The surprising true story behind “the greatest ad ever made”

It’s a psychological principle that helped end South African apartheid.  It reversed the Pope’s declining popularity.  It reduced university students’ binge drinking by 30%.  And can predict romantic breakups with 60% accuracy.  Today, bestselling author Will Storr reveals the surprisingly effective way to persuade (almost) anyone. ---  Access the bonus episode: https://nudge.kit.com/0d88279296 Read Will’s book: https://shorturl.at/yUGRC Visit Will’s website: https://www.thescienceofstorytelling.com/ Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ ---  Sources: Aune, R. K., & Basil, M. D. (1994). A relational obligations approach to the foot-in-the-mouth effect. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 24(6), 546–556. Berger, J. (2013). Contagious: Why things catch on. Simon & Schuster. Bruch, E. E., & Newman, M. E. J. (2019). Aspirational pursuit of mates in online dating markets. Science Advances, 5(8). Haslam, S. A., Reicher, S. D., & Platow, M. J. (2020). The new psychology of leadership: Identity, influence, and power (2nd ed.). Routledge. Sharot, T. (2017). The influential mind: What the brain reveals about our power to change others. Little, Brown. Suedfeld, P., Bochner, S., & Matas, C. (1971). Petitioner’s attire and petition signing by peace demonstrators: A field experiment on reference group similarity. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 1(3), 278–283. Tanner, R. J., Ferraro, R., Chartrand, T. L., Bettman, J. R., & Van Baaren, R. (2008). Of chameleons and consumption: The impact of mimicry on choice and preferences. Journal of Consumer Research, 34(6), 754–766. https://doi.org/10.1086/522322

I interviewed 60 Brits to debunk one of psychology’s greatest myths. Priming is one of the best-known biases in behavioural science. Kahneman mentions it 35 times in his best-selling book Thinking Fast and Slow. And yet, I’m not convinced it really works. In five separate experiments, I tested it. Does priming work, or is it a myth?  The studies:  Authenticity study: https://ibb.co/5W14DM2N Creativity study: https://ibb.co/FbxxNMDf Guilty study: https://ibb.co/XrTLXrY4 Anchoring + priming study: https://ibb.co/99LLw7G9 Reading time study: https://ibb.co/LDYc18yF ---  Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ Learn more about Voxpopme: https://www.voxpopme.com/ ---  Sources:  Bargh, J. A., Chen, M., & Burrows, L. (1996). Automaticity of social behavior: Direct effects of trait construct and stereotype activation on action. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71(2), 230–244. Chernev, A. (2011). Semantic anchoring in sequential evaluations of vices and virtues. Journal of Consumer Research, 37(5), 761–774. Doyen, S., Klein, O., Pichon, C. L., & Cleeremans, A. (2012). Behavioral priming: It's all in the mind, but whose mind? PLoS ONE, 7(1), e29081. Fitzsimons, G. J., Chartrand, T. L., & Fitzsimons, G. M. (2008). Automatic effects of brand exposure on motivated behavior: How Apple makes you “think different”. Journal of Consumer Research, 35(1), 21–35. Goldsmith, K., Cho, E., & Dhar, R. (2012). Priming creativity: The effects of subliminal priming on creative problem solving. In Z. Gürhan-Canli, C. Otnes, & R. Zhu (Eds.), Advances in Consumer Research (Vol. 40, pp. 472–473). Association for Consumer Research. Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Kahneman, D. (2012, September 26). A letter to the priming research community [Open email].

Most marketers will remember Apple’s 1984 ad.  Many consider it the “greatest ad of all time”.  But you probably don’t know that just 12 months earlier, Apple released a similar ad that failed.  Why?  Today on Nudge, bestselling author and storytelling expert Will Storr explains why.  ---  Access the bonus episode: https://nudge.kit.com/0d88279296 Read Will’s book: https://shorturl.at/yUGRC Visit Will’s website: https://www.thescienceofstorytelling.com/ Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ ---  Sources: Bransford, J. D., & Johnson, M. K. (1972). Contextual prerequisites for understanding: Some investigations of comprehension and recall. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 11(6), 717–726. Flock Associates – Recife Sport club: Immortal Fans. Integrated Campaign by Ogilvy Brazil. https://youtu.be/E99ijQScSB8?si=TS3poMArJIqb-FtE Muth, C., Pepperell, R., & Carbon, C.-C. (2013). Give me Gestalt! Preference for cubist artworks revealing high detectability of objects. Leonardo, 46(5), 488–489. Walker, R., & Glenn, J. (2009). Significant Objects. Retrieved from https://significantobjects.com/ Wiessner, P. W. (2014). Embers of society: Firelight talk among the Ju/’hoansi Bushmen. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 111(39), 14027–14035. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1404212111

