Nudge

I put AI to the test at one of the world’s largest marketing conferences, Inbound 2024. This episode dives into the surprising results of my experiment and what they mean for the future of marketing. You’ll learn: Why AI-generated content is seen as error-free (feat. 2022 study by Henestrosa et al.). How AI compares to humans in persuading consumers (feat. 2023 meta-analysis). Why strong positioning, like Wistia’s, is key to beating AI at its own game. The marketing tasks most at risk of being taken over by AI (feat. 2024 survey). A senior marketer’s take on whether AI could ever replace humans (feat. Richard Truncale). ---- 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: Henestrosa, A. L., Greving, H., & Kimmerle, J. (2022). Automated journalism: The effects of AI authorship and evaluative information on the perception of a science journalism article. Computers in Human Behavior, 138, 107445. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107445 Huang, G., & Wang, S. (2023). Is artificial intelligence more persuasive than humans? A meta-analysis. Journal of Communication, 73(6), 552–562. https://doi.org/10.1093/joc/jqad024 Kasumovic, D. (2024). Artificial intelligence (AI) marketing benchmark report: 2024. Influencer Marketing Hub. https://influencermarketinghub.com/ai-marketing-benchmark-report/ Shotton, R. (2023). The illusion of choice: 16 ½ psychological biases that influence what we buy. Harriman House. Chan, W. T. Y., & Leung, C. H. (2018). An empirical study on reverse psychology applied in advertising messages. Asian Journal of Empirical Research, 8(9), 321–329. https://doi.org/10.18488/journal.1007/2018.8.9/1007.9.321.329

From curing scurvy to shaping billion-dollar business strategies, this is the story of the most important experiment in science and its profound impact on our world. ---- 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/ ---- Inspired by the insights and storytelling of May Contain Lies How Stories, Statistics, and Studies Exploit Our Biases – And What We Can Do About It, authored by Alex Edmans.

I spoke to the leading behavioural science authors, researchers and practitioners in 2024. Here are their top lessons. It features insights from Tali Sharot, Todd Rodgers, Rory Sutherland, Prof. Sarah Moore, and Chris Voss. Plus, some big news for 2025. You’ll learn: Why our happiness fades, no matter how good life gets (feat. Tali Sharot). How shorter emails can drastically improve response rates (feat. Todd Rogers). Why our behaviours often shape our attitudes—rather than the other way around (feat. Rory Sutherland). The surprising persuasive power of swear words in reviews and advertising (feat. Sarah Moore). A hostage negotiator’s secret for winning arguments (feat. Chris Voss). ---- 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: Epstein, Leonard H., Katelyn A. Carr, Meghan D. Cavanaugh, Rocco A. Paluch, and Mark E. Bouton (2011): “Long-term habituation to food in obese and nonobese women,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 94(2), 371–376. Adams, Gabrielle S., Benjamin A. Converse, Andrew H. Hales, and Leidy E. Klotz (2021): “People systematically overlook subtractive changes,” Nature, 592, 258–261. Rogers, Todd, and Jessica Lasky-Fink (2020): “Write shorter messages,” Harvard Kennedy School. Boomerang (2016): “7 Tips for Getting More Responses to Your Emails—Backed by Data,” Boomerang Blog. Rosset, Evelyn (2008): “It's No Accident: Our Bias for Intentional Explanations,” Psychological Science, 19(6), 566–572. Lafreniere, Katherine C., Sarah G. Moore, and Robert J. Fisher (2022): “The Power of Profanity: The Meaning and Impact of Swear Words in Word of Mouth,” SAGE Open. Westerholm, Jim (2017): “Damn good coffee: Swear words and advertising,” Mälardalen University. van Kleef, Gerben A., Carsten K. W. De Dreu, and Antony S. R. Manstead (2004): “The Interpersonal Effects of Anger and Happiness in Negotiations,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 86, No. 1, pp. 57–76. This episode contains swear words.

I’ve scoured his 38-year career and documented every persuasion tactic he’s used. Here’s how Steve Jobs became the most successful CEO of all time. Sign up to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile Subscribe to Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast

I tested a fairly unknown persuasion principle on 96 loyal Nudge listeners. It made my message 20% more effective. To hear how and why, listen to the latest episode of Nudge with the fantastic Bas Wouters, best-selling author and CEO of the Cialdini Influence. Bas’s book Online Influence: https://www.onlineinfluence.com/book-online-influence/ Cialdini’s latest edition of Influence: https://tinyurl.com/2sdz9524 Join the Nudgers: https://forms.gle/wyKZB9SrHKnFks7G6 Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile

I’ve spent weeks writing handwritten letters rather than emails. I’m running an experiment inspired by today’s guest, Harvard Professor Mike Norton. Mike’s the scientist behind the IKEA Effect, and in today’s Nudge, he explains how that bias could help me gain more reviews. Did it work? Find out on today’s episode of Nudge. Mike’s book Ritual Effect: https://tinyurl.com/mwbvws3n Watch Nudgestock: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgestock Control emails: https://im.ge/i/Control-emails.fEPKZW Handwritten emails: https://im.ge/i/handwritten-emails.fEPfX0 Stats for the control email: https://im.ge/i/Control.fEP9YK Stats for the handwritten email: https://im.ge/i/Handwritten-variant.fEP5hF Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile

This is one of my favourite interviews of the year. Listen, and you’ll learn why you should go last in a job interview, why you should pay incentives out in regular but smaller sums, and how you should always list your benefits in threes. Steve’s book: https://tinyurl.com/23u5aysv Steve’s website: https://influenceatwork.co.uk/ Subscribe to the Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile

I spent four hours watching 300 ads back to back. Today, I reveal how they use psychological principles to persuade you. Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile

