You Can't Please Everyone. It's Science!
I consider this empirical evidence that you can't please everyone.
A bat and a ball cost $110 in total.
The bat costs $100 more than the ball.
How much does the ball cost?
The answer is $5.
Please enter the number 5 in the blank below.
$_____
Remarkably, even when told to consider $5, most people continue to answer $10. Even more shockingly, most people get the answer right when they are explicitly told the answer and instructed to enter it, yet 23% still get the answer wrong!
The authors of the study that uncovered that mindblowing (and hopelessness inducing?) gem concluded that respondents fall into 3 groups:
- Reflective - solve it the first time (they started without all the giving-the-answer-away bits)
- Careless - get it wrong at first, but—after a few nudges in the right direction—catch on and answer correctly
- Hopeless (their word this time) - "are unable or unwilling to compute the correct response, even after being told that 10 is incorrect"
That third category? You can give them the answer and they'll still get it wrong. You literally cannot help them.
For brands, these translate to 3 audience types:
- Stans - your ride or dies, they're all in. Speak to them. Stand for them.
- Casuals - just passing through. Or could enter the ranks of one of the other 2 audiences based on how you nudge.
- Haters - no matter what you do, they won't like you. Gotta have 'em, right?
Focus on #1 to grow from #2 and don't worry about #3.
Want cult status? Attract your stans by doubling down on the reasons you have haters.
🚨 Password-stealing malware targets thousands of Facebook business
Be very careful how you use Messenger.
This is a malware-based cookie stealing attack so it’s serious stuff.
Trends.co is watching the growth of the “joyconomy,” which is basically just people wanting to loosen up a little bit and have some fun.
What’s this mean for your brand? Consider:
- Embracing optimism
- Encouraging people to embrace their inner child
- Be positive, share compliments
- Have fun
Biggest surprise (sarcasm) announcement from Pinterest Presents:
The platform will be launching a new tool powered by generative AI to bring image creation to product catalogs for more engaging pin images.
Pinterest Presents is happening now.
A lot of these “announcements” are kind of old news, but I’m looking forward to trying out quiz ads.
What better way to tailor content to each user than by having them tell you what they want?
Not surprised by these findings at all:
More than three-quarters (77%) of respondents head straight to the search bar when they land on an e-commerce site
84% admit they have left a site because of search issues, including irrelevant results, too many/too few products being displayed, or being directed to out-of-stock items.
Data storytelling is the process of presenting data insights using narration and visualization.
This insight is from the Exploding Topics newsletter. Speaking of insights:
75% of the data companies collect remains unused.
60% of investments in analytics capabilities go to waste because insights aren’t utilized properly.
To pull an Avinash, are analyzing and providing value or just puking data?
Every platform is basically a Shorts platform.
Don’t change the content, change the medium of delivery.
I recently mentioned some of Google’s post-cookie plans are a bit controversial. Like this one:
Chrome’s “Enhanced Ad Privacy.” That’s the technology that, unless switched off, allows websites to target the user with adverts tuned to their online activities and interests based on their browser histories.
Part of the reason is the apparent dark patterns in the consent system.
If you have to trick users/customers, you’ve probably lost the plot.
Apple Boosts Spending to Develop Conversational AI
The marriage of voice assistants and LLMs is coming.
Siri + Shortcuts + Apple’s GPT is an intriguing combo to think about.