Best Consumer Behavior Lab Podcasts (2025)

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Interview: Uri Gneezy, author of Mixed Signals, on why misaligned incentives backfire 52:34

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2d ago52:34

52:34

In this episode we speak with Uri Gneezy, behavioural economist and professor at the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego. Uri is the author of Mixed Signals and The Why Axis. In the episode, he explores how poorly designed incentives can backfire, why intentions don’t often match outcomes and how to overcome the common pitfalls in our thinkin…

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Hacking the Human Mind - Book Preview: Dyson 29:32

9d ago29:32

29:32

We’re thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of Hacking the Human Mind, A new book exploring how behavioral science powers the world’s most iconic brands. Re-watch this episode and get ready for Hacking the Human Mind, hitting shelves September 30th.By Consumer Behavior Lab

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Episode 173: 2025 Travel Trends 41:09

13d ago41:09

41:09

Welcome back to another episode of Floor 9. For this episode, host Tom Trudeau chatted with Adam Simon and Richard Yao from the Lab’s strategy team about our latest insights on travel. Together, they discussed some of the biggest trends in the travel and hospitality sector in 2025, including the financialization of the travel industry, the increasi…

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Interview: David Robson, author of The Expectation Effect, on how beliefs shape behavior 49:36

14d ago49:36

49:36

In this episode we speak with David Robson, science journalist and author of The Expectation Effect. David explores how beliefs, attitudes and expectations shape our health, performance and daily experiences. He explains the fascinating science behind placebo effects, the power of mindset in influencing outcomes and the implications for behavior ch…

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Interview: Patrick Fagan, author of Hooked, on the behavioral shortcuts that influence what we buy 40:52

25d ago40:52

40:52

In this episode we speak with Patrick Fagan, behavioral scientist and co-founder of the consultancy Capuchin Behavioral Science. Patrick is the former lead psychologist at Cambridge Analytica, author of Hooked and co-author of Free Your Mind. He shares insights into the hidden drivers of consumer behavior, how data and psychology intersect and why …

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Interview: Phil Graves, author of Consumerology, on the hidden flaws of market research 50:58

1M ago50:58

50:58

In this episode, we chat with Phil Graves, author of Consumerology. As a leading voice on the flaws of traditional market research, he explains why what customers say often differs from what they do. He also highlights the mechanisms behind purchase decisions and explores how behavioral science offers a more reliable lens for understanding real con…

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Interview: Rory Sutherland, author of Alchemy, on why irrational ideas work 2:26:39

2M ago2:26:39

2:26:39

In this episode we sit down with Rory Sutherland, author of Alchemy. As one of advertising’s most original thinkers, he makes the case for embracing irrationality in marketing, argues why logic is overrated and explains how small shifts can lead to big behavioral effects.By Consumer Behavior Lab

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Behavioral science for agencies: media planning 33:31

2M ago33:31

33:31

In this episode we explore how behavioral science can be applied to media planning. We discuss the fundamental attribution error and why this suggests brands should spend less time thinking about target audiences and more time thinking about target contexts. We then look at some specific moments that brands can target – such as when people are in a…

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Episode 172: The Evolution of Retail Media Networks (Ft. Parbinder Dariwhal from CVS Media Exchange) 33:52

2M ago33:52

33:52

This week on Floor 9, we’re diving deep into the fast-changing world of retail media networks with Parbinder “Parbs” Dariwhal, VP and GM of CVS Media Exchange (CMX). With 72% of purchases now beginning within retail ecosystems and average U.S. consumers seeing 47 retail media ads daily, it’s clear we’re in a new media era—one driven by data, co-cre…

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Episode 171: Apple WWDC 2025 Recap 34:41

2M ago34:41

34:41

This week on Floor 9, four members of the Lab team — Adam, Tom, Chelsea, and Elisa — assemble to discuss in-depth about everything brand marketers need to know about the latest news coming out of Apple’s WWDC developer event this week. Specifically, the team discussed Apple’s practical approach to AI, which focuses on incremental “quality-of-life” …

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How Five Guys uses the illusion of effort to make their burgers taste even better 31:52

2M ago31:52

31:52

In this episode, we look at the story of Five Guys and how they used behavioral science to become one of the most successful brands in the ‘better burger’ category. We identify some of the secrets to their success such as ending the experience on a high, harnessing the illusion of effort by letting dinners see into the kitchen and - perhaps most im…

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Interview: Steve Martin, author of Messengers, on the eight key traits of an effective messenger 53:33

3M ago53:33

53:33

In this episode we speak with Steve Martin, co-author of Yes! 60 secrets from the science of persuasion which has sold over 1.5 m million copies. We talk to Steve about his latest work on the messenger effect and the eight traits that make a messenger influential.By Consumer Behavior Lab

