“The Centipede’s Dilemma” is s a short poem attributed to Katherine Craster.
It was first published in 1871.
This is how it goes…
A centipede was happy – quite!
Until a toad in fun
Said “Pray, which leg moves after which?”
This raised her doubts to such a pitch
She fell exhausted in the ditch
Not knowing how to run.
The poem has lent its name to a psychological condition called ‘The Centipede Effect’. It occurs when a normally automatic or unconscious activity is disrupted by thinking about it.
Typing is a good example. If you were asked to type your name on a keyboard you could do it easily. If you were asked to think about where each letter was on the keyboard as you typed, you would really struggle.
Often the more we think about things, the harder they become.
Why are we talking about this? Well, in our industry it is easy to get too close to things.
You spend 5 days a week thinking about your brand. You might work on an innovation project for 12 months. You can spend hours trying to craft the perfect shopper message. The perfect pack design. The perfect promotion.
But shoppers don’t do this. They think about your brand for a few seconds. If at all. They will probably walk straight past your big innovation launch. They may glance at your communication.
They do this because they have to do it. They don’t have the time, energy or inclination to look at everything. To evaluate the different options. To make the perfect choice.
To shop effectively is to filter. Filter out the irrelevant. Focus on the relevant.
We overthink. We see everything there is to see.
Shoppers underthink. They see only what they need to see.
Shoppers are the centipede walking. We are often the centipede trying to explain how to walk.
So, how can you change this?
Well, every now and then we (Insight Traction) see it as our responsibility to help you keep walking. To remind you how shoppers behave.
To close the gap between what you see and what shoppers see. The gap between what you think and what shoppers think. The gap between what you know and what shoppers know.
To help you avoid the incredulity that a shopper didn’t see your brand when they walked down the aisle… “It’s right there across half of the shelf. How on earth did they not see it?!” Pretty easily, it turns out. You walk into store looking for it. Most shoppers don’t.
To help you avoid the lengthy communication debates. Trying to develop messaging that is dripping with purpose. Lofty statements so full of meaning that they end up becoming meaningless. When you need a voice in the room to say what everyone else is (or should be…) thinking “err… are we still talking about mayonnaise here?!”
To help you avoid the 100+ slide econometrics presentations. When you’ve modelled the s**t out of your promotional plan. Expecting shoppers to behave like an algorithm. Forgetting that most shoppers don’t do the maths. They make quick decisions on what feels like good value.
To remind you that when you are going the long way round shoppers are usually taking the shortcut.
A series of shortcuts.
Ones that enable them to enter a grocery store (or website) – one of the most complex visual environments you can put anyone in – and make decisions quickly and easily.
We’ll take you through these shortcuts over the coming weeks.
The FMCG battle is not won in a PPT world. It’s not won in an excel world. It’s not won in an econometric world. It’s not won (at least not just yet…) in an AI world.
It’s won in the real world.
A world where overthinking is a weakness. Where underthinking is a strength.
Where the winners are the centipedes who keep on walking.
Feel free to forward. Have a great weekend. Speak to you next week.