Ogilvy Consulting brings its Behavioural Science practice to Asia

Ogilvy Consulting has launched its Behavioural Science practice in Asia, appointing Paolo Mercado to lead the unit’s growth in the region. 

Part of global marketing and creative network Ogilvy (a WPP subsidiary), Ogilvy Consulting is the consulting and innovation arm of the group. The 3,000-strong consulting firm serves client worldwide through three core practices – Growth & Innovation, Business Design and Digital Transformation – and a number of so-called speciality practices, one of which is the Behavioural Science unit.

Launched in the US in 2017, and currently also active in the UK, this practice focuses on how leaders can make their marketing and communications more effective by applying insights leveraged from social psychology and behavioural economics. The unit helps clients better understand how audiences think, feel and behave, enabling them to build more influential campaigns / solutions.

Rory Sutherland, the founder of Ogilvy Consulting’s Behavioural Science practice, explained: “We work to creatively apply the insights of contemporary behavioural science to diagnose, create and validate what we call ‘unseen opportunities’. Our work spans product design, experience design, organisational change and behaviour change.” 

Jerry Smith, CEO of Ogilvy Consulting in Asia, pointed out: “The greatest gains to be made in business and society today should be anchored in a combination of technology, creativity and psychology. Our Behavioural Science practice looks beyond demographics and what people say, to the inner workings of how people view the world and create their own identities.” 

“Instead of targeting people, understanding them works better. And that’s at the heart of what our Behavioural Science practice does – helping brands achieve better outcomes by creating more effective ways of engaging with consumers.” 

Installed to lead the new practice is Paolo Mercado, who prior to joining Ogilvy Consulting spent twelve years with Nestlé where he headed up Marketing & Communications for China, and then in the Philippines where he also led Innovation. Throughout his career, Mercado has managed complex marketing projects in all major geographies of Asia-Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East.

“Paolo’s diverse marketing and innovation experience, in addition to his background in psychology, makes him the perfect leader to help us transform the way we understand and move people on behalf of our clients,” said Smith.