Behavioral Science For Brands: Leveraging behavioral science in brand marketing. Interview: Thomas McKinlay, founder of Science Says, on cutting through marketing “snake oil” with evidence
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Mar 11, 2026 Thomas McKinlay, marketing strategist and founder of the Science Says newsletter, turns academic behavioral research into practical marketing tactics. He exposes marketing “snake oil” and explains where to place prices, why a tiny token fee beats freebies, how handwritten thank-you notes boost loyalty, and clever framing tricks like token pricing and special-day discounts.
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Behavioral Science Includes Plainly Rational Effects
- Behavioral science isn't only about irrational quirks; many findings are rational and predictable, like shorter video ads performing better.
- A study found video ads under 10 seconds drove 40% higher website traffic versus longer ads.
Human Persuasion Transfers To AI Behavior
- Persuasion principles that work on humans also influence AI; applying reciprocity, authority, scarcity, and social proof increased compliance.
- In a Wharton study, persuasive framing more than doubled an AI chatbot's likelihood to comply with requests.
Charge A Token Price Instead Of Making AddOns Free
- When running BOGO or add-on promos, charge a token price (e.g., $0.01–$1) for the extra item instead of making it free.
- Experiments showed 17% more people chose the larger bundle when the extra had a tiny price versus free.