Behavioural Science is a rapidly expanding field and everyday new research is being developed in academia, tested and implemented by practitioners in financial organisations, development agencies, government ‘nudge’ units and more. This interview is part of a series interviewing prominent people in the field. And in today's interview the answers are provided by Adam Ferrier.
Adam is the founder of Thinkerbell, an agency that creates ‘measured magic’, and was ranked 2021 number one Creative Agency in the world by industry publication BestAds. Adam is one of Australia’s leading consumer psychologists, a brand strategist and an authority on behavioural economics. He’s the author of The Advertising Effect: How to change behaviour (Oxford) and Stop Listening to the Customer: Try hearing your brand instead (Wiley). No stranger to the TV screen of Australia, Adam is a regular panellist on the Gruen Transfer, 7's Sunrise, and 10's The Project. He also created the successful board game The Analyst, space; an unconference where 'ideas meet influence’, and the social cause agency DOA (Decade of Action). Adam also co-hosts Black T-Shirts, a podcast that delivers XXL creativity for marketers. As an interviewee, Adam brings his experience working with many of Australia's and the world's top brands to introduce unconventional award-winning, and effective ideas - all created by combining his passion for creativity and expertise within behavioural science.
Who or what got you into behavioural science?
My path into behavioural science was unconventional, starting in my school days when I was known as the weird guy who called his stockbroker over the single school landline at lunchtime to trade shares. It was unusual and gave me an early reputation as someone who had a unique interest in money. At the same time, I was fascinated by people and what made them tick, though I wasn’t performing well academically. This led me to a tutor who asked what truly interested me, and I replied, “money and people.” The tutor suggested I consider becoming a consumer psychologist, and that advice hit home immediately. I could see that consumer psychology perfectly combined my interests. From there, I earned a bachelor's degree in commerce and a master's in psychology, specializing in consumer behaviour. Along the way, I took a detour into forensic psychology and worked in the prison system. This gave me exposure to human motivations and reinforced my desire to understand why people act the way they do. Later, as I shifted to working with brand consultancy, I discovered that much of advertising and marketing was based on intuition rather than empirical science. The rise of behavioural economics, with thinkers like Daniel Kahneman and books such as Thinking, Fast and Slow, provided the language and scientific framework that the industry was missing. My background in clinical psychology helped me interpret and apply these concepts, allowing me to bridge traditional psychology and behavioural economics. It was this convergence that solidified my journey into behavioural science.
What is the accomplishment you are proudest of as a behavioural scientist? And what do you still want to achieve?
Outside of behavioural science I’m most proud of my family. Within the behavioural sciences my proudest accomplishment in behavioural science is finding the balance between creativity and rigorous scientific principles. Early in my career, particularly as a therapist, I adhered so strictly to the scientist-practitioner model that I struggled with allowing any creative thought into the mix. The rigid focus on established techniques left little room for innovation, and I was hesitant to step outside those boundaries. It took years for me to see the value of incorporating creativity alongside evidence-based approaches. My breakthrough came when I realized that effective behavioural science, especially in the marketing realm, needed to draw from both structured science and the creative impulse. I championed this idea at my previous agency, Naked Communications, and have carried it forward to my current venture, branded around the concept of "measured magic"—where rigorous marketing sciences meet high-core creativity. This concept has worked well, particularly in Australia, and I’m proud of the small yet impactful changes I’ve introduced into the industry. But I’m not stopping there. My ambition over the next five years is to see this approach adopted globally. I want "measured magic" to become a standard framework in advertising and marketing worldwide, where creativity is built on a foundation of evidence and data, yet still retains its ingenuity and flair. This shift could redefine how we think about behavioural science’s role in creative industries and strengthen the trust between marketing efforts and scientific rigour.
What are the greatest challenges being faced by behavioural science right now?
One of the biggest challenges facing behavioural science, particularly in marketing and advertising, is the balance between scientific rigour and creativity. The field is still grappling with a mindset where, as I said, it’s all “just made-up crap.” Even though behavioural economics has brought more structure and language to the industry, there’s still a significant lack of foundational rigour. The challenge is moving away from the old ways of doing things, where agencies and marketers would rely on intuition or the idea that, “I like that idea, so it must be good.” This legacy thinking persists, particularly in markets where the integration of behavioural science is still nascent.
A related issue is that measurement, especially for long-term impact, is complex and still evolving. It’s easy enough to conduct A/B testing and optimise a solution in the short term, but predicting what will work and proving the long-term effectiveness of creative campaigns is difficult. As I pointed out, the typical ad structure of 27 seconds of narrative followed by three seconds of brand mention is completely ridiculous, and yet this type of ineffective approach persists. The real challenge lies in changing that mindset and applying rigorous, evidence-based methods that can adapt to creative needs without stifling innovation.
The cultural gap between data-driven strategies and creative freedom also poses a problem. While creativity is essential, it should be built on a base of structured knowledge. This integration of science and creativity is not happening quickly enough. Even as some regions, like Australia and the UK, push ahead, other major markets lag behind. The U.S., for example, still has agencies that largely ignore these discussions.
How do you think behavioural science will develop (in the next 10 years)?
I see a promising path. I think the next decade for behavioural science, especially in marketing, is about consolidating the basics and tackling the practical challenges of measurement and impact. We’ve come a long way in understanding fundamental decision-making processes, and there’s now a stronger foundation to build on. There’s a clearer view emerging of how brand-building works, including how to shape demand both in the short term (immediate buying decisions) and in the long term (brand loyalty and recognition). This foundational knowledge gives us the opportunity to build genuinely impactful campaigns by focusing on consistent brand assets—small but memorable cues that consumers associate with the brand—so that they stand out when it matters.
