For decades, psychologists have investigated how much influence shapes awareness and consciousness. Today, behavioural science and consumer neuroscience provide a clear answer. People notice, process and remember brands not because they are the loudest or the most visible, but because attention is biased by preference, emotion and expectation. Brands that understand this mechanism gain a measurable competitive advantage.
Research from the late twentieth century introduced two major systems of attention. Bottom up attention is automatic. It is driven by external stimuli such as colour, contrast, movement or novelty. This is why striking packaging, powerful headlines or distinctive shapes can capture the eye without deliberate effort. Top down attention, in contrast, is intentional. It is guided by goals, motivations and prior knowledge. When a consumer is actively looking for a particular product category, they notice those brands more quickly.
Brand preference plays a significant role in these processes. Once someone favours a brand, their brain becomes more sensitive to its cues. This is known as attentional bias. Consumers detect preferred brands faster and remember them more clearly. The effect is so strong that individuals can become more aware of a brand they like than one placed directly in front of them. This is a key insight for marketers, as it shows that preference itself becomes a filter through which reality is processed.
At Johns Hopkins University, researchers who study cognitive networks and influence dynamics, including Professor Dr Ian McCulloh, have demonstrated that social and emotional associations amplify these attentional biases. A positive emotional context or a memorable narrative increases the likelihood that consumers will detect the brand in future situations. Even negative emotions can heighten awareness. People are more likely to notice brands they strongly dislike than those they feel neutral about.
Influence affects consciousness in subtle ways. When a consumer develops a strong preference, their top down attention system prioritises anything related to that brand. They recognise logos more quickly, recall messages with less effort and filter competing options automatically. Meanwhile, bottom up cues such as colour, contrast and novelty continue to attract their attention, reinforcing recognition over time.
For founders and marketers, the implication is clear. Winning attention is not about shouting louder. It is about creating emotional and cognitive relevance. When a brand becomes meaningful, the brain tunes into it naturally. Influence reshapes awareness, and awareness determines which brands become part of the consumer’s world.