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Episode 170: AI Mode, Agentic Web, & more from Google I/O 2025 33:29

3M ago33:29

33:29

On the latest Floor 9 episode, four members of the Lab team — Tom, Ryan, Richard, and Elisa — assemble to discuss in-depth about everything brand marketers that need to know about the AI-centric announcements coming out of Google’s annual developer event. From Google’s ambition of using AI Mode to transform its search products, to the “agentic web”…

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How Oatly used the messenger effect to become the world's most successful milk alternative 38:22

3M ago38:22

38:22

In this episode, we explore how Oatly became a billion-dollar brand by using behavioral science in clever, unexpected ways. We unpack how the launch of their Barista Edition—crafted specifically for coffee shops—tapped into the Messenger Effect, where who delivers a message matters as much as what is said. Along the way, we break down what makes a …

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Interview: Adam Ferrier author of The Advertising Effect on why you should stop listening to your customer 51:27

3M ago51:27

51:27

In this episode we speak with Adam Ferrier, founder of Australian ad agency, Thinkerbell. Adam is the author of The Advertising Effect, one of the best books on applying behavioral science to advertising. On the podcast he talks about some of the most effective Australian campaigns of the last few years and why listening to your customer creates bl…

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How Everlane have harnessed the principle of fairness to grow their brand 25:40

3M ago25:40

25:40

Everlane’s success has partly been driven by differentiating themselves from the rest of the fashion industry. Crucially they have reframed the competition as behaving unfairly. In this episode we look at a series of behavioral science experiments that show brands can disrupt consumer apathy if they position the competition as having behaved unfair…

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Interview with Ayelet Fishbach: Professor of Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago 49:42

4M ago49:42

49:42

Katy Milkman has described Ayelet Fishbach as the foremost expert on motivation in the world. In this episode we speak to Ayelet about her work and how marketers can harness it to change the behavior of their users. In a wide ranging conversation we discuss Ayelet’s research on variable rewards, the goal dilution effect and the problem with setting…

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Episode 169: Upgrading the Creator Playbook for Brands 36:30

4M ago36:30

36:30

This week on Floor 9, host Tom Trudeau is joined by Lab members Chelsea Freitas and Ryan Miller for a dive deep into the evolving role of creators in the media ecosystem. From parasocial dynamics to AI's impact on content creation, the trio explores how influencer strategies are maturing—shifting from short-term content sprints to long-term brand p…

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How GEICO use the principle of concreteness to make memorable ads 29:04

4M ago29:04

29:04

GEICO have created some of the most effective US advertising in recent years. The GEICO gecko is one of the most popular characters in advertising. But what makes him so memorable? In this episode we discuss Ian Begg’s research into concreteness which showed that people are much better at remembering visualisable things compared to abstract concept…

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Interview with Gareth Harvey: former professor of consumer psychology turned behavioral science consultant 48:17

4M ago48:17

48:17

In this episode we talk with Gareth Harvey. Gareth was previously a professor of consumer psychology but now advises companies about how they can apply findings from behavioral science. In this episode he discusses some of his work with retailers showing how they can better frame special offers, use music more effectively and adjust the shopper jou…

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How Hendrick's distinctive use of nostalgia explains their marketing success 28:24

4M ago28:24

28:24

In this episode we look at one of the world’s most successful gins: Hendrick’s. We explore three behavioral science principles that explain their growth: distinctiveness, consistency and nostalgia. In particular, we look at the experimental evidence from psychologists such as Von Restorff, Zajonc and Sedikides.…

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Interview: Melina Palmer, author of What your Customer Wants and Can't Tell You 37:38

5M ago37:38

37:38

In this interview, we catch up with Melina Palmer who has released a new book: The Truth About Pricing. She discusses how brands like Hermes and Costco have applied principles from behavioral science. We cover ideas like scarcity, reciprocity and the importance of in groups.By Consumer Behavior Lab

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Episode 168: The Evolving Sports Media Landscape 35:56

5M ago35:56

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Welcome back to Floor 9! This week, host Ryan Miller is joined by Chelsea Freitas, the Lab’s strategy maven, and Tom Trudeau, our partnerships maverick, to chat about a shared passion topic — sports! Specifically, how the shifting sports audiences and viewer behaviors have impacted sports as a media business, the movement of women’s sports and the …

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How Zoom proved that behavioral science is just as effective in B2B settings as it is in B2C 34:16

5M ago34:16

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In this episode, we discuss how behavioural biases can be applied by brands in a B2B setting. In particular, we look at how Zoom credibly used social proof in their earliest days and the evidence that suggests this works well in a professional setting. We also cover the principle of make it easy and the evidence of this occurring in B2B. Finally, w…

