AI, perceived craft, and communicating effort

Richard Shotton joins us to reveal the behavioral science secrets behind 17 iconic brands — from Guinness and Snickers to Apple and Dyson. He explains how psychological biases like concreteness, trigger moments, and the illusion of effort drive real-world success, and why making things easy often beats motivation.

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

[0:00] Intro and speed round with Richard Shotton

[7:52] The single bias every marketer should know

[13:09] Guinness and the power of the pratfall effect

[19:32] Snickers, trigger moments, and habit formation

[26:51] Apple’s “1,000 songs in your pocket” and concreteness

[34:32] Dyson, the illusion of effort, and AI’s challenge

[43:25] Lessons on testing vs. relying on survey claims

[46:38] Desert island music

[49:41] Grooving session: key takeaways

[1:09:12] Event announcement

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

Behavioral Grooves LIVE in Minneapolis

About Richard

Hacking the Human Mind

Join us on Substack!

Join the Behavioral Grooves community

Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube

The Wonder Stuff - The Size of a Cow

CMAT - When a Good Man Cries