Hyperbolic Discounting Read online One of these ads looks 108% better value. Can you guess which? In 2025, Shotton and Flicker¹ tested ads like this in their book. 282 consumers were shown Sierra Nevada Pale Ale priced at $18.99 for 12 bottles. Half were told this equated to $1.58 per bottle. Among those shown the per-bottle price, 28.6% said it was good or very good value (more than double the 13.7% who only saw the total price). Framing the cost at the per-unit level made the purchase feel...

Specific Number Bias Read online Which coaster makes Guinness seem like the ‘𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘵’? That’s what Schindler¹ (Rutgers University) and Yalch (University of Washington) studied in 2006. They showed participants ads that used specific numbers, for example: “It takes 119.5 seconds to pour the perfect pint.” Vs. rounded numbers: “It takes 2 minutes to pour the perfect pint.” Turns out, claims made using 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 are perceived to be 10% 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. By pointing out that it takes...

The Framing Effect Read online Your perception is shaped by framing. Reference how lean a steak is, and you'll boost perceptions of quality.¹ Politicians know this. Pollster Frank Luntz² reports that 68% of people oppose inheritance tax if it's labelled "estate tax," but the figure jumps to 78% when it's called a "death tax." And yet most marketers forget this. We talk about our products and services in unimaginative ways. At bookshops, marketers promote the top "picks this summer". This...