Pret a Manger: bouncing back from the pandemic with behavioral science

In this episode we explore the behavioral science principles behind Aviation Gin’s success. In particular we look at why humor is such an effective (but underused) tool for brands. We cover work by Nisbett on the halo effect that shows if a brand improves its standing in one particular metric (like being funny) it will improve even unrelated characteristics, such as being perceived as trustworthy or modern.

In this episode we talk with Roger Dooley author of Brainfluence. In a wide-ranging conversation, we start by covering the importance of focusing on making whatever behaviour you want to encourage as easy as possible. Then we move on to the importance of experimentation and how brands can work out which, of the many behavioural biases that have been discovered, they should prioritize. 

In this episode we look at the rise of Eleven Madison Park to become the most critically acclaimed restaurant in the world. In particular we focus on their legendary customer service and how they used techniques like the peak-end rule to enhance diner’s memory of the visit. The lessons are relevant for all brands - not just those involved with fine dining.

In this episode we sit down with Sarah Carter and discuss how marketers can best use behavioural science. We focus on using behavioural science for good, whether that’s encouraging people to eat veg, take the train or practice safe sex. During a wide-ranging conversation with one of ad land’s brightest luminaries we cover biases from the ostrich effect to social proof, reframing to the illusion of control. 

In this episode, we look at the behavioral science secrets behind the success of Kraft Mac and Cheese. We focus on two broad areas. First, how they managed to launch a new version of the product (with all the artificial colourings removed) without damaging sales. That’s an impressive achievement, as often if you stress that a product has become healthier it damages taste expectations.Second, how they have designed their packaging to grab attention in-store. In particular, how they harness the finding that shopper’s attention is drawn to face-like shapes.

In this episode Richard interviewed Harvard professor Todd Rogers. Todd’s experiments apply behavioral science principles to copywriting to make it more effective. In this discussion we cover Todd’s key findings, such as the proven value of brevity, simple language, and designing for easy navigation. The episode is full of simple tactics that you’ll be able to apply immediately to your writing.

In this episode, we look at the success of Pret a Manger – especially how they managed to recover so strongly after the pandemic, despite increasing numbers of office workers staying at home. We look at two main biases that they have successfully harnessed: the sunk cost effect and the power of variable rewards

We talk with Seth about how to best understand people's motivations and why direct questioning sometimes fails. We cover ideas like the illusion of effort, the curse of knowledge and how to respond when different datasets give conflicting answers.

In this episode, we discuss the replication crisis. By that we mean, when academics have re-run some behavioural science studies, they have found different results to the original experiment thereby invalidating it. We cover some of the most famous studies that need to be avoided and how you can have confidence in the findings that you’re applying. 

In this episode we return to the question of how to break old consumer habits and build new ones. We cover four new studies, each of which has practical implications for brands. We begin by looking at when people are open to changing their behavior and discuss the fresh start effect and the destabilizing effect of life events. We then turn to the behavioral science of building new habits and look at the foot in the door technique and the perennial question - how long does it take to form a new habit?