November 23, 2024 • 8 mins
The Power of Phrasing: Questions vs. Statements in Marketing.
In this episode, Kai and Sarai dive into the fascinating world of promotional phrasing and how it influences consumer behavior.
They explore a study that reveals how framing promotional phrases as questions, rather than statements, can change how we evaluate products.
Discover why questions are more effective when we're feeling calm, while statements work better under high-energy scenarios.
The hosts also break down how clarity and intrigue play key roles in shaping our decisions.
Tune in to learn how marketers can fine-tune their messages to match their audience’s emotional state and boost engagement.
In this episode, Kai and Sarai dive into the fascinating world of promotional phrasing and how it influences consumer behavior.
They explore a study that reveals how framing promotional phrases as questions, rather than statements, can change how we evaluate products.
Discover why questions are more effective when we're feeling calm, while statements work better under high-energy scenarios.
The hosts also break down how clarity and intrigue play key roles in shaping our decisions.
Tune in to learn how marketers can fine-tune their messages to match their audience’s emotional state and boost engagement.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, so get ready for today's deep dive. We're
diving into the power of words again. Well yeah, kind of.
It's always about words in a way, right, true enough,
but today is going to be a bit different.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Promise Okay, you got me intrigued. What's on the agenda today?
Speaker 1 (00:16):
We're going to unpack how something as simple as a question.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Mark A question mark?
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Yeah, you know those little curly things.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Uh huh. I know what a question mark is. I
just didn't expect them to be the star as of
today's show.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
They're about to be. They can totally change how persuasive
a message is, especially in marketing.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Now that is interesting. Tell me more.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Okay, So we found this research paper. It's called a
Promotional Phrases as Questions Versus Statements an Influence of Phrase
style on Product Evaluation kitchee.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Right, So this paper is all about how we react
to questions versus statements in advertising, You got it.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
And they're saying that sometimes a question can actually be
more effective than just coming out and making a statement.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Now that does make you, I know, right, Like, are
they saying that the best coffee is somehow more persuasive
than the best coffee?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
It seems counterintuitive. We always hear that being clear and
direct is key in advertising exactly.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
But this research is saying maybe not always. Sometimes a
little mystery can be really powerful.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
So instead of telling someone what to think, a question
makes them think for themselves.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
That's the idea. It's about sparking that thought process, you know,
like is this the best coffee for me?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Psychologists call this elaboration. You see a question, your brain
automatically starts analyzing, comparing, and then boom, you come to
your own conclusion.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
And we all know there's nothing quite as convincing as
our own conclusion exactly.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
If you tell me something is amazing, I might be skeptical.
But if I convince myself it's amazing, well then I'm
sold exactly.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
And that's what's so cool about questions and advertising.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
But of course it's not as simple as just slapping
a question mark on everything.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Oh there's always, but isn't there.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Our reactions to questions versus statements, Well, they actually shift
depending on our emotional state.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Okay, now you're really making me think. We're talking about
how our emotions play into all of this too.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Oh yeah, buckle up, because it's about to get really interesting.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
So a question mark can be like this secret.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Weapon, well sort of, but.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
It all depends on our mood, it really does. All right,
I'm hooked. Lay it on me. How do our emotions
play into this whole question mark thing.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Let's say you're walking through the grocery store. Okay, just relaxed,
taking it easy, yep, I'm with you, and you see
this big display of let's say fresh berries, berry is
my favorite, and the sign just says berries with a
question mark. You got it.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
I think I'd be more likely to stop, yeah, right,
than if it just said berry. Is like a statement.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Exactly, because when we're relaxed in that low arousal state,
our brains they actually crave a little curiosity.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
So that question mark becomes like an invitation exactly.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
He's like, oh, what's going on here?
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Tell me more about these berries? Yes, but what about
when we're like, not in a chill grocery store mood.
What about when you're stressed out and everything's chaotic?
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Yeah, question isn't going to be as helpful, then.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Is it. You're absolutely right. When we're in those high
arousal situations, our brains they want clarity, no time for games.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Look, if I'm trying to find my way around a
new city and I'm already late, the last thing I
want is a sign that's like, need directions.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Exactly, I need a sign that just screams.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Map, yes, just give it to me straight. So in
those moments, our brains prioritize that clear direct information over
anything that requires too much thinking.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Precisely, it's about survival almost.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Wait, survival. Are you saying there's an evolutionary reason for this? Oh?
