Alchemy: Rory Sutherland's case for 'illogical' ideas, turned into content that sells in Muscat

Imagine two florists in Muscat selling the same roses at the same price. One hands them over in plastic. The other wraps them in kraft paper, ties a gold ribbon and adds a handwritten card. Logically, the flowers are identical. So why does almost everyone remember the second shop?

That gap between what makes sense and what actually works is the subject of Rory Sutherland’s book Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don’t Make Sense (2019). Sutherland is a long-time advertising executive at Ogilvy in the UK, known for funny, sharp talks on behavioural science. The book is his argument that marketers lean too hard on logic, and that some of the best ideas look a bit silly on a spreadsheet.

Here’s our short version, and what it means for content production in Oman.

1. Logic vs psycho-logic

Sutherland’s core idea is that people run on psycho-logic. We don’t calculate value like a machine. We react to feelings, cues, habits and context. Things that look irrational from the outside often have a perfectly good emotional reason.

For brands, this changes the question. Instead of only asking "how do we make the product better?", also ask "how do we make it feel better?" The second question is often cheaper to answer, and content is one of the best tools for it.

2. Change the perception, not just the product

One of the book’s best-known examples is about trains. Sutherland points out that a huge budget spent making a journey slightly faster could, in theory, be beaten by a much smaller budget spent making the journey more enjoyable. Faster is logical. More pleasant can be worth more.

He gives a similar example with ride-hailing apps: the live map doesn’t make the car arrive any sooner, but it removes the anxiety of not knowing. The wait feels shorter because it feels under control.

For a brand in Muscat, content can be that map:

• A clinic posts a 20-second reel showing exactly what happens at a first visit, so new patients feel calm before they arrive.
• A furniture store films the delivery and assembly team at work, so customers know what to expect on the day.
• A restaurant shows the kitchen during the rush, so a longer wait reads as "freshly made", not "slow".

3. Effort is a message

Sutherland spends a lot of time on signalling. Some things matter because they are costly or effortful: a wedding invitation on heavy card, flowers instead of a cash transfer. The cost itself says "I care" and "I’m serious". He also suggests advertising works partly this way: a brand that invests in showing up tells people it plans to be around.

On social media, effort shows. A thoughtfully shot reel with good light and clean sound tells a viewer something before a single word is spoken. That doesn’t mean every post needs a big crew. It means the details people can see, like packaging, lighting, framing and the opening shot, are part of the message.

4. Make the safe choice easy

Another theme: people often aren’t looking for the best possible option. They want one that is good enough and unlikely to go wrong. Avoiding a bad decision can matter more than finding a perfect one, especially when a manager has to justify the choice.

For Meta ads and Instagram content in Oman, that means reducing risk, not just shouting benefits:

• Show real customers, real places and real results where you have them.
• Answer the scary questions early: price range, delivery time, what happens if something goes wrong.
• Offer a small first step, like a free check, a sample or a short call, before the big commitment.

5. Dare to test small, odd ideas

Sutherland’s warning is that if everyone uses the same logic, everyone reaches the same answer, and the market fills with brands that look alike. The opposite of a sensible idea can also be a good idea, and small tweaks can have big effects.

Content is the cheapest place to run these experiments. Try a slower reel when everyone cuts fast. Try a plain phone video next to your polished ad. Try a different first line. Let the numbers decide, not what sounded logical in the meeting.

A quick psycho-logic check for your content

1. What does your customer worry about before buying? Make one video that removes that worry.
2. Where is the "ribbon" in your product? Film the detail that shows care.
3. Show the process, the team or the wait, so it feels under control.
4. Add one risk-reducer to your next ad: a guarantee, a sample or a real review.
5. Each month, test one idea that feels slightly illogical, and measure it.

Curious which small change would make your account feel more trustworthy? Ask us for a free Instagram analysis and we’ll send you a short, honest report on WhatsApp.

Summary and commentary by the NoOr team, based on Rory Sutherland’s book Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don’t Make Sense (2019). Ideas are paraphrased, not quoted.