Modify Existing Habits

Craig Clemens, who has sold over $1B in products online, shares his perspective on how successful marketing campaigns throughout history have modified daily behaviors by hijacking human psychology. He demonstrates how marketers have shaped modern habits from tooth brushing to breakfast choices through specific psychological triggers.

Key Points:

• Changing Daily Behaviors:

  • Most successful campaigns modify existing behaviors rather than creating new ones
  • Examples include adding butter to coffee (Bulletproof) or changing breakfast habits (bacon)
  • When you change daily behavior, people talk about it consistently, leading to organic growth

• Historical Examples of Behavior Modification:

  • Pepsodent created daily tooth brushing habit (1920s)
    • Only 5% of people brushed teeth before campaign
    • Used "film on teeth" demonstration to create awareness
    • Within a decade, 85% of Americans brushed daily
  • Beech Nut created bacon for breakfast (Early 1900s)
    • Got 4,500 doctors to endorse hearty breakfast with bacon
    • Changed American breakfast habits permanently
  • Orange juice became daily habit through Sunkist campaign
    • Created juicing device and tied juice to getting nutrients from food
    • Made orange juice a breakfast staple

• The 7 Human Hijacks That Enable Behavior Change:

  1. Make it about them (customer benefits)
  2. Make it an event
  3. Create powerful demonstration
  4. Show unquestionable proof
  5. Change daily behavior
  6. Sell the dream
  7. Help them rebel or feel superior

• Modern Application:

  • Created probiotics category using these principles
  • Educational content about microbiome reached 100M+ people
  • Changed daily supplement habits by connecting to existing health concerns
  • Market evolution: From "clueless" to "curious" to "saturated"

• Key Success Factor:

  • Most effective when multiple hijacks are combined
  • Must understand market stage (clueless, curious, or saturated)
  • Timing is crucial for maximum impact