Who we are
sooth is an insights-driven decisioning platform and consultancy that makes marketing more successful for clients, creators, and consumers.
Using its breakthrough scientific method, sooth decodes human decision making by measuring the precise emotional receptivity of any audience.
Through a unique application of data, artificial intelligence, and human intellect, sooth uncovers unmatched insights to anticipate, understand, and predict the choices people will make with their time, money, and lives.
What we do
One-of-a-kind tools
We work with brands, agencies, media companies, and advisors to uncover the emotional needs of any audience and determine precisely how they decide everything. Plus, we deliver at a fraction of the cost and time of traditional research. This means you can put our insights into immediate action for your business.
We work with brands, agencies, media companies, and advisors to uncover the emotional needs of any audience and determine precisely how they decide everything. Plus, we deliver at a fraction of the cost and time of traditional research. This means you can put our insights into immediate action for your business.
Uniquely powerful insights
We provide a thorough understanding of your customers' thought patterns, lifestyles, and motivations, and tell you exactly what they need from your brand in order to say "yes."
Our highly nuanced insights are achieved at a 95% confidence level --and at the speed of modern commerce -- for smarter creative, media, CRM, and CX decisions.
We provide a thorough understanding of your customers' thought patterns, lifestyles, and motivations, and tell you exactly what they need from your brand in order to say "yes."
Our highly nuanced insights are achieved at a 95% confidence level --and at the speed of modern commerce -- for smarter creative, media, CRM, and CX decisions.
Record-shattering results
Our method is proven to increase effectiveness by 3X - 24X in nearly every marketing discipline and across industries from healthcare to automotive, finance, travel, consumer goods, tech, and more. We're the magic ingredient in your brand reinvention, market expansion, new product introduction, or winning pitch.
Our method is proven to increase effectiveness by 3X - 24X in nearly every marketing discipline and across industries from healthcare to automotive, finance, travel, consumer goods, tech, and more. We're the magic ingredient in your brand reinvention, market expansion, new product introduction, or winning pitch.
Why we sooth
Over half of all marketing programs fail. Often, we don’t know why, and when we do it’s only after the fact. This reality is maddening to clients, creators, and the very consumers we’re all here to help.
Data was hyped as the answer, so why are only 2% of “data-driven” marketing investments paying out? Cognitive bias. The enemy of good decisions takes many forms: brainstorms, hunches, buzzwords, copycats, chasing awards, and the dreaded “best practices.” There is absolutely a better way.
The move to customer centricity gave brands access to vast terabytes of data to help with targeting, offers and messaging. The problem is, as we all know, this is not how people make decisions. And when marketers use all this “big data” in ways that don’t line up with how humans think – well, no wonder we’re in this situation.
Demographics and transactional behavior can only take one so far, since 70% of all consumer decisions are emotional. By applying artificial intelligence and a healthy dose of alchemy, we can supercharge your marketing strategy by unlocking the emotional decision-making code for any consumer population.
This is why we sooth.
Ian Baer, founder and chief soothsayer, has been solving marketing’s most significant challenges for over three decades. He has spent his career helping major brands achieve extraordinary success and challenger brands box above their weight class. His background in journalism and behavioral sciences has defined his work, allowing brands to solve practical problems with sustained impact by tapping into an audience's human emotions.
Ian has built and led exceptionally skilled teams throughout his career and has inspired discipleship that can be traced across leadership levels at many top brands and agencies worldwide. His reputation and success as a thought leader, master storyteller, brand champion, unrivaled strategist, marketing innovator, and data whisperer are second to none.
When Ian goes to work for a brand or agency, his unique ability to find deeper understanding and connect with consumers on a human level leaves a transformative impact.
A few examples of Ian's campaign and results include:
Redefined e-commerce for a global fashion icon, growing year-over-year revenue by more than 70% for seven years running.
Skyrocketed marketing performance for a top 3 technology brand – boosting the yield of their acquisition campaigns 9X while reducing the cost per acquisition by 93% and delivered campaign-level returns on marketing investment as high as 4100%.
Re-envisioned the customer experience for a global restaurant giant – tripling online sales while earning multiple innovation awards and industry recognition along the way.
Changed the game across dozens of brands in categories ranging from luxury auto to healthcare, financial services, travel, food, entertainment – even government and cause marketing.
Ian has spent his career helping major brands achieve extraordinary success and challenger brands box above their weight class holding leadership roles with Publicis Groupe, TBWA, Rapp, Deutsch, and others.
Ian is a contributor and thought leader for industry-specific and national publications including Adweek, Fortune Magazine, New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and CNBC. Additionally, he is a frequent speaker at leading national conferences including Advertising Week; SocialMedia Week; Digiday; DMA Annual Marketing Forum; and the 4A’s.
Ian is an Advisory Board Member of the Ithaca College Customer Experience Program. He has participated in numerous televised interviews for platforms including LiveNOW from FOX, NewsNation, TalkTV, Fox5 New York, Piers Morgan, and Televisionation.
sooth is the fulfillment of Ian’s belief that marketing should do more to help the millions of people it touches – clients, creators, and consumers.
“Ian's perfect combination of brilliance and approachability make him the ideal partner to any client or colleague. He effortlessly applies his experience across industries with his foresight to know what's next and packages it in a relatable, easy-to-digest way that makes the path forward clear.”
Megan McCurry
“Trusted counselor? Business sage? Futurist? Honest broker? Soothsayer? Ian is among the very few who can lay rightful claim to all of these roles.”
Mark Weninger
“Ian Baer is amongst the most talented, inspiring, creative, and innovative leaders that I've ever worked with. He brings a level of disruptive creativity that drives bold results. His numerous superpowers include a deep understanding of customer needs, market trends, cutting-edge technology, and how to combine them to foster powerful synergies. He is a genuine pioneer and it's no surprise that Ian continues to be the driving force behind so many award-winning campaigns and product launches.”
Howie Konopko
