Covert Influence...
A Covert Christmas
(Part 4 of a multi-part series)
Kevin Hogan
Page 2
What is a Covert Christmas?
For me it would be a subtle and trancelike sense of goodness.
When people think of certain memories, it causes their behavior to
change in the direction of the memory. (This is not always true with
more impulsive people in consumer decisions, but we'll talk about
that later!)
NOW, don't worry, this is not a feel-good article (at least most of
it) - I wouldn't do that to you....
:-)
Everyone knows that "It's a Wonderful Life" is my far and away favorite
movie of all time.
All you have to remember is that the movie revolves around
George Bailey, the "President" of a small local "Building and Loan."
A bank. A run on his family bank happens and there is no government
bailout. He comes to the brink of suicide only to save the life of
an angel and find out what the world would have been like had
he not ever been born.
It's a brilliant story.
Now if you've seen the movie that description should have triggered
off enough neural connections to cause your emotional state to be
experiencing feelings of appreciation, nostalgia, joy, happiness,
and so on. The trigger is the priming of the description. The result
is that I didn't ask you to feel better (though I promised you I wouldn't
make this ENTIRE article a feel-good article...and I won't)...and the
feelings, the state will indeed continue for the rest of the day and
essentially it's my fault intersecting with how the human brain works.
Now....there...you can never say I haven't manipulated you...I confess.
It's Christmas....
(What's worse is that you can take that same strategy and change
someone else's day too. Do NOT try and tell them to have a nice day.
The brain spits that right back out. You have to PRIME the brain,
not punch it....)
In the Science of Influence 1-72 Library, we talk a LOT about
choice. But here are the reported results on a MECHANISM of
choice and how you can replicate....
Covert Influence and Choice
Women....
...that gorgeous sweater has your name written on it! But, those
red suede pumps are calling your name, too. What goes through
your mind as you consider these choices?
During normal economic times, you might indulge in a
whole new wardrobe. But now, with considerably tighter budgets,
consumers don't have the luxury of saying "It's the holidays --
I'll just buy both!"
What happens in buyers' brains as they
consider difficult choices? What can retailers do to make the
choice process easier for consumers?
Akshay Rao, a marketing professor at the University of
Minnesota's Carlson School of Management, has conducted research
that shows that decision making is simplified when a consumer
considers a third, less attractive option.
For example, when a second, less desirable sweater is also
considered in the situation above, the shopper could solve their
problem by choosing the more attractive sweater. The less
appealing sweater plays the role of a "decoy" that makes the
other sweater appear more pleasing than before.
"In some ways,
it is quite straightforward," said Rao. "When a consumer is faced
with a choice, the presence of a relatively unattractive option
improves the choice share of the most similar, better item."
In their forthcoming Journal of Marketing Research article
"Trade-off Aversion as an Explanation for the Attraction Effect:
A functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study," Rao and co-
author William Hedgcock (University of Iowa) explain the reasons
for this decoy effect.
Volunteers had their brains scanned while
they made choices between several sets of equally appealing
options as well as choice sets that included a third, somewhat
less attractive option.
Overall, the presence of the extra, "just okay" possibility
systematically increased preference for the better options.
The fMRI scans showed that when making a choice between
only two, equally preferred options; subjects tended to display
irritation because of the difficulty of the choice process.
Amazing Keypoints and research results broken down...
Cool Article?
Get Coffee with Kevin.
Articles, events & more!
+ 2 Free e-books today!
E-zine delivered Mondays.
"I have been receiving your newsletter for a couple of years now as well as several others. Over that time, I have 'weeded out' most. I have purchased some of your products and believe you are the 'real deal'. Your insights and the wisdom you impart have been, are, and will be invaluable. Many thanks."
Mark Estlick, Seattle, WA
It's a brilliant story.
...that gorgeous sweater has your name written on it! But, those
red suede pumps are calling your name, too. What goes through
your mind as you consider these choices?
