Nudge

In 1991, CEO of one of the UK’s largest high street brands lost £500m in value overnight. He almost caused his company to go bankrupt, which ultimately led to his dismissal and a complete company rebrand. In today’s episode of Nudge, I share his story, explaining the psychology behind why this happened and some messaging advice that every marketer needs to know.  Sign up to the Nudge Newsletter: h...

Is there a hidden sexual symbolism behind the famous golden arches? Yes (apparently). I laughed at this, thinking it was BS, but today I realise I’m probably wrong. See subtle tweaks in logo designs dramatically change how they’re perceived. Today, I talk to Professor Nazuk Sharma as she explains how tweaks to design can make people buy.  Sign up for the Nudge Newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast....

Every year $342 billion is spent on bottled water. And yet, for many of those customers a safer version, that tastes the same, is 300x cheaper. Our collective thirst for bottled water is largely irrational. It doesn’t make sense. But so, it seems, are the pricing strategies of several major brands, from fashion, to food, to flights, irrational prices often trump rational approaches. Today, Melina...

Today, a world-leading neuroscientist explains everything wrong in my life. She details why marriages fail, if cleaning can be fun, how Facebook drove depression, and shares lessons on creativity. In 30 minutes, I learnt more about happiness than in the past 30 years.  Access the bonus episode: https://nudge.ck.page/de30a8ac24 Tali’s book, Look Again: https://tinyurl.com/5n8p3btb Tali’s lab: https...

In 2016 Amnesty international revealed how Microsoft, Volkswagen, and Samsung used suppliers with links to child labour. In 2017 BBC’s Panorama revealed how dozens of iPhone workers had committed suicide due to poor working conditions. In the summer of 2023 we learnt that Amazon’s UK division paid no corporation tax for the second year in a row. Did any of these unethical scandals directly affect...

Special days like Valentine’s day have an interesting effect on us. In ancient Roman times they inspired men to whip each other with animal hides. And today, they encourage men to spend hundreds on prospective partners. In today’s Nudge, researcher Danny Zane explains why this happens, sharing his eye-opening studies on how these special days affect us.  Danny’s webpage at Lehigh: https://business...

Learn the 7 scientifically-proven tips which are certified to improve your offer, and create a promotion that’s “too good to refuse”. Today Thomas McKinlay, founder of Ariyh is back on the show with more marketing-science wisdom. You’ll hear why extraordinary long warranties win, how time-limited offers fail, and why a thank you note isn’t as sweet as it seems.  Ariyh newsletter: https://ariyh.com...

What do Bieber, Lorde, Cézanne, Monet, Nudge Podcast, and Rock Around The Clock have in common? They all became much more popular through exposure. In today’s episode of Nudge I’ll share the irrational psychology behind popularity, and you’ll learn what it takes to create a hit.  Sign up for the Nudge Newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list My billboard experiment: https://i.im.ge/20...

Grab your copy of Wallet-Opening Words here: https://www.walletopeningwords.com/ Support me as I go full-time:  Follow me on LinkedIn  Join the newsletter Subscribe on YouTube  Leave a podcast review

Sharing secrets shouldn’t be frowned upon. Being open, transparent, and candid can work in your favour. Today I’m speaking to someone who doesn’t hide much, John Lee Dumas, host of Entrepreneurs on Fire, one of the world’s most popular business podcasts. John shares almost everything, from his exact monthly income, his tax saving schemes and intimate tours of his house. Today, I explain the psycho...

In the middle ages hundreds of thousands of Europeans danced themselves to exhaustion. Some danced for weeks on end, many ended up dying of heart attacks and heat stroke. But why? What strange illness was causing this oddity? Turns out, it was all psychological. The dancing epidemic of the middle ages was one of the first noted examples of mass hysteria, a phenomenon where these individuals experi...

On today’s episode of Nudge, I learnt something that genuinely surprised me.  Persuasive people aren’t born persuasive.  They’re not persuasive because of their looks, their character, or their position.  No, according to today’s guest, Dr Jonah Berger, their persuasiveness actually comes from the words they use.  Tune in to learn how the likes of Donald Trump and Barack Obama use simple tactics t...

