Introduction

1. Self-persuasion
2. Promised land
3. Attractiveness
4. Decoy effect
5. Mere exposure
6. Anthropomorphism
7. Authority
8. Social Proof
9. Loss or gain
10. God terms

Topics

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What to learn?

• Information from the slides
• Syllabus week 6 from Blackboard.

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Automatic, stereotyped behaviour is prevalent in much human action because in many cases, it is the most efficient form of behaving and in other cases, it is simply necessary.

You and I exist in an extraordinarily complicated environment, easily the most rapidly moving and complex that has ever existed on this planet.

To deal with it, we need shortcuts. We can't be expected to recognize and analyze all the aspects in each person, event, and situation we encounter in even one day.

We simply don't have the time, energy, or capacity for it)

Help!

How do I (draw attention/convince others)

and sell/share

my  [...]

if 94% of all daily received information
is processed unconsciously?

• Game
• Website
• Product
• Concept
• Idea
• Pitch
• Artwork
• Service
• etc...
• etc...
• etc...

Self-
Persuasion

No one is better than you at persuading yourself to change!

• Holy grail of Persuasion
• No confrontation or resistance
• Generated arguments turn into beliefs

• Relation "sick" & "enjoying life"
• Stimulates choice between two implicit options

Vulcano Insurance

What about you?

Promised
land

Buy this product and follow me to the Promised Land!

Basic needs?

Product-irrelevant needs are promised! (social, emotional, sexual)

Seduce to reach desirable goal!

Definition

PL directly aimed at creating strongest reward response in the brain of the perceiver.

Even though claims made are exaggerated or obvious lies

Note: Even unachievable desires are strong motivators!

Why it works

1. People want the exaggerated claims to be true
    
2. Presenting these brand with attractive, but unrealistic situations associated them with our dreams and desires

How it works

Just do it

Ever encountered a false prophet?

Attractiveness

also: liking

"It's amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness." (Leo Tolstoy, The Kreutzer Sonata)

Attractiveness = Averageness

Attractiveness

• Western society learn that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", but use it abundantly in marketing.
• Bodily attractiveness is important, face is first visual object in interactions.
• People believe they are not seduced by beauty in ads.
   
• In general: your "morning face" is whats counts!

3 physical components

Averageness
How prototypical of representative a face is
 

Symmetry
The degree to which a face is symmetrical on the vertacial axis
 

Sexual dimorphism
​The hormonal expression of sex-specific features

40 faces around the world

Science of Attraction

Decoy

When consumers are choosing between two similar products, introducing a decoy can push people towards the desired direction

The effect explained

Why useful?

It is more difficult to choose between two equally preferred options.

(adding decoy reduces stress reactions by lowering the feeling of conflicting information)

When it works

No matter how well-informed you are about this technique, it is almost undetectable.

Anything ca be advertised as a decoy (even a politician)

How to implement

Always use the decoy as the least-favoured option

Works best in high-quality vs low-quality products.

Interesting read:

The Decoy Effect, or How to Win an Election
by Shankar Vedantam

Take a look at

the canteen or supermarket!

Mere Exposure

The more we see it, the more we like it

• What do you think about Coca Cola?
  • Write down 3 associations with this brand.

How it works

• Neutral or positive things are perceived as more positive when repeated.
• Caused by increased feeling of familiarity
  • Valid for all visual stimuli (products and people)
• Flood exposure
• Works even if there is no existing connection

Definition

The mere-exposure effect is a psychological phenomenon by which people tend to develop a preference for things merely because they are familiar with them.

The effect has been demonstrated with many kinds of things, including words, Chinese characters, paintings, pictures of faces, geometric figures, and sounds.

In studies of interpersonal attraction, the more often someone sees a person, the more pleasing and likeable they find that person.

Note

• The first 10-20 exposures are most important
  • Each additional exposure has a reduced impact
     
• Exposures should be brief
  • With sufficient delay
  • To prevent overexposure

Product Placement

I'm moving to Johannesburg!

