Podcast Summary
Proven advertising tactics: Focusing on scientifically proven advertising tactics can help improve ads, even for those without large budgets or unique elements. Small improvements based on these tactics can lead to better-than-average results.
While iconic ads like Apple's 1984 Super Bowl commercial or Old Spice's "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign are inspiring, they may not provide practical tips for creating effective ads for most people due to their large budgets and unique elements. Instead, focusing on scientifically proven tactics can help improve any ad, even if it doesn't become an all-time classic. These tactics, which will be discussed in the upcoming podcast, can make a significant difference in the success of an ad campaign. So, while aiming for a groundbreaking, viral ad is great, it's essential to remember that small improvements based on proven strategies can lead to better-than-average results. Stay tuned to the Inclusion and Marketing podcast to learn more about these tactics and how they can be applied to your advertising efforts.
Simplicity vs Creativity in Advertising: Focusing on clear, concise messages that emphasize the exclusivity or limited availability of offers can be more effective in advertising than complex, creative messages based on the psychological principle of scarcity.
Simplicity can be more effective than creativity in advertising, as shown in a 2019 experiment by KFC Australia. The company ran a Facebook experiment where they tested 90 different ad variations for a $1 chips promotion. Contrary to expectations, the ad with the simplest message, "Chips for $1, limited to four per customer," received the most clicks. This success can be attributed to the psychological principle of scarcity, which makes people value limited resources more highly. Advertisers can apply this insight by focusing on clear, concise messages that emphasize the exclusivity or limited availability of their offer.
Scarcity and anchoring in advertising: Limiting offers or suggesting high anchors can influence customers' buying behavior and increase sales. Scarcity creates a sense of urgency and exclusivity, while anchoring changes customers' perceptions and makes purchasing a larger quantity seem more acceptable. Small changes in ad copy can also have a big impact on sales.
The use of scarcity or anchoring in advertising can significantly impact sales, even if it seems irrational. KFC's success with limiting chips to four per customer and Snickers' success with encouraging customers to buy large quantities of ice cream demonstrate this principle. Scarcity creates a sense of urgency and exclusivity, making customers feel that they need to act quickly to get the product. This can lead to increased sales, as seen with KFC's chip limit. On the other hand, setting an anchor or suggesting a high quantity can change customers' perceptions and make purchasing a larger quantity seem more acceptable. Snickers' "buy 18 Snickers for your freezer" message is an example of this. These techniques, while seemingly small, can have a big impact on sales. By limiting offers or suggesting high anchors, advertisers can influence customers' buying behavior and increase sales. Furthermore, a study by Robert Cialdini in 2004 showed that even smaller changes, such as the use of certain words or phrases, can influence customers' decisions. Advertisers can use these techniques to create effective and persuasive ads. In conclusion, the use of scarcity, anchoring, and even small changes in ad copy can significantly impact sales. Advertisers can apply these principles to create effective and persuasive ads that resonate with customers and drive sales.
Engaging ads: Using questions or incomplete brand names in ads can increase their effectiveness by up to 15% by making them more engaging and memorable for audiences
Engaging your audience in advertising can significantly improve its effectiveness. Burncrank discovered that using questions in ads can increase favorability by 14%, as they make the ad more engaging and connect audiences to the content. I personally tested this with my own Reddit ads, finding a 15% increase in effectiveness when adding a question mark. However, there are other ways to engage audiences as well. A 2020 study by Leo Burnett and Richard Schotten found that ads with missing letters in brand names were remembered 14% more than the control, due to the generation effect. This effect occurs when viewers are forced to think to fill in the missing information, making the ad more engaging and memorable. Incorporating these techniques into advertising strategies can lead to increased engagement, recall, and ultimately, success.
Unconventional ad methods: Companies like Cancer Research UK and Specsavers have used incomplete words or jumbled slogans to create engaging and memorable ads. KFC, Snickers, and Reddit have also successfully employed unconventional tactics. Marketers can simplify their process by using an all-in-one customer platform like HubSpot.