Adobe increased retention by 8% simply by changing the way they asked a question. Sainsbury’s added a behavioural science principle to their ad and boosted mobile downloads by 13%. And one nudge-inspired Ramadan project reduced food waste amongst families by 67%. All three of these projects are interventions by Rory Sutherland’s behavioural science practice at Ogilvy. In today’s Nudge, we’ll go be...

I’ve spent over 50 hours this year talking to psychology experts in 2023. In today’s show, I share the 6 best bits of advice I’ve heard all year. Sign up for the Nudge Newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list

I sat down with fellow chart-topping marketing podcaster Jon Evans to record 10 lessons marketing lessons every marketer should know.  Sign up to my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Jon’s podcast: https://uncensoredcmo.com/

This campaign was praised by Piers Morgan, yet lamented by Jordan Peterson. It was championed by Caitlin Moran, yet condemned by the Guardian. It’s a campaign that’s split opinion, not by typical ideological lines, but within the echo chamber. Today, I spoke with Mike Hughes, one of the people behind the campaign, to figure out why it was so polarising, and whether or not the campaign was successf...

In 2021, the NHS sent a text message to every single Brit. This wasn’t a normal text. It was jam-packed with six world-famous persuasion techniques designed to shift behaviour. In today’s episode of Nudge, famed behavioural scientist Patrick Fagan walks through the six techniques, and explains that everyone, from the NHS to a 6-year old selling lemonade can apply them.  Can you spot the gorilla? h...

There’s an incredibly simple way to make your message more persuasive. In fact, it’s as simple as changing a letter. In today’s episode, Professor Christopher Bryan shares his studies on messaging. He’s convinced people to vote, persuaded children to tidy up, and students to stop cheating. How? By using nouns, over verbs.  Sign up for the Nudge Newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list...

Nudge has 1,231,705 plays. I haven’t mentioned this before, and that’s a mistake. Not sharing how many have listened has hindered my growth. At least according to today’s guest. Thomas McKinlay is the founder of Ariyh, a newsletter that shares the latest marketing research. And in today’s Nudge he shares 5 tips that are proven to boost sales, improve satisfaction and (hopefully) encourage more of...

If I tell you to "listen to this podcast!", you'll be less likely to listen. We only act if we feel a sense of autonomy. So demands like this tends to backfire. Today, my guest Bri Williams explains why this happens. Listen to learn, why offering one choice backfires, why we pick the middle choice, and the FBI's guide to negotiations. Access the bonus episode: https://tinyurl.com/nudgebonus Bri’s...

Ever wondered why the houses are so thin in Amsterdam? Or why there are boarded up windows in London? Or why most daycare centres don't charge a late pick up fee? Well it's all to do with (bad) incentives. Hear the world's incentive expert Uri Gneezy explain all in the latest episode of Nudge.  Uri’s book Mixed Signals: https://tinyurl.com/28mh4kke Follow the Nudge Newsletter: https://www.nudgepod...

Today’s guest shares how to make people 50% more likely to agree to your request. How to make children 33% more likely to tidy up. Plus, how to make your team more creative, your pitches more believable and your suggestions sound more confident.  You don’t have to take some magic pill, or get face-altering surgery. You just need to change the words you use. Tune in to hear Dr Jonah Berger, best se...

In the early 2000s Head and Shoulders, the anti-dandruff shampoo product, sold 26 variations of their shampoo. The thinking was, the more choice, the more sales. This made sense to almost everyone, except today’s guest. See, today’s guest, the world leading expert on choice told Proctor and Gamble, the company behind Head and Shoulders, to reduce the number of variations from 26 to 15.  And when t...

Can governments manipulate their citizens? Can everyday people be convinced to munch on insects? Are humans akin to wild hogs? And can we learn how to resist manipulation? In today’s episode, ex-Cambridge Analytica employee Patrick Fagan attempts to answer these questions, and more. Sign up for the Nudge Newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Patrick’s book Free Your Mind: https://t...

Your accountant (probably) doesn’t have a tattoo. This isn’t because they’re scared of needles or because they’re uncool losers. It’s because tattoos are essentially costly signals that change the perception of others. These costly signals have been proven to increase sales of MP3 players, to boost blood donations, and to get diners to pay more for their meal. Hear how on today’s episode with worl...