Be More Descriptive | Nudge Newsletter ๐ง
Use descriptions that can be visualised.In 2022 researchers ran a study on product descriptions. Half saw descriptions given in weight. Half saw descriptions given in quantity. Here's what happened. |
Oreo are one of the few brands that actually use this. Rather than proudly displaying the package weight, they showcase the quantity of cookies. And doing so, should boost their sales. So, use descriptions that can be visualised: โ 100 GB = โ 50 feature length films โ 568 mls = โ 1 pint โ 135 MPH = โ Faster than you're legally allowed to drive โ Cheers, Phill |
Nudge Newsletter
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The Anchoring Effect Read online "๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ: ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ช๐ต๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฅ๐ช๐ท๐ฆ๐ด ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ต ๐ธ๐ข๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐ณ๐ช๐ฎ๐ด๐ฃ๐บ." Why does this line work? Well, it's due to a great use of the ๐๐ง๐๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ญ. Anchoring = "๐๐ข๐ญ๐ถ๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ค๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ด ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ค๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ช๐ต ๐ข๐จ๐ข๐ช๐ฏ๐ด๐ต." In a 2022 studyยน, 404 shoppers tested how reference prices affect perceived value. When Ben & Jerryโs ($3.99 for 16oz) was shown next to Walmartโs cheaper $1.99 tub, only 27% rated Ben & Jerry's as great value. But when paired with a costlier $4.99 Halo...
Goal Dilution Effect Read online Keen listeners of Nudge will have heard Richard Shotton explain how Five Guys succeeded because they limited the number of items on their menu. Taken from Shotton's episode in late 2025. They focused on just burgers and chips. That helped them improve and benefit from economies of scale. But it also helped them psychologically, due to the goal dilution effect. Here's why: In a 2007 study by Zhang and Fishbachยน, participants were given information about how...
Pratfall Effect Read online A few months ago on Reddit, someone asked, "Is this the best Black Friday marketing campaign?" Personally, I think it's disingenuous garbage, but clearly, something about this type of ad resonates with some. And it might be because of the first two words. "We're sorry." In 2024ยน a number of researchers from Belgium ran four experiments. They tested what happened when a company apologised for a trivial mistake. In one study, participants were shown an email from a...