Even the Odds for Romance Seekers

Marketing targeted to people wanting to find a romantic relationship with a significant other are more successful when messages include numbers divisible by 2. Researchers at University of Sydney produced this effect by asking consumers to say how likely they would be to buy a set of products. In some cases, odd numbers were associated with the products. The hunk of cheese was 2.25 pounds, the box of chocolates included 17 sweets, and the jacket cost $68.83. For the remaining consumers, the numbers were even. Cheese at 2.24 pounds, the box of chocolates containing 16, and $68.82 for the jacket.
     These study participants also were presented with a questionnaire which included items like, “It is important to me to find a romantic partner.” It was found that the people indicating higher agreement with such items also expressed stronger purchase intentions for the items carrying the even number information.
     The easiest explanation for these findings is that people whose thinking is occupied on pairing with a significant other find even numbers to be more familiar, and what is familiar to a consumer tends to be favored by that consumer. A similar finding had to do with V8.
     Researchers at University of Florida and National University of Singapore ended up asking study participants whether they’d prefer a glass of V8 or Campbell’s tomato juice. But before this question, the participants had been shown an advertisement for V8. For one group of participants, the ad read, “Get a full day’s supply of essential vitamins and minerals with a bottle of V8.” For the other participants, the ad read, “Get a full day’s supply of 4 essential vitamins and 2 minerals with a bottle of V8.”
     Those who saw the second version of the ad were especially likely to select the V8 over the tomato juice. The ad which used the numbers 4 and 2 subconsciously generated the numbers 6 (4 plus 2) and 8 (4 times 2). A preference for V8 was created because of familiarity with the number.
     Such nudges are subtle. In the study of those seeking romance, differences were not large, although noticeable and statistically significant. There also are limits on when they apply. Greater preferences were not seen among people who had already achieved the romantic relationship. They also were absent among people aiming for simultaneous relationships with a bunch of partners. That’s not even odd, though, right?

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Hit Shoppers with a Two-by-Four