Behavioral Science For Brands: Leveraging behavioral science in brand marketing.
The Consumer Behavior Lab is dedicated to teaching marketersacross the United States how behavioral science principles can beapplied to help their brands. By decoding the underlying motivationsof how consumers make decisions, the CBL seeks to make a betterindustry - where both brands and agencies put proven sciencebehind their decision making.
Episodes
84 episodes
Interview: Orlando Wood, author of Lemon and Look Out, on why showmanship beats salesmanship
In this episode, Orlando Wood shares why today’s ads often fail to capture attention—and what brands can do about it. From the power of characters and music to the science of right-brain appeal, he reveals how to make advertising more effective...
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Season 1
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Episode 84
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1:00:35
Hacking the Human Mind - Book Preview: Pringles
MichaelAaron and Richard open with a sneak preview of their upcoming book, Hacking the Human Mind. Next, they revisit the Pringles case study from way back in Episode 7 - a new form factor, a sticky rhyme (“once you pop…”), and the power of flu...
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Season 1
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Episode 83
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19:07
How Heinz used precision and the pratfall effect to make its ketchup unforgettable
This episode dives into the behavioral science behind Heinz’s iconic brand. Discover how specificity, self-deprecating honesty, and inviting consumer participation help make Heinz ketchup more memorable, trusted, and irresistible at the table.
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Season 1
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Episode 82
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28:13
Interview: Nancy Harhut, author of Using Behavioral Science in Marketing, on the behavioral triggers that boost engagement
This week, behavioral marketer Nancy Harhut joins the podcast to explore how science-backed tactics like social proof, cognitive fluency, and personalization can lift engagement and boost conversions. Hear how she helped brands like Nationwide ...
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Season 1
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Episode 81
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48:49
How Klarna uses present bias and temporal reframing to make shopping feel irresistible
This episode unpacks the behavioral science behind Klarna’s success. Learn how the brand uses present bias and temporal reframing to reduce friction at checkout, increase willingness to pay, and reshape how consumers perceive cost—without relyi...
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Season 1
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Episode 80
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31:36
Hacking the Human Mind - Book Preview: Häagen-Dazs
In this episode, MichaelAaron and Richard share a first look at their upcoming book Hacking the Human Mind, a guide to applying behavioral science for brand growth. Then, they revisit the Häagen-Dazs case study—exploring how foreign branding an...
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Season 1
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Episode 79
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18:50
Interview: Uri Gneezy, author of Mixed Signals, on why misaligned incentives backfire
In this episode we speak with Uri Gneezy, behavioural economist and professor at the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego. Uri is the author of Mixed Signals and The Why Axis. In the episode, he explores how poorly designed incentives can ...
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Season 1
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Episode 78
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52:34
Hacking the Human Mind - Book Preview: Dyson
We’re thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of Hacking the Human Mind, A new book exploring how behavioral science powers the world’s most iconic brands. Re-watch this episode and get ready for Hacking the Human Mind, hitting shelves Septemb...
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Season 1
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Episode 77
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29:32
Interview: David Robson, author of The Expectation Effect, on how beliefs shape behavior
In this episode we speak with David Robson, science journalist and author of The Expectation Effect. David explores how beliefs, attitudes and expectations shape our health, performance and daily experiences. He explains the fascinating science...
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Season 1
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Episode 76
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49:36
Interview: Patrick Fagan, author of Hooked, on the behavioral shortcuts that influence what we buy
In this episode we speak with Patrick Fagan, behavioral scientist and co-founder of the consultancy Capuchin Behavioral Science. Patrick is the former lead psychologist at Cambridge Analytica, author of Hooked and co-author of Free Your Mind. H...
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Season 1
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Episode 75
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40:52
Interview: Phil Graves, author of Consumerology, on the hidden flaws of market research
In this episode, we chat with Phil Graves, author of Consumerology. As a leading voice on the flaws of traditional market research, he explains why what customers say often differs from what they do. He also highlights the mechanisms behind pur...
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Season 1
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Episode 74
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50:58
Interview: Rory Sutherland, author of Alchemy, on why irrational ideas work
In this episode we sit down with Rory Sutherland, author of Alchemy. As one of advertising’s most original thinkers, he makes the case for embracing irrationality in marketing, argues why logic is overrated and explains how small shifts can lea...