Let's try!

You need a pen + paper

REMEMBER

Which face correspondents with which name

RECALL
 

Write down the name of each character 

How many correct?

Draw your preferred characters

How many of these do you prefer?

Anthropomorphism

When a brand or product is seen as human-like,
people will like it more and feel closer to it.

What do you see?

• Scenario
• Characters
• Emotions

Definition

The tendency to describe and visualise animals or non-living things using human characteristics.

Humans try to explain many events with Anthropo-morphism (forces of nature, behaviour of animals) by ascribing thoughts, needs, or intentionality to these events as if they were human.

Kids

We use it when we're little: stuffed animal, pets.

Feeling pity for Nemo

History

We keep using it.

Our brain continues to try to see things as human-like.

It makes us bond with objects. It makes it see more like us!

Growing old

Futuristic Anthropomorphism?

When did you use it
in your work?

Authority

People or symbols that signify legitimate authority trigger compliance and obedience

Authority works:

Academic titles

Impressive clothing

Expensive material goods

Rank, stature, age, position, experience, gender, abilities

Milgram's experiment

Milgram (1963) was interested in researching how far people would go in obeying an instruction if it involved harming another person. 

How easily could ordinary people be influenced into committing atrocities, for example, Germans in WWII.

Social
Proof

People have an innate drive to
copy others' decisions and behaviour

Social Proof on the web

Should the glass be half full or half empty? Fearing loss increases risk-taking: expecting gains increases safety behaviour

Loss vs Gain Framing

"Healthy lifestyles" campaigns are often framed negative.

The effect is dependent on conscious processing of the image.

Everything else being equal: People opt for certainty.

Certainty effect

the certainty effect happens when people overweight outcomes that are considered certain relative to outcomes that are merely possible

- Li & Chapman (2009)

A

The FIRST Gamble is 61% chance of winning 65.000 Euros and 39% chance of winning 0.
 

B

The SECOND Gamble is 63% chance of winning 60.000 Euros and 37% chance of winning 0.

A

The FIRST Gamble is 98% chance of winning 65.000 Euros and 2% chance of winning 0.

B

The SECOND Gamble is 100% chance of winning 60.000 Euros and 0% chance of winning 0.

A

The FIRST Gamble is 61% chance of winning 65.000 Euros and 39% chance of winning 0.
 

B

The SECOND Gamble is 63% chance of winning 60.000 Euros and 37% chance of winning 0.

A

The FIRST Gamble is 98% chance of winning 65.000 Euros and 2% chance of winning 0.

B

The SECOND Gamble is 100% chance of winning 60.000 Euros and 0% chance of winning 0.

Certainty effect

People are drawn to certainty, giving higher preference to options that have high levels of certainty.

Often leads to risk/loss aversion

Loss aversion

Loss aversion

People are 2x more sensitive for feelings of los, than to feelings of gain.

Once in a loss situation, we do everything to avoid it.

A loss or gain frame needs to be followed up by a clear "how-to" to move someone to act.

God terms

Some words are to intrinsically good,
it is hard to say 'no' to them

Terms people value

Equality

Freedom

Justice

Love

Wonderful

Happiness

Progress

Democracy

Terms people avoid association with

Terrorist

Inequality

Deterioration

Rivalry

Hypocrite

Sadness

Weakness

Incompetent

Let's try!

Note all God terms

(words with positive meaning)
in the speech by MLK.

God Terms Examples

Many words have inherent positive or negative connotations.

They refer to desires,

needs, and fears.

Remarks

God terms & Devil terms play into our needs. Using these words triggers the respective needs in the target.

When God terms are popular for a while, the powers of their use deteriorates
(they can even turn into Devil terms!)

Applicability

Differences

Gender

• In ads, women describe their physical attractiveness
• Men showcase their material wealth
  (Buss & Kenrick, 1998)

Culture

healthcare commercial

• Northern America: doctor in a white coat
• Europe: Testimonials other users