Instagram wasn’t always a runaway success. The first version of the app flopped.  However, the Instagram founders were taught a behavioural science model that transformed their work.  Today on Nudge, Bas Wouters, an expert behavioural science practitioner, explains Instagram's changes and how you can follow their model to improve your online marketing. You’ll learn:  How a simple question can increase reviews by 400%  Why “The World’s Deepest Trash Can” decreased littering by 81% How I increased email open rate by 4.5% (using Bas’s advice)  And how Airbnb, Beer52, and Instagram use psychology to persuade you ---  Sign up to Online Influence Academy: https://shorturl.at/vNYOU Bas’s book Online Influence: https://www.onlineinfluence.com/book-online-influence/ Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ My email a/b test results: https://ibb.co/TBjBxTNr ---  Sources:  Fogg BJ (2019). Tiny habits: the small changes that change everything. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Wouters, B., & Groen, J. (2020). Online influence: Boost your results with proven behavioral science. Zeigarnik BW (1927). Das Behalten erledigter und unerledigter Handlungen. Psychologische Forschung, 9:1-85.

I gave this marketing expert one hour to create an unforgettable ad.  I showed his ad to 30 Brits and measured exactly how memorable it was.  Does his marketing advice work?  Or is it a waste of time?  Listen to find out.  ---  Learn more about Voxpopme: https://www.voxpopme.com/ Kopi Luwak control ad: https://ibb.co/NgXY0HZ0 Kopi Luwak ad Louis’s variant version: https://ibb.co/ymQG433V Buy Louis's book: https://link.stfo.io/amazon Sign up for STFO: https://www.stfo.io/newsletter Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list  Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/  Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/

This behavioural scientist spent one year doing a new thing every week. He tried acupuncture, gambling, day-trading and dancing. He visited Just Stop Oil meetups, cuddle workshops, and psychic readings. He killed a chicken, drank breastmilk, and bungee jumped. Did it make him happy? (And is there science to back up his ideas? --- Access the bonus episode: https://nudge.kit.com/64d1602e73 Follow Patrick’s newsletter: https://www.justdostuff.co.uk/ Read Patrick’s book: https://shorturl.at/pAy2h Visit Patrick’s website: https://www.patrickfagan.co.uk/ Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list  Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/  Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ ---  Sources:  Aronson, E., & Mills, J. (1959). The effect of severity of initiation on liking for a group. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 59(2), 177–181. Boothby, E. J., Clark, M. S., & Bargh, J. A. (2014). Shared experiences are amplified. Psychological Science, 25(12), 2209–2216. Van Boven, L., & Gilovich, T. (2003). To do or to have? That is the question. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85(6), 1193–1202. Yang, Y., Liu, R.-D., Ding, Y., Lin, J., Ding, Z., & Yang, X. (2024). Time distortion for short-form video users. Computers in Human Behavior, 150, 107192. Access the bonus episode: https://nudge.kit.com/64d1602e73

In just 27 minutes, you can learn 7 scientifically backed marketing tactics to apply to your website today.  You’ll learn:  How one word increased my email open rate by 6.4%. The tiny reward that helped a cafe generate 1,276 5-star reviews. Why adding steps increased job applicants by 20%. How “you’ll lose X” reduced customer cancellations by 90%. The irrelevant reason that boosted conversions by 41%. And the irrational addition that increased conversions by 2x. ---  Sign up for the Bas's community Online Influence: https://shorturl.at/vNYOU My social proof a/b test results: https://ibb.co/mCsdwFVb Kia Ora Cafe surprise reward: https://shorturl.at/YdG4q Bas’s book Online Influence: https://www.onlineinfluence.com/book-online-influence/ Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ --- Sources:  Berridge KC, Kringelbach ML (2015). Pleasure systems in the brain. Neuron 6;86(3):646-64. Behavioural Insights Team. (2014). EAST: Four simple ways to apply behavioural insights. Behavioural Insights Ltd. Gonzales MH, Aronson E, Costanzo M (1988). Increasing the effectiveness of energy auditors: a field experiment. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 18:1046-66. Langer, E. J., Blank, A., & Chanowitz, B. (1978). The mindlessness of ostensibly thoughtful action: The role of "placebic" information in interpersonal interaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36(6), 635–642. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.36.6.635 Grieser S (2014). Is too much choice killing your conversion rates? [Case studies] Unbounce. Via: www.unbounce.com/conversion-rate-optimization/psychology-of-choice-conversion-rates

