Originally published: July 2019 | Last updated: October 2025

What can we possibly learn about audience preference and behaviour from a PowerPoint presentation?

How ground-breaking can an innovation be if it was conceived in a meeting room?

Can we really think differently if we do everything the same way?

Change is not easy when we have been conditioned to think in a certain way or have only experienced things through a certain pattern of behaviour.

That combined with a society craving instant gratification spills urgency into business, so we feel duty bound to plough a deeper furrow the same way as yesterday, for fear that any deviation will delay and therefore reduce sales.

And yet with just a small investment in time truly away from the day-to-day, embracing a little chaos could bring the creativity which can short-cut consumer impatience with delight.

Deconditioned thinking forces us to be removed from our own viewpoint.  Unique immersive experiences help us explore challenges from new perspectives, maximising the opportunity to unearth insight and creating ideas that come from a place of truth, unfiltered.

We ‘decondition’ our thinkers, just for a short while, tailoring our tools and techniques to the needs of each client ensuring the experience is a good fit with their business/stakeholders.

This results in high-energy and fun idea generation that leads to the most relevant and impactful initiatives to help you live and breathe your brand.

If this sounds exciting and a bit scary (it should!) then come and bend our ear.

FAQs 

1. What does “deconditioned thinking” mean?
Deconditioned thinking is the practice of deliberately stepping away from established routines and assumptions to unlock fresh perspectives. It helps individuals and teams think more creatively by challenging ingrained behaviours and habitual thought patterns. 

2. Why is deconditioned thinking important in brand strategy?
When teams think the same way every day, they tend to generate predictable ideas. Deconditioned thinking helps break that cycle, leading to more authentic insights, innovative campaigns, and deeper audience connections. 

3. How do immersive experiences support creative thinking?
Immersive experiences remove people from familiar settings and stimulate new ways of seeing challenges. By engaging multiple senses and perspectives, these sessions can reveal insights that traditional meetings or presentations might overlook. 

4. What can I expect from a deconditioning session with The Listening People?
Each session is tailored to the client’s needs, combining creative tools, team dynamics, and reflective exercises. The result is a high-energy, enjoyable experience that inspires relevant, powerful ideas and helps brands express themselves more truthfully.