It's Back.
September 26th, 2025
It's Back.
September 26th, 2025
It's Back.
September 26th, 2025
It's Back.
September 26th, 2025
It's Back.
September 26th, 2025
It's Back.
September 26th, 2025
It's Back.
September 26th, 2025
It's Back.
September 26th, 2025
It's Back.
September 26th, 2025
It's Back.
September 26th, 2025

the science behind

consumer behavior

Gather alongside marketers across the country for a conference that explores the science behind consumer decision-making.

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At Unreasonable, we take an in-depth, research-based look at consumer behavior.

Science continues to show us that consumers don’t make buying decisions rationally. At Unreasonable, we’ll dive into that research—with talks from the scientists, academics, and creative minds who conduct it. Connect with other marketers, see the subconscious factors that influence consumer choices, and learn how to harness that knowledge to shift behavior.

Featured ‘25 speakers

We’ve chosen these researchers and experts to challenge your perspective, change your beliefs, and give you new insight into consumer motivations.

DIGNITY

Cait Lamberton

byCait Lamberton

The Language of Respect: Why Brands Need to Understand Consumer Dignity

NUMBERS

Keith Wilcox

byKeith Wilcox

Numerical Persuasion: How Framing Numbers Influences Consumer Behavior

IMPERFECTION

Alix Barasch

byAlix Barasch

The Upsides of Imperfection in the Marketplace

NEUROFORECASTING

Carolyn Yoon

byCarolyn Yoon

Neuroforecasting: Leveraging Brain Signals to Predict Market Outcomes 

FANDOM

Michael Lewis

byMichael Lewis

Future Fandom: Sports to Brands

PRICING

Manoj Thomas

byManoj Thomas

The Psychology of Value – Pricing

Responsibility

Abigail Sussman

byAbigail Sussman

From Purpose to Purchase: Understanding how CSR moves customers

strategy

Kari O'Neill

byKari O'Neill

Applying the Principles of Unreasonable

host / strategy

Tom Denari

byTom Denari

Applying the Principles of Unreasonable

Why Unreasonable?

Today many marketing leaders and CEOs continue to cling to the misguided notion that their customers are mostly rational beings—and that their buying decisions are based more on reason than emotion. More logic and less gut. More need and less want.

This misunderstanding is understandable because we humans are all somewhat fooled by our own sense of rationality. But an abundance of research over the past thirty years has revealed that we all actually behave “unreasonably,” often basing decisions on factors we’re not even aware of. This event is a window into this important work, and will hopefully convince you to think very differently about how to communicate with and study consumers and their behavior.

Location

Since its foundation, we’ve proudly hosted the Unreasonable conference at Newfields: A Place for Nature and the Arts. The Newfields Campus spans 152 acres of forests, waterways, gardens, and venues ranging from the Indianapolis Museum of Art to the Tobias Theater—a 530-seat auditorium that Indianapolis Monthly magazine called “the best screening room in Indianapolis.”
 


Conference attendees spend most of the day in the Tobias Theater, and enjoy a break for lunch in the Randolph H. Deer Special Events Pavilion.

Tickets

Each ticket provides all-day access to Unreasonable and includes a catered lunch and a post-event happy hour. Special pricing is available for students, non-profits, and groups larger than five people; reach out to events@yandl.com for more information.

N
Ticket
$39500*
$ 495 00
*Early bird price through August 1
5 Ticket Bundle
$35000
per ticket

We’d like to thank Cummins, our partner in thought leadership, for sponsoring the 2025 conference.

Want a sneak peek at what’s coming?

From FOMO to Fulfillment: The Science of Consumer Behavior | SXSW 2025

At SXSW 2025, Tom Denari (President & CEO, Young & Laramore) moderated a discussion about the hidden factors behind human decision-making.

FEATURING THREE PANELISTS AND ALUMNI SPEAKERS FROM THE UNREASONABLE CONFERENCE:

  • KELLY GOLDSMITH (VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY - OWEN GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT)
  • MICHAEL PLATT (THE WHARTON SCHOOL)
  • LAWRENCE WILLIAMS (UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER - LEEDS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS)
Need help?
Reach out to Meghan at events@yandl.com and she'll help answer any questions you have.
2024 Event
At last year’s event, we hosted a distinguished, varied and, if we may say so, delightful group of speakers and attendees.