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Yeah, you better believe it. Think about our ancestors if
they're being chased by a tiger, A question like hmm,
I wonder if that's a dangerous animal, isn't going to
be very helpful?
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Not helpful at all? Run would be much.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
More effect Exactly. We evolved a crave curiosity when we
have the mental space for it, but when things get real,
our brains they just want those clear, actionable instructions.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
So this instinct, it affects how we react to marketing
messages even today.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
You got it. And this research, well, they wanted to
see just how much these subtle cues really.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Impact us, so they didn't just talk about it. They
actually did experiment three. In fact, oh man, I love
when we get to the experiments. All right, hit me
with study number one. What did they do? Okay, laid
on me. What kind of experiments are we talking about?
Speaker 2 (04:33):
They designed three different studies three.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Wow, they really won for it.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
They wanted to see how questions and statements landed in
different situations. And they didn't just want to know what
people said they thought. They wanted to see how they behaved.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Okay, now you're talking, give me the details. What was
study number one?
Speaker 2 (04:51):
So study one? It was all about the power of
a question to get us thinking. They showed people and
add for a pen a pen. Yeah. Sometimes the the
ad was phrased as a question like the pen for you? Okay,
and sometimes this statement just the pen for you. But
here's the thing. What before they even saw the pen ad,
the researchers messed with their arousal levels.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
Hold on, hold on, how do you mess with someone's
arousal level?
Speaker 2 (05:16):
It sounds more complicated than it is. For low arousal,
they had people look at these really calm images like
nature scenes, peaceful.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Stuff makes sense, And for high arousal, they use these.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Super exciting images, think sporting events, that kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Ah, so they're priming their brains to be other relaxed
or amped up clever. What happened next?
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Then they showed them the PEN ad. Yeah, the people
who had seen those calming images, you know, the low
arousal group, they wrote way more about the PEN when
the ad was phrased as a question.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
They were more intrigued you're saying exactly.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
The question made them think more deeply about it.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Fascinating. But did they actually end up liking the PEN
brand more or was it just all on their heads?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
That's what steady two is all about. Hit me with it,
same basic setup, Yeah, pen ads, arousal manipulation, the whole
nine yards. But this time they measured how much people
liked the brand afterward.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
All right, what were the results? Did the question mark.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Win when it came to the low arousal group?
Speaker 1 (06:14):
You bet you uh huh, I knew it.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
They were way more positive about the brand after seeing
the question based ad.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
But what about the high arousal group. Did they still
prefer the question?
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Actually? No, when people were feeling more amped up, the
statement the pen for you, it actually worked better.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
It's like their brains were like less talk more pen Exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
They wanted the direct approach.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
So we've got pens and arousal. What was studying number three?
Did they branch out from office supplies?
Speaker 2 (06:43):
They took it to the grocery store.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Ooh, finally, some real world application would they do follow
people around with pens?
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Not this time, this one involved that's strawberries.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Strawberries. Okay, you've officially piqued my interests. Tell me everything.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Thus this. You're walking through the produce section and you
see this beautiful display of strawberries.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
I'm there, I'm there.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
But here's the catch. Some shoppers are hearing this calming music,
you know, really mellow stuff setting the mood. I like it,
and others they're hearing this upbeat, high energy music.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
So they're manipulating the shopper's moods without them even knowing
it exactly.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
And get this, there's more. The strawberry display itself it
either said berries or berries.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Come on, you can't stop there? Or what happened?
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Just as we thought, people were way more likely to
buy strawberries when the display matched the music.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
So calm music plus berries equals a shopping cart full
of deliciousness.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
You got it. But if they had the upbeat music. Yeah,
they went for the berries.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Wow, that is amazing. We really do respond to these
tiny cues in such powerful ways.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
And most of the time we don't even realize it's happening.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
This is blowing my mind. So to sum it all up,
if we really want to get someone's attention, especially if
they're feeling relaxed and open, a well placed question mark
can be incredibly effective. There's always a butt.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
If it's an urgent situation or you really need someone
to take action quickly and decisively, then skip the question mark.
