This is Why Your Brain Hates Case Studies

It comes down to how your brain processes information

Photo by Ashes Sitoula on Unsplash

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Writers love using case studies or examples to illustrate and help explain concepts. Often, case studies are used in business and professional articles to give the reader an example of how these concepts work in the ‘real world’.

However, case studies often aren’t as useful as they could be. In fact, when they aren’t properly presented and utilized, case studies can actually hinder learning. A poorly-used case study can actually make it more difficult for the reader to understand the core concept you want to explain.

The reason why comes down to how our brains process information.

If you use an existing case study to illustrate a core concept, you need to provide additional information that helps the reader understand the concept. Otherwise they will understand the case study, but not the core concept it illustrates.

For instance, look at Red Bull’s content marketing. Red Bull’s content marketing has long been offered as an example of a company that uses compelling content to build brand awareness. But often, the case study is presented, with little or no explanation of why Red Bull’s approach is so effective.

Last week we talked about the perfect Substack review. As part of illustrating the concept of a reader leaving a review where they talk about themselves, I talked about finding the ‘bigger, cooler thing’ that your product is a part of. Red Bull does this amazingly well with its content. Red Bull doesn’t sell its energy drink, it sells what happens after you drink it. The activities you engage in after you drink it is the ‘bigger, cooler thing’ that Red Bull is a part of.

Hacking your brain to better understand concepts

Let’s take our learning up a notch.

If I present a case study on Red Bull’s marketing, I am trying to illustrate the core concepts that Red Bull uses, such as creating content that focuses on the ‘bigger, cooler thing’ that Red Bull is a part of. In this case, extreme sports.

But if I only talk about the Red Bull case study, most people will understand why the Red Bull case study is important moreso than they will understand the core concepts such as finding the ‘bigger, cooler thing’ that will have more impact. If someone can read a case study and grasp the core concepts behind it, they can then apply those core concepts to their own work. And that’s when real breakthroughs can happen.

So how do I explain the concept in a way that helps the reader grasp it? Neuroscience has the answer.

I use a real AND abstract example to illustrate the concept.

The Red Bull case study is my real-world example. But I then add an abstract example to also illustrate the core concept. By giving the audience a real and abstract example to look at, it forces their brains to connect the dots and find the common core concept that’s on display in both examples.

Here’s a few examples: I could use Red Bull as my ‘real world’ case study to illustrate the core concept of creating content around the ‘bigger, cooler thing’ that your product lives in.

What would be some abstract examples of finding the ‘bigger, cooler thing’ for other products?

Cooking utensils - The bigger, cooler thing is teaching customers how to use those utensils to be better chefs.

Digital camera - The bigger, cooler thing is teaching customers how to take better pictures.

Savings account - The bigger, cooler thing is teaching customers how to plan for retirement income (which also opens another world of possibilities on how they could spend their retirement years).

Whenever you are using a case study to illustrate a concept, try to marry it to an abstract example that is relevant to your audience. Consider who your audience is, and craft an abstract example or two of how the core concept could apply to them, with a particular product.

If you are writing a post to Sarah, you could include an example of how a local credit union helped Bob (a real customer) plan for his daughter’s college, then include an abstract example of how Sarah could use the financial services at the same credit union to plan for her son’s college. By giving Sarah an abstract example of how SHE could use the credit union, it makes the example far more relevant to her, and helps her understand the core concept.

Remember, in order to facilitate learning, pair a real-world example (case study) with an abstract example that’s tailored as closely as possible to your audience. Oh and as the reader, if you are reading a writer who isn’t giving you information past the case study, it could very well be because they can’t. In order for a writer to give abstract examples, they must possess a deeper understanding of the core concept the abstract example is covering. A lot of writers know to add a mention of a popular case study from a company, but unless they truly understand the core concepts behind those case studies, they can’t speak to them.

As a writer, ask yourself “What is the core concept that I want the reader to understand?’ Then when you answer that question, ask “What change will understanding that core concept make for the reader?”

You are wanting to make a positive change for the reader. Remember last week I talked about how the perfect Substack review is one where the reader talks about how you created a change for them. The reader doesn’t talk about you or your substack, they talk about how reading you substack changed them. Think about how you can affect that change.

Thanks for reading, I hope this is helpful to you! Hope you have a wonderful week, and please click the Like button! Thank you!

Mack