Something You Should Know The Psychology of Brand Loyalty & The Strange History of Everyday Words
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Nov 17, 2025 Michael Aaron Flicker, founder of the Consumer Behavior Lab, delves into brand loyalty and the psychological tricks businesses use, revealing how Apple and Starbucks tap into our subconscious. He explains concepts like the sunk-cost effect with Amazon Prime and the allure of nostalgic products like Pumpkin Spice. Martha Barnette, co-host of A Way with Words, explores the quirky origins of everyday words, how dialects shape language, and the evolution of terms like 'selfie'. Together, they provide insights into consumer behavior and the rich tapestry of the English language.
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Concreteness Drives Memory
- Using concrete, imageable language makes products and taglines far more memorable.
- Steve Jobs framed the iPod as "a thousand songs in your pocket" to leverage concreteness over specs.
Good Campaigns Get Replaced Internally
- Marketing teams often retire effective taglines because internal teams grow tired, not because slogans stop working.
- Human desire for novelty can lead brands to change successful messaging prematurely.
Scarcity And Nostalgia Power Seasonal Items
- Scarcity and nostalgia amplify seasonal products' emotional pull and reduce price sensitivity.
- Making Pumpkin Spice Latte available briefly each year increased demand and brand affection.
