavior.  These include the choices we make when it comes to pricing, the effects that expectations have on our decisions, the influence that the choice environment has on consumer decisions, and the factors that cause us to behave dishonestly. Using these basic behavioral economic principles as a foundation, he will focus on how consumers make decisions and the ways that these decisions are influenced by elements such as contextual factors and emotions.

This is a special privilege for us, as Dan is a well-respected and sought-after speaker. If you have not yet heard Dan speak, here are a few links to his speeches posted on TED:
2008 - http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_asks_are_we_in_control_of_our_own_decisions.html
2009 - http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_on_our_buggy_moral_code.html
2011 - http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_beware_conflicts_of_interest.html

NOTE: space is limited, so please register soon!

Guest Speaker
Dan Ariely - James B. Duke Professor of Psychology & Behavioral Economics at Duke University

When
November 14, 2011 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm 

Where
The RTP Headquarters, 12 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 Directions

ADMISSION IS FREE. Visit us online at www.marketingmondays.org (our LinkedIn Group) or send an email to marketingmondays@quarry.com.

Please join us for a networking reception following the presentation.

Speaker Bio
Dan Ariely

Despite our intentions, why do we so often fail to act in our own best interest? Why do we promise to skip the chocolate cake, only to find ourselves drooling our way into temptation when the dessert tray rolls around? Why do we overvalue things that we’ve worked to put together? What are the forces that influence our behavior? Dan Ariely, James B. Duke Professor of Psychology & Behavioral Economics at Duke University, is dedicated to answering these questions and others in order to help people live more sensible – if not rational – lives. His interests span a wide range of behaviors, and his sometimes unusual experiments are consistently interesting, amusing and informative, demonstrating profound ideas that fly in the face of common wisdom.

In addition to appointments at the Fuqua School of Business, the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, the Department of Economics, and the School of Medicine at Duke University, Dan is also a founding member of the Center for Advanced Hindsight, and the author of the New York Times bestsellers Predictably Irrational, and The Upside of Irrationality.

About Marketing Mondays
In today’s new buying economy, we need a fresh way to explore how to design better customer experiences, build authentic connections with brands and convert branding into buying. Quarry Integrated Communications and the Research Triangle Foundation have teamed up to bring you Marketing Mondays, an opportunity for professionals in RTP and the Research Triangle Region to strengthen their marketing efforts, form a collaborative community and foster the sharing of new ideas. This monthly series features thought leaders and industry experts discussing how to leverage innovative marketing concepts and tools to build businesses and brands - today.