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Season 1
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Episode 73
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2:26:39
Behavioral science for agencies: media planning
In this episode we explore how behavioral science can be applied to media planning. We discuss the fundamental attribution error and why this suggests brands should spend less time thinking about target audiences and more time thinking about ta...
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Season 1
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Episode 72
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33:31
How Five Guys uses the illusion of effort to make their burgers taste even better
In this episode, we look at the story of Five Guys and how they used behavioral science to become one of the most successful brands in the ‘better burger’ category. We identify some of the secrets to their success such as ending the experience ...
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Season 1
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Episode 71
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31:52
Interview: Steve Martin, author of Messengers, on the eight key traits of an effective messenger
In this episode we speak with Steve Martin, co-author of Yes! 60 secrets from the science of persuasion which has sold over 1.5 m million copies. We talk to Steve about his latest work on the messenger effect and the eight traits that make a me...
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Season 1
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Episode 70
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53:33
How Oatly used the messenger effect to become the world's most successful milk alternative
In this episode, we explore how Oatly became a billion-dollar brand by using behavioral science in clever, unexpected ways. We unpack how the launch of their Barista Edition—crafted specifically for coffee shops—tapped into the Messenger Effect...
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Season 1
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Episode 69
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38:22
Interview: Adam Ferrier author of The Advertising Effect on why you should stop listening to your customer
In this episode we speak with Adam Ferrier, founder of Australian ad agency, Thinkerbell. Adam is the author of The Advertising Effect, one of the best books on applying behavioral science to advertising. On the podcast he talks about some of t...
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Season 1
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Episode 68
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51:27
How Everlane have harnessed the principle of fairness to grow their brand
Everlane’s success has partly been driven by differentiating themselves from the rest of the fashion industry. Crucially they have reframed the competition as behaving unfairly. In this episode we look at a series of behavioral sci...
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Season 1
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Episode 67
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25:40
Interview with Ayelet Fishbach: Professor of Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago
Katy Milkman has described Ayelet Fishbach as the foremost expert on motivation in the world. In this episode we speak to Ayelet about her work and how marketers can harness it to change the behavior of their users. In a wide ranging conversati...
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Season 1
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Episode 66
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49:42
How GEICO use the principle of concreteness to make memorable ads
GEICO have created some of the most effective US advertising in recent years. The GEICO gecko is one of the most popular characters in advertising. But what makes him so memorable? In this episode we discuss Ian Begg’s research int...
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Season 1
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Episode 65
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29:04
Interview with Gareth Harvey: former professor of consumer psychology turned behavioral science consultant
In this episode we talk with Gareth Harvey. Gareth was previously a professor of consumer psychology but now advises companies about how they can apply findings from behavioral science. In this episode he discusses some of his work with retaile...
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Season 1
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Episode 64
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48:17
How Hendrick's distinctive use of nostalgia explains their marketing success
In this episode we look at one of the world’s most successful gins: Hendrick’s. We explore three behavioral science principles that explain their growth: distinctiveness, consistency and nostalgia. In particular, we look at the experimental evi...
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Season 1
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Episode 63
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28:24
Interview: Melina Palmer, author of What your Customer Wants and Can't Tell You
In this interview, we catch up with Melina Palmer who has released a new book: The Truth About Pricing. She discusses how brands like Hermes and Costco have applied principles from behavioral science. We cover ideas like scarcity, reciprocity a...
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Season 1
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Episode 62
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37:38
How Zoom proved that behavioral science is just as effective in B2B settings as it is in B2C
In this episode, we discuss how behavioural biases can be applied by brands in a B2B setting. In particular, we look at how Zoom credibly used social proof in their earliest days and the evidence that suggests this works well in a professional ...
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Season 1
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Episode 61
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34:16
Interview: Charles Spence, author of Gastrophysics, on the science of taste appeal
In this week's episode, we chat with Charles Spence—Oxford professor, author of Gastrophysics, and the world’s leading expert on how our senses work together to shape flavor. We discuss how brands are leveraging sensory cues to make their produ...
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Season 1
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Episode 60
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56:51
