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Talk · Christian Dietz

The Colourful Side of Power: a talk about the tricks of advertising and marketing

Abstract for the programme

Length: 45 to 60 minutes

How does advertising steer our feelings and what we buy? Christian Dietz reveals the tricks of the advertising industry and uses insights from neuromarketing to explain what happens in the brain. An entertaining talk on advertising and marketing, no prior knowledge needed.

In his talk “The Colourful Side of Power”, Christian Dietz opens up advertising’s box of tricks. He shows which tricks marketing uses to play on our feelings and steer what we buy, and uses insights from neuroscience to explain what happens in our brains. Entertaining, surprising and without wagging a finger. The talk is for anyone who wants to see through advertising, at home and at work, with no prior knowledge required. Those who know the mechanisms of influence shop more consciously and, as a company, communicate more cleverly.

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★★★★★4.9 / 5 from 48 reviews

35 on OMT: 4.9 (omt.de) · 13 seminars and talks: 4.94 (provenexpert.com)

Christian Dietz on stage, behind him on the screen FRED on a deckchair by the pool

What the audience takes away from the talk

Christian Dietz shows

  • why our brain reacts particularly strongly to certain adverts,
  • which insights from neuroscience make marketing more effective,
  • which tricks brands use to influence our buying decisions,
  • how colours, images and stories trigger feelings,
  • where influence turns into manipulation,
  • and why well-made advertising is allowed to be fun.

The next supermarket shelf may look a little less innocent afterwards.

Who is the talk on advertising and neuromarketing for?

For anyone who wants to know how advertising works, in private life as much as at work. Because Christian Dietz uses well-known adverts and everyday shopping situations, nobody needs any prior knowledge. The talk suits customer events, company and staff events, association and club evenings, and conferences. Marketing and sales teams also learn how to make their own communication more effective and more responsible.

Suits

  • Customer events
  • Company and staff events
  • Association and club evenings
  • Conferences

Available as

  • Keynote
  • Talk
  • Seminar
  • Workshop

Slides

This is what the slides look like.

Every slide is a picture, often starring FRED. The brain remembers pictures more easily than bullet points. That’s the whole trick.

Low-poly illustration: FRED in sunglasses in front of a high mountain with a winding path
The mountain before the purchase
Low-poly illustration: Christian Dietz holding a gift with FRED, arrows saying “Just for you” and “Only 1 left”
Scarcity: only one left
Low-poly illustration: stone-age people fleeing from a sabre-toothed tiger
Stone-age brain: run first, think later
Low-poly illustration: FRED on a deckchair thinking about ice cream and money, Christian as the ice-cream seller
Reward or feeling? What FRED is thinking on the beach
Low-poly illustration: Christian Dietz on a rotten rope bridge with a sign saying “Help!”
The wobbly rope bridge
Low-poly illustration: people cheerfully jumping onto a decorated train
Bandwagon effect: everyone jumps on board
Low-poly illustration: Christian Dietz next to a pair of scales on which a picture outweighs a sheet of text
A picture carries more weight than any text
Low-poly illustration: coin-toss bet with FREDO notes, 133 against 100
Loss aversion: how much do I have to win before I’ll take the coin-toss bet?
“I couldn’t look away – I love these visual slides.”
Kristin Siebert · Leap digital (omt.de, translated from German)
“Added value that stays in your head. Science explained with examples that stick.”
Ivonne Wolter · Zeltkinder (omt.de, translated from German)
“Every theory was anchored with concrete examples and real website cases. The frameworks presented can be applied straight away – I took a lot away.”
Denise König · Lime Technologies (omt.de, translated from German)
“At the OMT talk ‘Brands make money’ it became particularly clear to me how much brand consistency drives sales.”
Philipp Schinzler · GoYellow (omt.de, translated from German)
“A good speaker with a fluent delivery and a clear structure – the right mix of entertainment and facts.”
Jochen Gentner · webmittel (omt.de, translated from German)
“Whatever industry you work in, whatever your position in a company: Christian Dietz gets to the heart of neuromarketing and is genuinely valuable for EVERY listener.”
Nicole Sänger · Industrieplanung-NRW (omt.de, translated from German)
Christian Dietz giving his neuromarketing talk at OMT Summit, the audience in front of him, the slide “Reduce risks” on the screen

Booking

Book Christian Dietz as a speaker on advertising and marketing

Looking for a speaker who reveals the tricks of the advertising industry in an entertaining way while explaining, with solid grounding, how advertising works in the brain? I teach your audience how not to be taken for a ride by advertising promises.

Drop me a short note about what you have in mind. I usually reply within 48 hours.

+49 221 29248 70
anfrage@christiandietz.net

How it works

  1. EnquirySimply fill in the form or give me a call.
  2. Preliminary callOn the phone we clarify: who will be in the audience? What should stick? And what else would you like?
  3. QuoteYou receive a written quote. If it suits you, you book me.

* Required fields. I only use your details to answer your enquiry. More in the privacy policy (German).

Low-poly illustration: a magician holding a bag labelled “What’s in it for me?”

A look inside advertising’s box of tricks

The world of advertising is as colourful as it is calculating. Christian Dietz has worked in this industry for more than 20 years, and a lot collects in the box of tricks over that time. In his talk he shows why some adverts stick more stubbornly than an earworm, why there are offers we absolutely don’t want to miss, and why afterwards we insist we decided entirely rationally.

Some of it feels almost like brainwashing. But there are no secret rays from the marketing department behind it, just psychological mechanisms and pretty well-crafted brand communication. The neuromarketing expert shows how brands work with colours, images and slogans. Often only a few carefully placed stimuli separate a dull supermarket shelf from a great shopping experience.

Low-poly illustration: a pair of scales weighing a handshake and a light bulb against a puppet cross

Understanding advertising instead of demonising it

The talk is not a critique of consumerism, nor a reckoning with brazen advertising lies. Christian Dietz looks at advertising with wit and at neuroscience with curiosity. Those who know the tricks can better understand their own buying behaviour and, as a company, communicate more responsibly. Good advertising may surprise, entertain and of course sell. That’s what it’s for, after all.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the talk “The Colourful Side of Power”

Who is the talk for?

For anyone who wants to understand advertising better, whether at customer events, company events or conferences. No prior knowledge is needed. Marketing and sales teams also take away ideas for their own communication.

What examples are used in the talk?

Well-known adverts and everyday shopping situations that almost everyone in the audience will recognise. That makes the talk vivid and full of light-bulb moments.

Can Christian Dietz adapt the talk to our industry?

Yes. He tailors examples and focus to your industry, audience and occasion.

Is “The Colourful Side of Power” also available as a seminar or workshop?

Yes. In a seminar or workshop, your own advertising materials, campaigns or brand presence can be examined from a neuromarketing perspective.

How long is the talk?

45 to 60 minutes, tailored to your programme.

Is the talk available in English?

Yes, in English or German.

How can I book the talk “The Colourful Side of Power”?

Via the form on this page or by phone on +49 221 29248 70. In a preliminary call we agree on length, focus and audience. After that you receive a written quote.

Questions about technical requirements, lead time and travel costs are answered on the enquiry page.

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