In today’s episode, I use a marketing psychology principle to try to go viral on YouTube. Did it work? Listen to find out. Effortful YouTube video: https://youtu.be/L6ueaBYDop8?si=5kHrlW66Fdzk6yTb Effortless YouTube video: https://youtu.be/bhMCGaRsyUQ?si=LSXqZExxOZX7gIji Sign up for the Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile

I shrunk Britain’s favourite bread and showed it to a dozen Brits from Bolton. I was experimenting with shrinkflation. Companies shrink the size of their products without changing the price, benefiting from a psychological bias that means we struggle to notice small changes. Today, chatting with Grace Forell from Which?, I figure out the psychology behind shrinkflation, why it works, and I test if anyone notices my shrunken loaf of bread. Methods of Persuasion: https://www.kolenda.io/books Grace Forell’s podcast: https://tinyurl.com/38hu99bu

Today, I try to persuade 20 total strangers to listen to Nudge. To help, I’ve asked Brain Ahearn for advice. Brian’s Tedx talk on pre-suasion has been viewed by over 1 million people. He teaches tactics that anyone can use. So, I put his advice to the test. I’ve found 40 strangers and asked them if they’d listen to Nudge, but for 20 I used Brian’s ‘pre-suasion’. Did it work? Tune in to find out. Brian’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfahearn/ Brian’s website: https://influencepeople.biz/ Learn more about Voxpopme: https://www.voxpopme.com/

What makes us happy? This question generates wildly different answers. I asked four Nudge listeners and got four different answers. Being the behavioural science nerd I am, I’ve always wondered if there is a scientific answer to this question. Is there a study that reveals the secrets behind the good life? Yes, there is. It’s the longest study on human happiness ever conducted. Today, I spoke to Marc Schulz, the associate director of that study, and he shared the results. What causes a happy life? Find out on today’s episode of Nudge. Marc’s book The Good Life: https://tinyurl.com/3fzcwuhp Access the Bonus Episode: https://nudge.ck.page/8c8b5f6c05

Robert Cialdini is known to most as the godfather of influence. But is his 40-year-old book still relevant? Today, with Bas Wouters, best-selling author and CEO of the Cialdini Influence, we debate whether Cialdini’s 1984 findings still apply. How I persuaded 8 influencers to promote Nudge: https://tinyurl.com/y8dvy9xk Bas’s book Online Influence: https://www.onlineinfluence.com/book-online-influence/ Cialdini’s latest edition of Influence: https://tinyurl.com/2sdz9524 BBC’s Bickman experiment: https://youtu.be/4jcleVvgchs?si=hxG2nodA_1vAZfDS Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile

I’ve spent hundreds of hours playing Nintendo Brain Training. I’ve always thought it’d make me smarter. Most people agree. I asked 25 Brits, and 24 said it “helps their memory.” And yet, my guest on Nudge, Prof Dan Simons, thinks we’re all wrong. So, does Nintendo brain training work? Well, in today’s episode of Nudge, I find out. First, I analysed the dozens of ads Nintendo had put out. I share the psychological nudges they used to persuade us and how they made their game so popular. Then, I run my own experiment. For 5 days, I play Nintendo Brain Training. I record my progress and measure if my intelligence has improved after a week. And finally, I chat with Professor Dan Simons and hear why he thinks so many people like me were lured in by Brain Training’s claims. Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile Learn more about Voxpopme: https://www.voxpopme.com/

This advice has changed the way I work. Professor Adam Alter covers the science behind creativity, Bob Dylan’s songwriting tricks, Pfizer’s profitable pivot, Pixar’s crowd-based wisdom, and one study that changed my perspective on creativity. Adam’s book: https://adamalterauthor.com/anatomy Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile Mike Temple’s Blowin’ cover: https://youtu.be/tFgohZ8xtnI?si=z0LYO9E2qX5PCEEw

Professor Danny Zane told me to slightly change how I promote my products. His advice increased my sales by 600%. Today, on Nudge, I reveal what he told me. Danny’s webpage at Lehigh: https://business.lehigh.edu/directory/daniel-zane The email engagement results: https://im.ge/i/The-email-engagement-results.fEAXyX The sale results: https://im.ge/i/The-sale-results.fEAos9 Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile

Tesco is the largest UK employer. They conduct almost 1 million interviews a year, yet I think they might be pointless. Today, I will share psychological studies showing common interview flaws. I explain why so many of us are bad at predicting what others think and suggest a better way to conduct interviews. Thinking Fast and Slow: https://tinyurl.com/msd3kz9b Talking to Strangers: https://tinyurl.com/yewvrwb5 Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile

Fraudsters use four common tactics to con you. These tactics have been proven to work in scientific labs, adopted by the world’s best marketers, and used by scammers to manipulate and persuade. Are you being conned? Find out on today’s episode of Nudge with Dan Simons. Dan's book: https://www.dansimons.com/NobodysFool.html Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile

There’s a strange ritual Messi does at the start of every game that helps make him great. This ritual also helps job candidates succeed in interviews, sketch comedians create better jokes, and helped A-ha write Take On Me. To hear what it is, listen to bestselling author Adam Alter teach me the science behind beating procrastination. Adam’s book: https://adamalterauthor.com/anatomy Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile

Whether clinking a glass with a friend, blowing on a cake, touching wood for good luck or tapping the plane before boarding, most of us have at least one weird ritual. Today’s guest, Harvard Professor Mike Norton, studied them for years. In today’s Nudge episode, he shares his findings. It turns out that those odd rituals are more important than we think. Mike’s book Ritual Effect: https://tinyurl.com/mwbvws3n Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile