Name: What physics taught me about marketing
Uploaded: 2010-08-27T09:49:00Z
Duration: 7 min 21 s
Description: Physics and marketing don't seem to have much in common, but Dan Cobley is passionate about both. He brings these unlikely bedfellows together using Newton's second law, Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, the scientific method and the second law of thermodynamics to explain the fundamental theories of branding.

Physics and marketing don't seem to have much in common, but Dan Cobley is passionate about both. He brings these unlikely bedfellows together using Newton's second law, Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, the scientific method and the second law of thermodynamics to explain the fundamental theories of branding.

What physics taught me about marketing

The laws of physics offer powerful metaphors for the challenges of marketing and brand management. Just as a larger mass needs more force to change direction, a well-known brand is harder to reposition. One accidental oil spill erased years of investment in BP’s green image, showing how a single event can upend consumer beliefs. The rise of digital tools means brands are increasingly shaped by consumers themselves, making control and order impossible.