Hacking the Human Mind - by Richard Shotton & Michaelaaron Flicker (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

"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 behavioral 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.

Review Quotes

"This is a great book. Practical, generous and insightful."
--Seth Godin, 22-time bestselling author, entrepreneur and teacher

"Superb marketing is both an art and a science. I know of no better proof than in the engaging and illuminating content of this book, which shows how some of our most successful brands simultaneously mastered each to great effect."
--Robert Cialdini, New York Times bestselling author, Influence and Pre-Suasion

"Shotton and Flicker unpack how the smartest brands use behavioral psychology to genuinely shift consumer preference. Clear, engaging, and refreshingly practical, this book belongs in the hands of anyone serious about understanding what truly moves people."
--Nir Eyal, bestselling author, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products

"This is a book for the ages. The authors have ingeniously used behavioural science to reverse-engineer the psychological genius that lies hidden behind many of the world's greatest brands."
--Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman at Ogilvy, UK, and author, Alchemy

"A fascinating look at how today's top brands have used subtle cues and smart design to draw attention and inspire action. Wonderful mix of rigorous evidence and quirky stories, told in a way that's clear, practical, and fun to read. Ideas and tactics you can put to work immediately."
--Jonah Berger, Professor and bestselling author, Contagious and The Catalyst

"Hacking the Human Mind is a double treat: you'll discover behavioral science through the world's most iconic brands, and you'll get insight into those brands' practices through the basic principles of behavioral science. Shotton and Flicker have crafted a smart, witty, and incredibly useful guide for anyone looking to understand (and influence) humans. I couldn't put it down."
--Ayelet Fishbach, Professor and author, Get It Done

"If you want to change human behaviour, you need to understand human behaviour. Read this book and you're off to a flying start. Behavioural science distilled into simple, easy-to-apply 'mind hacks'. Not just to retrospectively explain other brands' success. But much more usefully to help us all pro-actively plan for our brand's success."
--Sarah Carter, Global Planning Partner at adam&eveDDB and co-author, How Not To Plan

"If you like your creative inspiration backed up by hard numbers and provable statistics, instead of just empty rhetoric, this is the book for you."
--Dave Trott, Creative director and author, Predatory Thinking

"Part storytelling, part practical insight, all valuable. Hacking the Human Mind is a must read for every marketer. Enjoy the fun and fascinating stories from your favorite brands, with details of the science-backed reasons behind their success so you can see some of your own. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book before your competition does."
--Melina Palmer, CEO, The Brainy Business and author, The Truth About Pricing

"Shotton and Flicker pull back the curtain on iconic brands, from Kraft to Amazon Prime, to reveal the psychological principles behind their success. They blend vivid storytelling with cutting-edge research to explain how subtle cues, framing, and behavioral biases influence everyday decisions. Whether you're a marketer, entrepreneur, or just fascinated by what makes people tick, this is your essential guide to turning insight into impact. Hacking the Human Mind is fun, engaging and informative."
--Tali Sharot, Professor and author, The Influential Mind

About the Author

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).