People don’t remember the features and benefits of a product… What they remember is how that product make them feel.
– Jean-Pierre Lacroix
At the moment of choice, people decide emotionally and validate rationally. In this conversation, Stacey Chillemi and Jean‑Pierre Lacroix unpack Think Blink, the idea that brands win in a blink with design that signals feeling: trust, confidence, pride. When communication collapses into features and benefits, the advantage shifts to competitors who express emotion instantly. Color, shape, and form become strategic assets that convert recognition into selection.
Jean Pierre outlines a system anchored in seven tenets: why emotions matter; design as a business tool; simplicity that creates a mental shortcut; context and focus; belonging; measurement; and trends such as AI‑enabled sentiment. Through examples—scanning for a red roof, confusing look‑alike packaging, and owning replenishment after exertion—he returns to one directive: remove friction, choose one emotional word to own, and keep it simple so the brain says yes.
Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory?
I’m thrilled to share the core principles behind the ThinkBlink Manifesto. In practice, many leaders, whether they run a small business or a global brand, gravitate to what feels safe: features and benefits. That path misses the truth of how people buy. Most decisions happen in the blink… emotion first, then reason follows. So if the story only speaks to function, the connection never takes root.
Why is focusing on features and benefits a mistake?
People rarely remember specs; they remember how a brand makes them feel during and after use. Pride, confidence, and trust are the residues that stay with a customer long after the purchase. If the message is purely functional, the door swings wide for a competitor who communicates emotional value more clearly. In a noisy market, emotion is not an accessory; it’s the deciding factor.
How much of purchasing is emotional?
The vast majority of buying decisions are driven by emotion. That is where the first impression forms and where loyalty is earned or lost. When a rival expresses those emotional equities with clarity, they win the moment that matters. The lesson is simple: speak to feeling first, then support it with function.
Does function still matter if emotion leads?
Absolutely! If the experience is unreliable or full of friction, the emotional bond collapses. Think of trust and confidence as the base layer; without them, nothing else holds. The real opportunity is to build beyond the base into belonging and aspiration. Brands that climb that ladder tend to dominate their categories.
Why do so many sellers struggle on social media?
They overexplain and underfeel. More information rarely solves an emotional gap. The audience is looking for resonance… how this offering changes their moment, their day, their identity. Until that story is present, posts scroll by without impact.
Can you share an example where lookalike products damage a leader?
Consider Lululemon and mass-market athletic wear that mimics its visual cues. When shoppers see near-identical features and styling, they can assume provenance where none exists. If those garments underperform, the damage is misattributed to the leader’s brand equity. That is the Blink Factor at work… instant associations with real consequences.
Where did the Blink Factor originate?
It began with research for Pizza Hut decades ago. Customers scanned busy strips and said they looked for the red roof, which color and shape guided them. We realized most communication on the shelf is visual, and those cues create mental shortcuts. That insight became the Blink Factor—a design-led edge at the moment of choice.
How did visual confusion show up in the Clinique case?
A competitor mirrored the bottle shape and colors so closely that shoppers reached for it while seeking Clinique. In that split second, similarity overwhelmed label reading. Courts recognized how visual equities shape brand ownership in the mind. The takeaway is clear: protect and deploy distinctive form and color as strategic assets.
Has the window for competitive advantage changed?
Completely. The historical buffer, years of technical lead, has collapsed into weeks. If features can be copied almost instantly, sustainable advantage must come from emotion and experience. Own a feeling, not just a function.
How does that play out in beverages?
Legacy brands like Coke and Pepsi connect to memory and nostalgia; they sell moments as much as refreshment. Gatorade owns the feeling of replenishment and performance after exertion. That emotional ownership made it hard for challengers to gain traction quickly. It wasn’t about ingredients alone; it was about the outcome people wanted to feel.
What are the seven tenets you cover in your book?
First, establish why emotions matter; without that foundation, nothing else holds. Second, treat design as a business tool at the moment of purchase, not just an aesthetic layer. Third, simplify relentlessly to create a fast mental shortcut. Fourth, master context; define the target, their emotional, cognitive, and functional needs with precision.
What completes those tenets?
Fifth, create belonging; community is becoming mission-critical. Sixth, measure emotional impact; what gets measured gets done and repeated. Seventh, look ahead to trends that will have long-term impact, such as AI-enabled sentiment , as well as devices and touchpoints can read tone and response in real time. Together, these tenets move brands from functional parity to emotional leadership.
Why does simplicity matter so much on the shelf?
The brain resists unnecessary effort; it wants the familiar, fast path. When shape, color, and logo resolve quickly, the hand follows without cognitive strain. Complexity introduces hesitation and comparison, which slows choice. Simplicity wins because it respects how people naturally decide.
How should brands think about belonging and community?
Everyone wants to belong; a brand can be a badge for that identity. Creating spaces, signals, and rituals that invite membership strengthens retention. In a world that feels increasingly disconnected, community is not a side project… It’s a strategic pillar. Belonging converts buyers into believers.
How do you recommend measuring emotion in practice?
Choose one emotional word to own—safety, ease, replenishment—then build and score against it. If everything is important, nothing is memorable. A single, relevant emotional promise reduces noise and sharpens execution. Over time, consistent measurement turns aspiration into muscle memory.
Where does AI fit into the brand toolkit?
AI can evaluate sentiment in voice and behavior across touchpoints. Call centers already analyze tone for frustration, anxiety, or delight, and the same thinking applies to digital journeys. These signals help teams respond in the moment and refine over time. It’s another lens for ensuring the promise lands as intended.
How did ThinkBlink evolve from an idea into a process?
We coined and protected the Blink Factor many years ago, then transformed it into a repeatable system. ThinkBlink pairs strategy with design: Think defines context, needs, and friction points; Blink translates those insights into visual and structural shortcuts. It’s become the firm’s operating rhythm—insight to impact. Strategy sets the aim; design delivers the instant recognition.
When should a challenger lean into disruption?
Disruption matters most when a newcomer must unseat leaders. Visibility that jolts the scanning brain earns the right to be considered. Once attention is won, the experience must confirm the promise quickly. Shock without substance burns fast.
Who’s disrupting well, and what are the risks?
Ready-to-drink alcohol pops have entered with a single, clear emotional proposition and simple design, shaking up the aisle. Seasonal, full-wrap illustration—like beach scenes across tall bottles—can recapture a brand’s rightful moment and sell through rapidly when the emotion is right. But disruption has a half-life; without a path to trust, it becomes a fad. Smart brands use disruption to open the door and consistency to keep it open.
How hard is success at retail—and what improves the odds?
The odds are steep: only a tiny fraction of new products truly break through. Success goes to brands that stand out visually, remove friction, and own one relevant emotional promise. It’s not about the deepest ad budget; it’s about being instantly knowable and meaningfully felt. Clarity beats volume every time.
Where can readers find your new book?
It’s available through Indigo in Canada, through the publisher Friesen Press in digital and print, and on Amazon in the United States and Canada. The title is Think Blink Manifesto. The cover is deliberately simple; a fast, clear signal of what’s inside. It’s easy to remember and easy to act on.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can find the book at the retailers mentioned and explore more of the strategic design thinking behind it on sld.com. Also connect with me on LinkedIn to follow along. The goal is always the same: build brands that win the moment of choice and the relationship that follows. Stay connected for the next conversation as we unpack each tenet in depth. I’m looking forward to it.
Thank you for sharing such practical, high-impact insights today.
Thank you for the opportunity. It was a pleasure, and I’m excited for what comes next.