Go with a clear, direct statement.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
It's all about reading the situation right, or maybe reading
the brain state exactly. This has been such a fascinating
deep dive. Thank you so much for joining us today
and sharing all this incredible research with us. Thanks for
having me and for everyone listening. Keep an ear oute
for those question marks. You might just be surprised at
how much they're influencing you. See you next time.
All right, so get ready for today's deep dive. We're
diving into the power of words again. Well yeah, kind of.
It's always about words in a way, right, true enough,
but today is going to be a bit different.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Promise Okay, you got me intrigued. What's on the agenda today?
Speaker 1 (00:16):
We're going to unpack how something as simple as a question.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Mark A question mark?
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Yeah, you know those little curly things.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Uh huh. I know what a question mark is. I
just didn't expect them to be the star as of
today's show.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
They're about to be. They can totally change how persuasive
a message is, especially in marketing.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Now that is interesting. Tell me more.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Okay, So we found this research paper. It's called a
Promotional Phrases as Questions Versus Statements an Influence of Phrase
style on Product Evaluation kitchee.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Right, So this paper is all about how we react
to questions versus statements in advertising, You got it.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
And they're saying that sometimes a question can actually be
more effective than just coming out and making a statement.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Now that does make you, I know, right, Like, are
they saying that the best coffee is somehow more persuasive
than the best coffee?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
It seems counterintuitive. We always hear that being clear and
direct is key in advertising exactly.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
But this research is saying maybe not always. Sometimes a
little mystery can be really powerful.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
So instead of telling someone what to think, a question
makes them think for themselves.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
That's the idea. It's about sparking that thought process, you know,
like is this the best coffee for me?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Psychologists call this elaboration. You see a question, your brain
automatically starts analyzing, comparing, and then boom, you come to
your own conclusion.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
And we all know there's nothing quite as convincing as
our own conclusion exactly.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
If you tell me something is amazing, I might be skeptical.
But if I convince myself it's amazing, well then I'm
sold exactly.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
And that's what's so cool about questions and advertising.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
But of course it's not as simple as just slapping
a question mark on everything.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Oh there's always, but isn't there.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Our reactions to questions versus statements, Well, they actually shift
depending on our emotional state.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Okay, now you're really making me think. We're talking about
how our emotions play into all of this too.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Oh yeah, buckle up, because it's about to get really interesting.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
So a question mark can be like this secret.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Weapon, well sort of, but.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
It all depends on our mood, it really does. All right,
I'm hooked. Lay it on me. How do our emotions
play into this whole question mark thing.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Let's say you're walking through the grocery store. Okay, just relaxed,
taking it easy, yep, I'm with you, and you see
this big display of let's say fresh berries, berry is
my favorite, and the sign just says berries with a
question mark. You got it.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
I think I'd be more likely to stop, yeah, right,
than if it just said berry. Is like a statement.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Exactly, because when we're relaxed in that low arousal state,
our brains they actually crave a little curiosity.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
So that question mark becomes like an invitation exactly.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
He's like, oh, what's going on here?
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Tell me more about these berries? Yes, but what about
when we're like, not in a chill grocery store mood.
What about when you're stressed out and everything's chaotic?
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Yeah, question isn't going to be as helpful, then.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Is it. You're absolutely right. When we're in those high
arousal situations, our brains they want clarity, no time for games.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Look, if I'm trying to find my way around a
new city and I'm already late, the last thing I
want is a sign that's like, need directions.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Exactly, I need a sign that just screams.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Map, yes, just give it to me straight. So in
those moments, our brains prioritize that clear direct information over
anything that requires too much thinking.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Precisely, it's about survival almost.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Wait, survival. Are you saying there's an evolutionary reason for this? Oh?
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Yeah, you better believe it. Think about our ancestors if
they're being chased by a tiger, A question like hmm,
I wonder if that's a dangerous animal, isn't going to
be very helpful?
