Colleen Backstrom
Director of NeuroMarketing
Kaleidoscope International (Pty) Ltd is a full-service NeuroMarketing agency and one of the leading email marketing companies in South Africa. Kaleidoscope specialises in finding new clients and driving sales for corporates using a very specific form of marketing – NeuroMarketing – taking a fresh new look at the drivers of email and web success: what makes them say yes?
Colleen is specifically focused on business and strategic thinking prior to the creative concept and essential in the production of communications “that work.”
Colleen’s niche and study area is in the substantial and growing body of research in the field of NeuroMarketing, and the practical application of this knowledge to the design and production of email and web campaigns.
Kaleidoscope’s online neuro school provides fast track courses in applied neuromarketing for email and web to a network of neuro students in the USA, UK, India, The Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Peru, Turkey, Dubai, Qatar, Lebanon, Malaysia, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Colleen is past chairman of the Institute of Marketing Management, the first woman in South Africa to hold that position. She has received the President’s Award from the Institute of Marketing for “Outstanding Contribution to Marketing in South Africa.”
Her keynote speaking includes the annual SA Direct Marketing Association’s conference and the Direct Mail Symposium, London, UK; “The Customer doesn’t believe in advertising anymore.”
Colleen has also been published in Direct Marketing International UK, magazine, and is a member of the Direct Marketing Association, USA. She was the speaker on eMail Marketing at the CTICC Retail Indaba, a speaker at the first two NeuroMarketing conferences held in South Africa, and a guest lecturer at the USB MBA program on her topic: NeuroMarketing – The New Art of Persuasion; an Executive Overview.
Research Studies
2017 – The 3 Big Issues Facing the South African eMail Marketer and NeuroMarketing for Digital. Global Trends and Best Practice.
2018 – The Power of the Product Persona: how do faces and eyes drive engagement in a web or email message?
2019 – The Neuro Triggers that Drive Conversions; what makes them say yes?
2020 – NeuroMarketing and the “Buying Brain”. Doing the Impossible: Selling in a Market When Nobody’s Buying.
2021 – NeuroPricing: Can the way you “style” your pricing affect sales?
2022 – The Secret Formula of Subject Lines. Using neuro thinking to get to the perfect subject line.
2023 – The Joy of NeuroCOLOUR. How can we use the neuroscience of colour to enhance the impact of our digital marketing.
2024 – NeuroMarketing and the Power of AI to establish the Dominant Emotional Attractor
Global Speaker – WPO Virtual Conference
Getting Back to Cashflow
When Nobody’s Buying
NeuroMarketing & the “Buying” Brain.
Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO) is a global organisation for CEOs with chapters in USA, Canada, Mexico, Peru, UK, Sweden, Turkey, Malaysia, South Africa Australia and New Zealand. Colleen’s workshop was sponsored and introduced by IBM.
Global Speaker, India, Titan Masterminds
The Science Behind
The Buying Brain
Titan Masterminds is a collective of real-world business owners and personal Mastermind experts let by uber entrepreneur Neeraj Shah. Based in Mumbai, it is India’s most effective high-growth business hub and includes in its membership entrepreneurs from India, Dubai, Japan, the UK, and Australia.
Keynote Speaker – The Science Behind the Buying Brain – at the Grote Bazen Sales Festival hosted by Arno Diepeveen in Utrecht, Netherlands on 30th September.
“Colleen, you were amazing. It was a blessing to have you at our event. You delivered so much value… I am sure we would not get an 8.8
without your keynote and presence. Thanks a lot.” Arno Diepeveen, Royal Dutch Sales, Grote Bazen Sales Festival.
“Was inspired by your presentation and energy!…”
“You have so much knowledge and content…”
“One of the best sales presentations I have ever seen…”
“Love your energy and your presentation was really spot on. Never saw so many people writing and taking photos during your presentation. They were feeding their minds…”
“Informative and relevant, and above all great fun!”
“We are looking to do a Leadership event in Q1 2023. Would you be willing to come over again?”
“One small POSITIVE THOUGHT in the morning, can change the entire outcome of your day.”