Ever since Rory Sutherland joined us on the JUST Branding Podcast to discuss problem framing, I’ve been interested in joining MAD//Masters, his course on behavioural science, creativity, marketing strategy and unconventional problem solving.

Now that an on demand version is available, I’ve officially signed up.

If you’re considering joining too, I also have a MAD//Masters discount code that will save you £200. Use the BBA200 discount code when you enrol.

But the discount is only part of the story. My main reason for joining is to challenge how I think and become a better brand builder.

I was immediately interested, but there was one practical issue holding me back.

The challenge of learning from Australia

The original MAD//Masters programme included live sessions, which were difficult to make work from Australia due to the time difference.

While the live element would have been valuable, committing to sessions at inconvenient hours was not particularly realistic. So, despite being interested in Rory Sutherland’s course, I held off.

That recently changed.

MAD//Masters has now introduced an on demand option at half the cost of the live programme. It does not include the live aspect, but it gives me the flexibility to work through the material in my own time.

For me, that was the perfect fit.

So, I’ve officially signed up.

Why I want to learn more about behavioural science

Behavioural science is relatively new territory for me, which is exactly why I want to study it.

Brand building is ultimately about people. It requires us to understand how people perceive value, make decisions, form preferences and choose one option over another.

Those decisions are rarely as rational as we like to believe.

As brand builders, we can easily become focused on strategy frameworks, positioning exercises, data and established processes. These tools are useful, but they can also lead us towards familiar answers.

Behavioural science offers another lens.

It can help us understand why people behave in ways that conventional logic does not always explain, and how perception, emotion, context and psychology shape the decisions they make.

I’m not taking the course because behavioural science is already my area of expertise. I’m taking it because it isn’t.

The point is to challenge my existing thinking, develop new ways to approach problems and become a better brand builder.

What is MAD//Masters by Rory Sutherland?

MAD//Masters is a Rory Sutherland course designed to help marketers, founders, agency leaders and other commercial professionals apply behavioural science, creative thinking and experimentation to real business problems.

Rather than encouraging students to simply repeat conventional marketing theory, the programme focuses on how to think, ask better questions and consider less obvious solutions.

The course explores areas such as:

  • Understanding customer behaviour through a psychological lens
  • Reframing problems and considering unconventional solutions
  • Making better decisions using practical mental checklists
  • Taking calculated creative risks
  • Recognising the strengths and limitations of data
  • Using creativity, experimentation and behavioural science together
  • Challenging conventional marketing and business logic
  • Finding more distinctive ways to compete

The MAD//Masters course also examines concepts such as choice architecture, heuristics, loss aversion, social proof, reverse benchmarking and the relationship between perception and reality.

What appeals to me most is the focus on asking better questions.

Instead of simply optimising what already exists, Rory encourages you to step back, challenge the assumptions behind the problem and consider whether there is a more interesting way forward.

That feels especially relevant to branding. As Rory explained in our conversation about problem framing and creative brand thinking, the strongest solution is not always the most obvious or rational one.

Learning at my own pace

The new on demand format means I can work through MAD//Masters at my own pace without battling the time difference between the UK and Australia.

It also makes Rory Sutherland’s course more accessible for anyone interested in behavioural science and creative problem solving who cannot commit to scheduled live sessions.

The on demand option gives me the flexibility to study when it suits me, revisit useful ideas and consider how I can apply them to branding, strategy and client work.

I’m particularly interested in exploring how behavioural science can improve the way we:

  • Frame brand and business problems
  • Understand customer motivations
  • Communicate value
  • Make strategic decisions
  • Develop more distinctive ideas
  • Challenge assumptions within a brief
  • Create brands that connect with people emotionally

I’ll share more once I’ve worked through the course and had a chance to put the ideas into practice.

MAD//Masters Discount Code: Save £200 on Rory Sutherland’s Course

Looking for a MAD//Masters discount code? Use the BBA200 discount code to save £200 when you enrol in MAD//Masters by Rory Sutherland.

This Rory Sutherland course explores behavioural science, creative problem solving, marketing strategy and customer behaviour. It is designed for marketers, founders, agency professionals and business leaders who want to challenge conventional thinking and make better decisions.

As a MAD//Masters partner, I can offer you an additional £200 off with the MAD//Masters coupon code BBA200.

Explore MAD//Masters by Rory Sutherland and save £200 with code BBA200

Start with our Rory Sutherland podcast episode

If you want a taste of Rory’s thinking before considering the course, listen to our JUST Branding Podcast episode, Problem Framing: Rewire How You Think, Create and Lead.

In the episode, Rory explains how changing the way we define a problem can reveal creative opportunities that conventional thinking misses.

We discuss behavioural science, emotional decision making, creativity, brand strategy and why reframing a bad brief can produce much better answers.

I’m looking forward to getting started, exploring a field that is relatively new to me and bringing what I learn back into my work as a brand builder.

If you have already completed MAD//Masters, I’d love to hear what you thought.

MAD//Masters FAQs

Is there a MAD//Masters discount code?

Yes. Use the MAD//Masters coupon code BBA200 at checkout to receive £200 off your enrolment.

What is MAD//Masters by Rory Sutherland?

MAD//Masters is a course exploring behavioural science, creativity, marketing, customer behaviour and unconventional approaches to solving business problems.

Is MAD//Masters available on demand?

Yes. An on demand version is available for people who prefer to complete the course at their own pace without attending the live sessions.

Who is the MAD//Masters course for?

The course is designed for marketers, founders, agency professionals, commercial leaders and anyone interested in behavioural science, creativity and better business problem solving.

 

Time to get started

I’m looking forward to exploring a field that is relatively new to me and bringing what I learn back into my work as a brand builder.

It is easy to keep refining the skills and frameworks we already know. Sometimes the better investment is to explore a new discipline that challenges how we think.

That is what I hope MAD//Masters will do.

If you have already completed the programme, I’d love to hear what you thought.