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Interview: Charles Spence, author of Gastrophysics, on the science of taste appeal 56:51

5M ago56:51

56:51

In this week's episode, we chat with Charles Spence—Oxford professor, author of Gastrophysics, and the world’s leading expert on how our senses work together to shape flavor. We discuss how brands are leveraging sensory cues to make their products more appealing, and discover practical insights for anyone who wants to understand the power of taste …

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Interview: Nir Eyal, author of Hooked, on how to form lasting habits 49:31

5M ago49:31

49:31

In this episode we talk with Nir Eyal, author of Hooked, and one of the world's leading experts on the topic of habits. His work is of particular interest as his focus is on how brands (rather than individuals) can create habits. Nir walks us through the four elements of his model and gives lots of practical advice on what marketers can do differen…

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How using humor helped Aviation gin laugh all the way to the bank 24:30

5M ago24:30

24:30

In this episode we explore the behavioral science principles behind Aviation Gin’s success. In particular we look at why humor is such an effective (but underused) tool for brands. We cover work by Nisbett on the halo effect that shows if a brand improves its standing in one particular metric (like being funny) it will improve even unrelated charac…

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Interview: Roger Dooley, author of Brainfluence, on the practical marketing lessons from behavioural science 35:43

6M ago35:43

35:43

In this episode we talk with Roger Dooley author of Brainfluence. In a wide-ranging conversation, we start by covering the importance of focusing on making whatever behaviour you want to encourage as easy as possible. Then we move on to the importance of experimentation and how brands can work out which, of the many behavioural biases that have bee…

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How Eleven Madison Park applied the peak-end rule to become the best restaurant in the world 30:40

6M ago30:40

30:40

In this episode we look at the rise of Eleven Madison Park to become the most critically acclaimed restaurant in the world. In particular we focus on their legendary customer service and how they used techniques like the peak-end rule to enhance diner’s memory of the visit. The lessons are relevant for all brands - not just those involved with fine…

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Episode 167: 2025 Outlook Trends 37:27

6M ago37:27

37:27

Welcome back to Floor 9. As usual, we kicked off the year with an Outlook report to forecast some emerging trends in media and consumer behavior that we think will be crucial to brand strategy in 2025 and beyond. In this episode, your host Ryan is joined by Adam Simon, the Lab’s managing director and the author of the Outlook, and Chelsea Freitas, …

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Interview: Sarah Carter, co-author of How Not to Plan, on using behavioural science to improve health and sustainability 1:00:04

6M ago1:00:04

1:00:04

In this episode we sit down with Sarah Carter and discuss how marketers can best use behavioural science. We focus on using behavioural science for good, whether that’s encouraging people to eat veg, take the train or practice safe sex. During a wide-ranging conversation with one of ad land’s brightest luminaries we cover biases from the ostrich ef…

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How Kraft kept their healthier product secret to avoid the problem of expectation assimilation 29:28

6M ago29:28

29:28

In this episode, we look at the behavioral science secrets behind the success of Kraft Mac and Cheese. We focus on two broad areas. First, how they managed to launch a new version of the product (with all the artificial colourings removed) without damaging sales. That’s an impressive achievement, as often if you stress that a product has become hea…

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Interview: Todd Rogers, Harvard psychologist and author of Writing for Busy Readers, on the psychology of great copywriting 36:16

7M ago36:16

36:16

In this episode Richard interviewed Harvard professor Todd Rogers. Todd’s experiments apply behavioral science principles to copywriting to make it more effective. In this discussion we cover Todd’s key findings, such as the proven value of brevity, simple language, and designing for easy navigation. The episode is full of simple tactics that you’l…

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How Pret a Manger harnessed variable rewards to recover from the pandemic 23:03

7M ago23:03

23:03

In this episode, we look at the success of Pret a Manger – especially how they managed to recover so strongly after the pandemic, despite increasing numbers of office workers staying at home. We look at two main biases that they have successfully harnessed: the sunk cost effect and the power of variable rewards…

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Episode 166: CES 2025 Highlights 38:41

7M ago38:41

38:41

Welcome back to Floor 9. As always, we are kicking off the new year with a CES episode featuring the entire Lab team. Together, we recapped the highs and lows of CES 2025, shared our personal favorites, and voiced some skepticism towards some potential "vaporwares." From smart home and smart cars to cutting-edge food and health tech, we saw a lot o…

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Interview: Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, author of Everybody Lies, on how to uncover hidden consumer motivations 49:01

7M ago49:01

49:01

We talk with Seth about how to best understand people's motivations and why direct questioning sometimes fails. We cover ideas like the illusion of effort, the curse of knowledge and how to respond when different datasets give conflicting answers.By Consumer Behavior Lab

