Ian Murray

Opinion
25 April 2024 Our industry is in love with positive emotion. But brands operate in an increasingly complex socioecological context where emotion is only part of the story. It’s time to adopt approaches that enable people to be more intentional and conscious about what they buy, says Ian Murray, co-founder of Burst Your Bubble. “I'm shocked at how irrational it (emotional advertising) makes us out to be. It suggests that human preferences can be changed with nothing more than a few arbitrary images. Even Pavlov's dogs weren't so easily manipulated.” (Kevin Simler, Ads Don’t Work That Way )
Opinion
18 January 2024 With more ad spend going to digital media platforms, it’s crucial for marketers to develop a more holistic view of the media landscape. ‘Traditional’ media still plays a pivotal role in building shared understanding and cultural significance, writes Ian Murray, co-founder of Burst Your Bubble.
Opinion
07 November 2023 In his latest column for WARC, Ian Murray, co-founder of Burst Your Bubble, insists that understanding ‘real people’s lives’ should not be treated like a special mission. Real life is all around, if marketers care to look.
Opinion
18 September 2023 In his new monthly column for WARC, Ian Murray, co-founder of Burst Your Bubble, unpacks a ‘marketing bubble’ to help marketers better understand consumers. He’s starting off with a critique of empathy and argues that marketers should consider cognitive perspective taking instead.