EP148: Designing for the Nanosecond: Creating Brand Experiences That Win Instantly | JP Lacroix
Thu Feb 05 2026
Shoppers face over 40,000 products in a typical supermarket. They rarely weigh the pros and cons for every item. Instead, the decision to buy happens in a single nanosecond.
In this episode, Mari-Liis Vaher speaks with Jean-Pierre (JP) Lacroix, president of Shikatani Lacroix Design (SLD) and author of the ThinkBlink Manifesto. They discuss why the traditional focus on features and benefits often fails and how successful brands design for the "Blink Factor" by using shape and color to trigger instant emotional connections.
💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
The Nanosecond Reality: Most purchase decisions ignore logic. They rely on memory and emotion instead.
The Seven Tenets: A practical framework for building emotional connections and future-proofing your brand.
The Discipline of Simplicity: Communicating more than three messages on a package reduces consumer confidence.
Social Purchasing: Why community and a sense of belonging are replacing traditional loyalty programs.
AI as an Enabler: Moving artificial intelligence beyond efficiency to simulate empathy in customer service.
⌛ Timestamps:
00:00:39 – Introduction to the "Blink Factor" and the nanosecond decision
00:06:23 – The shift from functional features to emotional drivers
00:11:56 – Design as a marketing tool: Why confident brands use less clutter
00:18:23 – Measuring what matters: Moving beyond NPS to sentiment analysis
00:20:05 – The "Loneliness Pandemic" and the need for brand community
00:33:22 – How AI is reshaping brand experiences and customer service
00:41:23 – JP’s advice for C-suite leaders and resources
🔗 Resources & Links:
ThinkBlink AI Assessment: A free tool to assess your brand against the seven tenets, available at sld.com
Free Book Chapter: Download the first chapter of the ThinkBlink Manifesto at sld.com
Connect with Jean-Pierre Lacroix on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeanpierrelacroix
Learn more about Mari-Liis’s book The Greatest Marketer: thegreatestmarketer.com
👋 Who we are:
We are Powerful Marketers, a global community where marketing and business leaders connect, collaborate, and grow.
Inside the Hub, you’ll find:
✅ Training and resources to sharpen your skills
✅ Tactical spaces for LinkedIn, Instagram, AI, and more
✅ Local and global meetups to stay accountable
✅ Daily support from marketing professionals
👉 Join the Powerful Marketers Hub today and get your first month FREE with code PODCAST.
Use this link to sign up and enter the code: https://community.powerful-marketers.com/plans/1817594?bundle_token=efcbda8aac51702f640d669c70c95291&utm_source=manual
🌐 Let’s connect:
Website: powerful-marketers.com
Instagram: @powerfulmarketers
LinkedIn: Powerful Marketers
#powerfulmarketers #podcast #marketingcommunity #marketingtips #branding #branddesign
More
Shoppers face over 40,000 products in a typical supermarket. They rarely weigh the pros and cons for every item. Instead, the decision to buy happens in a single nanosecond. In this episode, Mari-Liis Vaher speaks with Jean-Pierre (JP) Lacroix, president of Shikatani Lacroix Design (SLD) and author of the ThinkBlink Manifesto. They discuss why the traditional focus on features and benefits often fails and how successful brands design for the "Blink Factor" by using shape and color to trigger instant emotional connections. 💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: The Nanosecond Reality: Most purchase decisions ignore logic. They rely on memory and emotion instead. The Seven Tenets: A practical framework for building emotional connections and future-proofing your brand. The Discipline of Simplicity: Communicating more than three messages on a package reduces consumer confidence. Social Purchasing: Why community and a sense of belonging are replacing traditional loyalty programs. AI as an Enabler: Moving artificial intelligence beyond efficiency to simulate empathy in customer service. ⌛ Timestamps: 00:00:39 – Introduction to the "Blink Factor" and the nanosecond decision 00:06:23 – The shift from functional features to emotional drivers 00:11:56 – Design as a marketing tool: Why confident brands use less clutter 00:18:23 – Measuring what matters: Moving beyond NPS to sentiment analysis 00:20:05 – The "Loneliness Pandemic" and the need for brand community 00:33:22 – How AI is reshaping brand experiences and customer service 00:41:23 – JP’s advice for C-suite leaders and resources 🔗 Resources & Links: ThinkBlink AI Assessment: A free tool to assess your brand against the seven tenets, available at sld.com Free Book Chapter: Download the first chapter of the ThinkBlink Manifesto at sld.com Connect with Jean-Pierre Lacroix on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeanpierrelacroix Learn more about Mari-Liis’s book The Greatest Marketer: thegreatestmarketer.com 👋 Who we are: We are Powerful Marketers, a global community where marketing and business leaders connect, collaborate, and grow. Inside the Hub, you’ll find: ✅ Training and resources to sharpen your skills ✅ Tactical spaces for LinkedIn, Instagram, AI, and more ✅ Local and global meetups to stay accountable ✅ Daily support from marketing professionals 👉 Join the Powerful Marketers Hub today and get your first month FREE with code PODCAST. Use this link to sign up and enter the code: https://community.powerful-marketers.com/plans/1817594?bundle_token=efcbda8aac51702f640d669c70c95291&utm_source=manual 🌐 Let’s connect: Website: powerful-marketers.com Instagram: @powerfulmarketers LinkedIn: Powerful Marketers #powerfulmarketers #podcast #marketingcommunity #marketingtips #branding #branddesign