From psychology to marketing: how my degree helps me every day
- By Lexi Chiswell
- June 12, 2025
If you’d told me in my first year of university that I’d end up working in a marketing agency, I wouldn’t have believed you. I started out studying forensic psychology, fascinated by human behaviour and what makes us tick. But in my second year, everything shifted during a module on the psychology of marketing – and I was hooked.
Marketing had always interested me, but I hadn’t fully appreciated how closely it’s tied to psychology. Understanding why people make decisions, what motivates them, and how to influence behaviour is central to both fields
Take advertising, for example. The differences between campaigns in the UK or US versus Argentina or Korea aren’t just visual – they reflect deeper cultural psychology. In collectivist cultures, ads tend to focus on family, social harmony and belonging, while individualistic societies favour messaging about personal success, happiness, and independence.
This overlap between psychology and marketing has given me a strong foundation in my role. Here are just a few ways it shows up day to day:
01. Brand Identity
One of the first things we do with new clients is get under the skin of their brand — their values, messaging, and personality. A useful tool here is Carl Jung’s brand archetypes, which help us define a brand’s character and tone through a psychological lens.
Jung believed we all embody different archetypes based on our desires and motivations. Identifying where a brand fits within these archetypes helps create consistency, connect with target audiences, and stand out in the market.
02. Strategy and Planning
Before diving into tactics, we always start with strategy — understanding a client’s goals, audience and values. A key framework we use is Cialdini’s six principles of persuasion, which help shape effective, psychology-backed strategies:
- Reciprocity – Offer something of value (e.g., a discount for an email sign-up) to encourage return behaviour.
- Commitment & Consistency – Stay true to your brand values. (Think: toilet paper brands that plant trees.)
- Social Proof – Use testimonials, influencer content or busy storefronts to signal trust and popularity.
- Authority – Leverage credentials or expertise. At eCollective, we often collaborate with vets and vet nurses to validate content for our animal health clients.
- Liking – People are more likely to buy from brands they like. Great service and engaging content help build that connection.
- Scarcity – Limited-time offers or stock levels can create urgency. Think: “Only 1,000 available!”
03. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
When I first heard “CRM,” I immediately thought of platforms like Salesforce or Mailchimp. But CRM goes far beyond email. It’s about using tools, strategies, and behavioural insights to personalise messaging and deepen customer relationships.
Here, cognitive biases come into play — those subtle, often subconscious mental shortcuts that influence our decisions:
- Confirmation Bias – People gravitate toward messages that support their beliefs. CRM tools can track preferences and tailor content that reinforces the benefits of your product.
- Recency Bias – We’re more influenced by recent experiences. CRM platforms can help identify what someone has engaged with recently and adjust follow-up messaging accordingly.
Conclusion
In short, psychology shows up everywhere in marketing – from strategy and content to audience insight and optimisation. While it wasn’t the career path I originally envisioned, I’ve found a role where I use my degree every single day.
If you’re passionate about psychology and intrigued by marketing, you don’t have to choose one or the other; they’re more connected than you might think.