What’s promising is that this foundational work will allow for more precise measurement tools. In other words, we’re getting closer to being able to see the short- and long-term impacts of marketing efforts. Measurement is tough, especially when considering the long game in brand-building, but in the future, we’ll be better equipped to know what’s working and what isn’t over time. Mixed market modelling, which allows for a real-time look at various economic and brand factors influencing sales, is becoming the new hot topic, and I think this type of econometric approach will reshape how brands plan their strategy. This approach also means companies can track marketing’s impact more directly and link it back to real, bottom-line outcomes, helping the industry shift from viewing marketing as an expense to seeing it as a measurable driver of growth.
Ultimately, the future lies in blending all this knowledge with high-level creativity. Rigorous science and data shouldn’t be seen as constraints but as enablers of creativity. In ten years, I hope we’ll see more of the industry embracing a “measured magic” approach, where informed, data-backed creativity becomes the standard.
What advice would you give to young behavioural scientists or those looking to progress into the field?
For newcomers, a background in psychology, science, or even law is excellent preparation, but you need to show that you’re genuinely interested in the creative side of the industry. Take short courses in advertising or marketing offered by professional bodies to demonstrate your commitment. The field looks for people who can bridge scientific understanding with creative application. Proving you have this curiosity and capability is crucial. When transitioning from adjacent fields, you need to de-risk yourself to potential employers by showcasing hands-on experience or projects that align with marketing’s creative and strategic demands.
What skills would you say are needed to be a behavioural scientist?
Rigour and a strong grasp of experimental design, hands down. The industry, particularly in marketing and advertising, has historically lacked this. It’s been too much “make it up as you go,” with very little structure. But if you come into this space with a solid background in behavioural sciences or even a research discipline, that’s gold. You can step in and say, “Here’s how we’ll test and learn, how we’ll optimise over time.” Setting up ways to measure creative impact and show how it influences the business—clients are craving that discipline.
If you’ve got experience designing experiments, whether it’s running tests in one store before rolling it out to others or setting up systems to measure outcomes properly, you’re what this field needs. There’s more accountability now with the pressure on budgets, and businesses are looking for people who can show how what we’re doing works and prove the value. That’s where having that rigorous, experimental mindset comes in.
Before this push for experimentation, the skill set was all about market research. But that industry was shaky—interpretations were loose, data felt meaningless. Now, the research world is getting smarter, shifting to a more knowledge-based approach. More behavioural scientists and data scientists are being pulled into these roles, changing how data is collected and used.
And the shift isn’t just in research; it’s in leadership too. CEOs coming from marketing backgrounds are on the rise because they bring a growth mindset—understanding consumers, brands, stimulating demand. Boards are even adding more marketers to their mix to make smarter decisions. So, if you’ve got that rigour and the know-how to design and analyse experiments, you’re exactly what this field is looking for.
What is your biggest frustration with the field as it stands?
My main frustration is when people in the field take themselves too seriously, believing that science alone can solve everything. While rigour and data are essential, they shouldn’t overshadow creativity. Behavioural science should work in harmony with creative thinking, not smother it. The tendency to chase solutions solely through data, expecting that every answer lies in numbers, overlooks the spontaneous, human aspect of innovation. Creativity involves leaps that data alone can’t replicate. It’s vital to recognize that while data and rigorous methods provide a strong foundation, they should be used to elevate, not restrict, creative insights.
If you weren’t a behavioural scientist, what would you be doing?
If I hadn’t found behavioural science, my life could have taken a less favourable turn. My mother used to joke that I was "blessed with no ambition," and without direction, I might have drifted into trouble. Working as a psychologist in the prison system gave me a sense of purpose and grounding, and likely prevented me from being in the prison system myself. Without behavioural science, I might have struggled to find meaningful employment and could have ended up in a much more chaotic, unstructured life.
How do you apply behavioural science in your personal life?
I apply behavioural science to my life in quite practical ways, especially around behaviour change. The core of behavioural science boils down to two main factors: motivation and ease. Motivation is tricky; it’s about incentives and social norms—basically, what others are doing. But here’s the thing: you can’t really make someone more motivated. What you can do is make things easier for them to take action. That’s where I focus.
I’ve applied this approach to my own life, particularly with weight loss. I managed to lose around 20 kilos by setting up systems that made eating less and moving more as easy as possible. The secret? It’s what everyone already knows but underestimates: eat less and exercise more. But no one tells you how much less you need to eat, and how much more you need to move. And for me this was quite significant. So I created an environment that makes this simple to follow. For example, I scheduled meetings over lunch so I wouldn’t be tempted to eat. I’d walk to work, which helped me skip breakfast and get exercise without overthinking it. I’d also gamify my activity using a step tracker on my iPhone, making movement feel more engaging.
I’m not perfect—I graze here and there, with some seaweed or a Mars bar—but structuring my day this way has been like my version of winning a gold medal. It’s all about making those systems work for you. I also enjoy setting up little experiments in daily life, applying behavioural insights to see what works best.
Which other behavioural scientists would you love to read an interview by?
I’d recommend speaking with Dr. Julia Tobias Webb and Bri Williams, they both brings great insight into behavioural applications in business and have strong opinions about the field. Rory Sutherland is another standout, renowned for his innovative approach and strong opinions. For a fresh perspective, interview an executive creative director from an advertising agency who might question the role of behavioural science itself. Their take would contrast nicely with what we’ve discussed today.
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions Adam!
As I said before, this interview is part of a larger series which can also be found here on the blog. Make sure you don't miss any of those, nor any of the upcoming interviews!
Keep your eye on Money on the Mind!
