Richard Shotton’s book “The Illusion of Choice” discusses 16.5 psychological biases that influence consumer behavior and suggests that marketers underutilize these principles. He uses John Lewis’s distinctive holiday advertising as a case study of effective use of behavioral psychology in marketing, such as the Von Restorff effect. Shotton also highlights the effectiveness of concrete language and rhymes in making messages memorable and criticizes the advertising industry for prioritizing safe, conventional strategies over distinctive, memorable approaches due to the principal-agent problem.
Key Points:
- John Lewis’s successful Christmas ad campaign serves as a key example of utilizing emotional storytelling and the Von Restorff effect to stand out in a saturated market, as detailed in Shotton’s “The Illusion of Choice.”
- Shotton emphasizes the power of concrete language in advertising, which can significantly improve recall and effectiveness, a tactic not employed as widely as it could be.
- The Keats heuristic, which suggests that easily processed information like rhymes is more believable and memorable, is being used less in advertising, despite its proven effectiveness.
- Humor in ads has been shown to enhance enjoyment, memorability, and purchase intent, but the industry has seen a decline in humorous advertising over the past decade.
- The principal-agent problem in marketing leads to a tendency for safe, conventional advertising decisions that prioritize career safety over brand distinctiveness.
Source: https://www.fastcompany.com/90977052/16-half-psychological-biases-influence-what-we-buy
