Stop Feeding Audiences Digital Junk Food with Dr. Imran Rashid

Oliver Atkinson sits down with Dr. Imran Rashid, physician, author, and adviser to Denmark’s prime minister on digital well-being, to explore how brands can shift from chasing clicks to designing for intention, and why feelings, not claims, drive real behavior change. Imran says authenticity has to be felt: trust lives in the body (think oxytocin), and one face-to-face moment lets the brain “fill in the blanks” on later video calls. He shares simple guardrails, treating people as humans, not “eyeballs”; ask “Why this? Why me? Why now?”; even consider a Chief Emotional Officer, and push for content that helps, not hooks. His metaphors stick: trying to replace human connection with screens is like watering a plant with a picture; be the “feely fish,” not just the “thinking birds.” He also highlights the Batman costume study, identity plus story boosts effort, and how data can predict churn well before it happens. With platforms running the biggest A/B test in history and impulse-driven feeds shaping habits, the stakes are real: your creative choices influence attention, emotion, and health. Marketers, product designers, and creative leaders will leave with practical ways to build trust, and measure it, through humane stories and intentional design. Follow The Audience Connection Podcast: Website: casualfilms.com Instagram: @casualglobal LinkedIn: Casual Films International BlueSky: @casualglobal.bsky.social Subscribe now and join the conversation about creating content that truly resonates.