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Not helpful at all? Run would be much.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
More effect Exactly. We evolved a crave curiosity when we
have the mental space for it, but when things get real,
our brains they just want those clear, actionable instructions.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
So this instinct, it affects how we react to marketing
messages even today.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
You got it. And this research, well, they wanted to
see just how much these subtle cues really.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Impact us, so they didn't just talk about it. They
actually did experiment three. In fact, oh man, I love
when we get to the experiments. All right, hit me
with study number one. What did they do? Okay, laid
on me. What kind of experiments are we talking about?
Speaker 2 (04:33):
They designed three different studies three.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Wow, they really won for it.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
They wanted to see how questions and statements landed in
different situations. And they didn't just want to know what
people said they thought. They wanted to see how they behaved.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Okay, now you're talking, give me the details. What was
study number one?
Speaker 2 (04:51):
So study one? It was all about the power of
a question to get us thinking. They showed people and
add for a pen a pen. Yeah. Sometimes the the
ad was phrased as a question like the pen for you? Okay,
and sometimes this statement just the pen for you. But
here's the thing. What before they even saw the pen ad,
the researchers messed with their arousal levels.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
Hold on, hold on, how do you mess with someone's
arousal level?
Speaker 2 (05:16):
It sounds more complicated than it is. For low arousal,
they had people look at these really calm images like
nature scenes, peaceful.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Stuff makes sense, And for high arousal, they use these.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Super exciting images, think sporting events, that kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Ah, so they're priming their brains to be other relaxed
or amped up clever. What happened next?
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Then they showed them the PEN ad. Yeah, the people
who had seen those calming images, you know, the low
arousal group, they wrote way more about the PEN when
the ad was phrased as a question.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
They were more intrigued you're saying exactly.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
The question made them think more deeply about it.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Fascinating. But did they actually end up liking the PEN
brand more or was it just all on their heads?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
That's what steady two is all about. Hit me with it,
same basic setup, Yeah, pen ads, arousal manipulation, the whole
nine yards. But this time they measured how much people
liked the brand afterward.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
All right, what were the results? Did the question mark.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Win when it came to the low arousal group?
Speaker 1 (06:14):
You bet you uh huh, I knew it.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
They were way more positive about the brand after seeing
the question based ad.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
But what about the high arousal group. Did they still
prefer the question?
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Actually? No, when people were feeling more amped up, the
statement the pen for you, it actually worked better.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
It's like their brains were like less talk more pen Exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
They wanted the direct approach.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
So we've got pens and arousal. What was studying number three?
Did they branch out from office supplies?
Speaker 2 (06:43):
They took it to the grocery store.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Ooh, finally, some real world application would they do follow
people around with pens?
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Not this time, this one involved that's strawberries.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Strawberries. Okay, you've officially piqued my interests. Tell me everything.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Thus this. You're walking through the produce section and you
see this beautiful display of strawberries.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
I'm there, I'm there.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
But here's the catch. Some shoppers are hearing this calming music,
you know, really mellow stuff setting the mood. I like it,
and others they're hearing this upbeat, high energy music.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
So they're manipulating the shopper's moods without them even knowing
it exactly.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
And get this, there's more. The strawberry display itself it
either said berries or berries.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Come on, you can't stop there? Or what happened?
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Just as we thought, people were way more likely to
buy strawberries when the display matched the music.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
So calm music plus berries equals a shopping cart full
of deliciousness.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
You got it. But if they had the upbeat music. Yeah,
they went for the berries.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Wow, that is amazing. We really do respond to these
tiny cues in such powerful ways.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
And most of the time we don't even realize it's happening.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
This is blowing my mind. So to sum it all up,
if we really want to get someone's attention, especially if
they're feeling relaxed and open, a well placed question mark
can be incredibly effective. There's always a butt.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
If it's an urgent situation or you really need someone
to take action quickly and decisively, then skip the question mark.
Go with a clear, direct statement.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
It's all about reading the situation right, or maybe reading
the brain state exactly. This has been such a fascinating
deep dive. Thank you so much for joining us today
and sharing all this incredible research with us. Thanks for
having me and for everyone listening. Keep an ear oute
for those question marks. You might just be surprised at
how much they're influencing you. See you next time.
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