The Buycologist’s studies the science of why people buy – Chicago Tribune
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Many brands spend heavily on marketing without asking the most important question: why are people buying? For Dr. Chris Gray, known as the Buycologist, the answer lies in psychology. With decades of experience in retail, consumer packaged goods and global branding, Gray helps leaders uncover the emotional drivers that shape purchasing decisions and reframe campaigns that fail to communicate.
Start with the right fit
Every engagement with Gray begins with a short introductory call. He uses this time to understand not only what a client wants, but also whether the challenge is within his wheelhouse. “It must be linked to consumer psychology,” he explains. “Sometimes I honestly tell people that you don’t need someone at my level as experienced as I am. But if you need deep expertise in psychology and want to apply it in a way that solves real problems, I’m your guy.”
This focus keeps his work closely aligned with behavioral insights rather than generic marketing tactics. It’s also why his partnerships often last for years, deepening as he gains trust and demonstrates impact.
Reframing the challenge
Gray often encounters brands that avoid aspects of their product or service that seem unconventional or uncomfortable to consumers. Rather than smoothing over these differences, he encourages teams to lean into them. “When something doesn’t seem familiar, it can also seem interesting or serve as evidence of effectiveness,” he explains. “The goal is not to gloss over what’s different but to help people understand why that difference matters.”
He often conducts qualitative research to explore how people interpret these differences and what emotional needs emerge in their decision-making. For Gray, this process reinforces a guiding principle: psychology is not about hiding the truth but about helping people make sense of it from their own perspective.
The Dish Soap Lesson
Gray’s career has produced ideas that seem simple but are often overlooked by marketers. While working with a major FMCG brand in dish soap, the brand manager dismissed the category as a “drive-thru” where shoppers mindlessly grabbed the cheapest or most familiar option and moved on. Chris disagreed.
He dug deeper and discovered that the real driver was not price but certainty. Busy parents, often juggling work, children and household demands, needed to know the soap would work the first time. “I can’t afford for this not to work and then do it again,” was the constant refrain from research participants. This need for security explained why people remained loyal to the same brand even when new, “better” products appeared. This discovery reshaped the way the company marketed its products, focusing on proof of reliability rather than simple promotions.
“Everything we buy fulfills an emotional need,” says Gray. “If you dig, if you care, and if you go at it with empathy, you will find the emotion behind even the most mundane purchase.”
Ask the questions others don’t ask
Part of Gray’s difference is how he interviews clients. He often asks executives to first define their problem from the company’s perspective, then describe it as if they were the customer. The gap between these responses reveals empathy, or rather the lack of it. “I want to see where they are on this journey,” he says. “Do they understand instantly? Do they think like their customers? Or is there a big disparity that we need to address?”
These questions become the starting point for the strategy. By uncovering how executives perceive their market and how consumers experience it, Gray aims to create campaigns that align messages with lived reality.
Global perspectives, local needs
Gray’s perspective is also shaped by his international work. While leading research projects in Moscow for Coca-Cola, he was surprised when Russian consumers described Coca-Cola as a form of self-care. A local colleague explained that, unlike in the United States, Coca-Cola was not available until the 1990s and therefore retained the aura of a luxury treat. “It made perfect sense once I heard it in their words,” Gray recalled. “For us, it was every day. For them, it was always special.”
Examples like these illustrate a theme that runs through his work: behavior always has meaning to the person performing it. If brands can put aside their assumptions and seek to understand this perspective, they can meet consumers where they are.
Ethics first
Throughout his career, Gray has resisted taking shortcuts. He clearly expresses his philosophy that persuasion must avoid turning into manipulation, and his speech “Don’t Be Gross” sums up this belief in simple language. Exploitative or deceptive strategies may generate short-term gains, but they erode trust. According to him, long-term results only come when brands build meaningful relationships with their customers by respecting their intelligence and emotional needs.
Why it matters now
For companies struggling with campaigns that fail to resonate, Gray’s work could offer a way forward. Whether it’s reframing a challenge that seems counterintuitive, turning a product into an emotional choice, or asking executives to put themselves in their customers’ shoes, his insight into consumer psychology is designed to reveal what traditional tactics are missing.
“Whenever a client tells me their category is commoditized, I know what they mean, which is that it doesn’t engage people emotionally,” Gray says. “This is where the work begins.”
Chris Gray currently works with clients in the consumer goods and global retail industries, but his principles apply to any industry. To learn how consumer psychology can reshape your strategy, visit TheBuycologist.com/Contact and schedule a free introductory call.