Oatly, Tony’s, Ecosia and more all use behavioural science to persuade you. Today, author and founder Chris Baker explains how.  You’ll learn about:  Tony’s viral advent calendar.  Oatly’s tiny change that transformed the coffee industry.  Ecosia's smart nudge to keep users hooked.  And one behavioural science principle Chris used to launch his brand.  ---  Use code Obsolete25 for 25% off Chris’s book: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/obsolete-9781399416658/ Follow Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjpbaker/ Oatly’s old and new packaging: https://im.ge/i/image.vcr5tq Sign up to my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ ---  Sources:  Baker, C. (2024). Obsolete: How change brands are changing the world. Bloomsbury Business. Ferster, C. B., & Skinner, B. F. (1957). Schedules of reinforcement. New York, NY: Appleton-Century-Crofts. Mohan, B., Buell, R. W., & John, L. K. (2020). Lifting the veil: The benefits of cost transparency. Marketing Science, 39(6), 1048–1062. https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2019.1200 Norton, M. I., Mochon, D., & Ariely, D. (2011). The IKEA effect: When labor leads to love. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 22(3), 453–460. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcps.2011.08.002 Raghunathan, R., Naylor, R. W., & Hoyer, W. D. (2006). The unhealthy = tasty intuition and its effects on taste inferences, enjoyment, and choice of food products. Journal of Marketing, 70(4), 170–184. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.70.4.170

Why did Charles Darwin, Virginia Woolf, and Henri Poincaré all follow the same four-hour rule? In this episode, bestselling author Oliver Burkeman returns to explain why three to four hours of focused work might be the secret to productivity and peace. Access the bonus episode: https://nudge.kit.com/d4e55ac69d You’ll learn: The 3–4 hour rule: why it worked for Darwin, Trollope, and Dickens and still works today. How to tackle overwhelming tasks with a simple mental trick called “just go to the shed.” Why keeping a “done list” might be more motivating than a to-do list (feat. Marie Curie). How inboxes, perfectionism, and productivity guilt trap us in modern-day Sisyphus cycles. The two-part system Oliver uses to stay focused, without feeling overwhelmed by the chaos of life. ---  Access the bonus episode: https://nudge.kit.com/d4e55ac69d Sign up to my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ Oliver’s book Four Thousand Weeks: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/fourthousandweeks Oliver’s book Meditation for Mortals: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/meditationsformortals ---  Sources:  Burkeman, O. (2021). Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Burkeman, O. (2024). Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Could staring at a painting for three hours make you more productive?  In this episode, I try a strange experiment inspired by bestselling author Oliver Burkeman. Based on lessons from his book Four Thousand Weeks, I stare at Picasso’s Guernica for three hours. No phone, no distractions, just a notepad and mic. Did I go mad?  Access the bonus episode: https://nudge.kit.com/d4e55ac69d You’ll learn: Why investing time and effort can increase our appreciation (feat. the Mauritian ritual study). How control impacts happiness, health, and even longevity (feat. nursing home experiment). Why AI and “life-optimising” tools often leave us feeling more stressed, not less. The power of patience (and how to cultivate it in a hyper-distracted world). What happens when you do nothing for three hours… ---- Access the bonus episode: https://nudge.kit.com/d4e55ac69d Watch the 3-hour time lapse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paKup2BuN38 Sign up to my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ Oliver’s book Four Thousand Weeks: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/fourthousandweeks Oliver’s book Meditation for Mortals: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/meditationsformortals --- Sources: Burkeman, O. (2021). Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Burkeman, O. (2024). Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Langer, E. J., & Rodin, J. (1976). The effects of choice and enhanced personal responsibility for the aged: A field experiment in an institutional setting. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 34(2), 191–198. Xygalatas, D., Mitkidis, P., Fischer, R., Reddish, P., Skewes, J., Geertz, A. W., Roepstorff, A., & Bulbulia, J. (2013). Extreme rituals promote prosociality. Psychological Science, 24(8), 1602–1605.