Engaging and memorable ads can be achieved through unconventional methods. Companies like Cancer Research UK and Specsavers have effectively used incomplete words or jumbled slogans to pique viewers' interest and increase recall. This principle can be applied to various types of ads, as demonstrated by the success of KFC's scarcity tactic, Snickers' ridiculous anchor, and the Reddit ad's use of questions. Additionally, marketers can simplify their toolkit by using an all-in-one customer platform like HubSpot, which offers various functionalities from lead generation to sales and service, reducing the need for multiple tools and streamlining the marketing process.
Rhyme in ads: Using rhyme in ads can make statements seem more credible and enhance processing fluency, making ads 17-22% more believable and trustworthy, and increasing the likelihood of trying the brand by 10%.
Making your ads more believable and trustworthy can be achieved through the simple addition of rhyme. According to research, rhymes enhance processing fluency, making statements seem more credible. In a study conducted in 2000, participants found rhyming proverbs to be 17% more believable than their non-rhyming counterparts. This finding was further tested in 2013 by researchers from the University of Oslo and the Norwegian University of Science, who found that rhyming ads were considered 22% more trustworthy on average than non-rhyming ads. Additionally, those who saw the rhyming ads were 10% more likely to try the brand. So, if you're looking for an easy way to make your ads more effective, consider incorporating a rhyme. It's a simple change that can make a big difference. Visit HubSpot.com to discover more ways to streamline your business and grow better. The HubSpot all-in-one platform offers a range of tools to help you optimize your marketing, sales, and customer service efforts. By consolidating these functions into one platform, you can save time, reduce chaos, and improve overall efficiency. With HubSpot, you'll have access to features like email marketing, social media management, lead generation tools, and CRM software, all in one place. So, if you're ready to simplify your business and take it to the next level, visit HubSpot.com today.
Input Bias Principle: Sharing time, effort, and resources invested in products/services can increase consumer connection and value, leading to a 45% higher click-through rate.
Incorporating the input bias principle in advertising can significantly increase click-through rates. According to the speaker, this principle is based on the psychological concept that people value things more when they see the effort put into creating them. In a test, the speaker ran two Reddit ads promoting the same podcast episode. The control ad simply named the episode, while the variant used input bias by sharing the time and effort the speaker had invested in learning the marketing lessons. The input bias version received a 45% higher click-through rate than the control. Therefore, businesses across industries can apply this principle by sharing the time, effort, and resources invested in their products or services to make consumers feel a greater connection and value towards them.
Behavioral science tactics in ads: Using scarcity, anchoring, questions, rhyme, and stating work can boost clicks and sales in ads. Sign up for a free email course for more persuasion techniques.
Applying a few behavioral science tactics to your ads can make them more effective. Six such tactics include using scarcity to boost clicks, anchoring to increase sales, adding a question for engagement, making ads rhyme for credibility, and stating the work you've done. However, for a more comprehensive understanding of persuasion and marketing psychology, consider signing up for a free three-part email course. This course, taught by a marketing expert who has spent hundreds of hours studying the subject, covers nine peer-reviewed studies on improving ads, getting a raise, selling more deals, and persuading children. The course includes video lessons and is available by signing up through the show notes and entering your email address.
Continuous learning: Stay curious and committed to personal growth through continuous learning and engagement, whether it's through attending courses, listening to podcasts, or other learning opportunities.
Importance of continuous learning and engagement. The speaker expressed his excitement about the upcoming course and encouraged everyone to join. For those unable to attend, he promised a new episode of Nudge the following Monday. The underlying message is that we should always be open to new experiences and knowledge, whether it's through attending courses, listening to podcasts, or engaging in other learning opportunities. By staying curious and committed to personal growth, we can expand our horizons and improve ourselves both personally and professionally. So, whether you're joining the course or tuning in for the next Nudge episode, remember that learning is a lifelong journey worth embracing.