In recent years, the speed of technological progress has outpaced human capacity for understanding the world in which we live. The stimuli that surround us   Pratfall Effect constantly overwhelm us, and if we had to deliberately consider every choice we made, life and society as we know it would undoubtedly come to a Pratfall Effect complete halt. As a result, we have evolved and now significantly rely on unintentional biases, outside factors, and mental shortcuts.

Years of research by academics in the fields of cognitive science, social psychology, and behavioural economics have resulted in a list of 188 cognitive biases that influence our daily views and choices. A real treasure trove for us marketers who can use such biases, nudges, and psychological ideas to comprehend patterns in consumer buying behaviour.

Although there are many different cognitive biases that can affect every aspect of the consumer experience and journey, the Pratfall Effect is really one of our favourites. The approach is controversial but effective; however, it is rarely applied since it can seem risky to marketers. Yet if done well, it may completely transform the game for brands.

What is pratfall effect?

According to the Pratfall Effect, making mistakes might actually increase our likeability. Yet, it only works if people already perceive you as capable of performing above average. Based on the Pratfall Effect, admitting one's faults in the past can increase one's likeability. For instance, Barrack Obama acknowledged using marijuana in college when he ran for president.   The point was that. Obama's apparent improvement in likeability as a result of this statement also helped him gain ground on Hillary Clinton, who was his major competition for the Democratic candidature. When questioned if he had used marijuana, her husband, President Bill Clinton, famously said, "I didn't inhale.

The pratfall effect in social psychology refers to the tendency for interpersonal attractiveness to rise or fall when a person makes a mistake, depending on the person's perceived general performance level. After making a mistake, those who are thought to be highly competent are judged to be more endearing, while people who are thought to be ordinary are less endearing.

How pratfall effects work in business?

Making your brand look more likeable, interesting, and human can be accomplished in business by utilising the Pratfall Effect. Here are three instances of its application: 

It's not always a good thing to be "perfect"

In 2012, when Apple unveiled its Maps app with bugs, CEO Tim Cook admitted, "We botched up. That is a fact. It entirely erased icons like London's Paddington Station, relocated Chicago's Sears Tower (now known as the Willis Tower), and even built a fictitious airport in the midst of Dublin.

Too many positive reviews may be detrimental.

Customers may find it difficult to distinguish between products when reviews are overly enthusiastic, according to studies appearing in the journal Nature Human Behaviour. People find it more difficult to choose a restaurant or a product to purchase when reviews are overly positive since the options may seem too good to be true. This is known as the "positivity problem" by researchers, and it can hurt a company's bottom line.

Accepting your shortcomings can help you.

Most brands and products have flaws, and they frequently choose to ignore these flaws in favour of promoting their favourable attributes. Yet focusing more on the shortcomings of your brands may be advantageous. For instance, Heinz 57 Ketchup is infamous for taking a while to release from the bottle. It takes a lot of frustrated shaking and beating to get it out. Heinz Canada chose to capitalise on their "defect" rather than ignore it by running numerous campaigns that emphasised their sluggishness. Even the slowest website in the globe was made by them. It loaded completely in 57 minutes.

Applying the pratfall effect

Never acknowledge a mistake that compromises a vital component of your product.

For instance, a car manufacturer shouldn't launch a campaign acknowledging that their cars' engines sometimes blow on the highway and then hope that more people will adore their brand. The performance of the product as a whole depends too much on it.

Pratfall from a strong position.

This effect enhances pre-existing perceptions of a thing, someone, or event. Saying that after Pratfall, things that are already popular will become much more popular. Yet inferior goods won't be as well received.

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