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...

Do new managers give teams a "bounce"? Read online In sports, it's common to hear about the "new manager bounce". It's an immediate improvement in performance following a change of manager. Like most sporting clichés, it's made its way into the working world. An old boss of mine justified a managerial replacement. by citing the need to quickly hit that quarter's KPIs. But is the new manager bounce real? One detailed study¹ on Polish football managers found that players initially ran faster...