The simple genius behind this long-forgotten Google Chrome ad We trust simple promises more than long lists. When brands focus on one clear benefit, it feels more believable than trying to do everything at once. Take it from Google. When Chrome launched in 2009, they called it, "The Fast Browser." They used this same line time and time again in multiple different ads. It’s a good line. But think for a second about all of the attributes Google didn’t mention. They didn‘t mention how passwords are synced, how security is best-in-class, or integrations with Gmail. They didn’t mention the extensions, stability, or automatic updates. They could have done, but instead they focused on one benefit. Speed. The campaign worked. Now, Chrome is the most popular browser in the world, capturing 71% of the market. Saying less can make your product feel more effective. Adding benefits can actually weaken persuasion. Here’s why. Table of Contents The Goal Dilution Effect The Beauty of Simplicity: Five Guys The Goal Dilution Effect Google Chrome’s simple ad campaign is an example of the goal dilution effect. This cognitive bias causes people to believe products are less effective if they achieve multiple aims, instead of one focused goal. In short, the more benefits you give, the less believable those benefits are. In a 2007 study by Zhang and Fishbach, participants were given information about how eating tomatoes could achieve certain goals. Some are told eating tomatoes...

Can music influence what we buy? To find out, I dove into the psychology of music In the first episode of my Nudge podcast, I interviewed the fantastic psychologist Dr. Adrian North, who conducted one of the seminal studies on the psychology of music. Back in 1997, the researchers stocked an English supermarket with four types of French and German wines, all similarly matched in cost, dryness, and sweetness. For two weeks, the store speakers either played German oom-pah music or French accordion music. North and his colleagues would switch the music daily and measure the effect on sales. Turns out, 83% of wine buyers bought French wine when the accordion music was playing, while 65% of buyers picked German bottles when the Bavarian music was on. North interviewed these buyers as they left the store, but no one claimed the music had an effect on their purchase — yet it clearly did. Is the connection between music and buying behavior still relevant? North’s study had some important results, but it’s worth noting that this study is almost three decades old and has a relatively small sample size of just 82 people. So, are the findings still relevant today? Well, in 2017, researchers at Montclair State University found that playing Italian music in a university cafeteria increased sales of their Italian dish (chicken parmesan). When playing Spanish flamenco tunes, they increased sales of paella. It’s clear that music does seem to shape what we buy. And maybe...