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The replication crisis: How to avoid basing your marketing on bogus findings 24:38

7M ago24:38

24:38

In this episode, we discuss the replication crisis. By that we mean, when academics have re-run some behavioural science studies, they have found different results to the original experiment thereby invalidating it. We cover some of the most famous studies that need to be avoided and how you can have confidence in the findings that you’re applying.…

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How to change habitual customer behaviour in the New Year 27:52

8M ago27:52

27:52

In this episode we return to the question of how to break old consumer habits and build new ones. We cover four new studies, each of which has practical implications for brands. We begin by looking at when people are open to changing their behavior and discuss the fresh start effect and the destabilizing effect of life events. We then turn to the b…

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Episode 165: 2024 Year-End Trend Recap 38:24

8M ago38:24

38:24

Closing out this remarkable year of innovations, the entire Lab team came together for our annual recap of the biggest trends that defined the tech and media landscape in 2024, and look ahead to see what 2025 may bring. Together, the team discussed: The maturing deployment of AI and the long-term prospect of the AI hype The future of search and the…

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Interview: Phil Barden, author of Decoded, on how to apply neuroscience to marketing 49:09

9M ago49:09

49:09

In this episode MichaelAaron and Richard sit down with Phil Barden, author of Decoded and Managing Director at DECODE Marketing. His excellent book was one of the earliest to look at how ideas from neuroscience and behavioral economics could be used to improve marketing. Phil covers how best in class brands like Apple apply these principles but als…

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The behavioural science behind the perfect gift 29:23

9M ago29:23

29:23

In this episode we look at a range of behavioral science experiments that shed light on effective gift giving. These are useful because our intuition about what receivers want is often off the mark. In particular, we cover experiments showing how spending on others is a better way for givers to boost their own happiness than spending on themselves …

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Episode 164: 2024 Holiday Shopping Trends 20:39

9M ago20:39

20:39

‘Tis the season again, and the Lab is here to discuss the latest shopping trends that we think brands should keep an eye out for this year. From a renewed emphasis on experiential in-store shopping to interesting loyalty plays, not to mention the new entrants like Amazon Haul and metaverse shopping, there’s no shortage of interesting things for Ada…

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Interview: Les Binet, co-author of The Long and the Short of It, on the secrets behind effective advertising 59:24

9M ago59:24

59:24

In this episode we talk with Les Binet, co-author of The Long and the Short of it about his research into effective advertising. We discuss some of his best-known findings, such as the value of emotional campaigns. But we also cover some lesser-known areas such as whether wear out is a myth, why music in ads should get more attention and finally wh…

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Get Out the Vote: How behavioral science can boost voter turnout 26:54

10M ago26:54

26:54

In this special episode, we discuss how behavioral science can be used to encourage voter registration and turnaround. We cover well known ideas like social proof including some of the most relevant nuances and how it’s often misused by campaigns for good. We also turn to lesser known research by Bryan on how we label behavior can have a significan…

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Episode 163: The Early Days of MR Headsets 34:03

10M ago34:03

34:03

Welcome back to Floor 9! This month, we welcome long-time host and director of partnerships, Ryan, back from his paternity leave to chat with Adam, the managing director of the Lab, to round up all the recent news around mixed reality headsets. From the Orion AR glasses prototype that Mark Zuckerberg showcased earlier this month, or Meta’s Ai-infus…

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How indulgence brands can benefit from moral licensing 19:02

10M ago19:02

19:02

In this episode, we explore how indulgence brands like soft drinks and ice creams can use behavioral science principles. We discuss moral licensing, where people overcompensate in one area after behaving virtuously in another, and how brands like Miller and L'Oreal have applied this insight. Lastly, we examine a study by Read, showing how shoppers …

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Interview: Matt Johnson, author of Blindsight, on the behavioral science lessons of Pret a Manger and Perrier 44:07

11M ago44:07

44:07

We talk with Matt about his favorite practical examples of behavioural science being applied by brands. We cover how Pret a Manger use uncertain rewards to excite customers, how Perrier harnessed the principle of essentialism to launch in the US and why more brands should think about marketing to groups rather than individuals.…

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Episode 162: iPhone’’s New “Visual Intelligence” & More 28:39

11M ago28:39

28:39

Welcome back to another episode of Floor 9. This week, Tom Trudeau from our partnerships team chats with our managing director Adam Simon about everything that marketers should know coming out of the Apple event on Monday. Together, they discussed various new Apple products, the upcoming Apple Intelligence features, as well as these AI-driven featu…

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Interview: Kate Waters, director of client strategy at ITV, on how the AA, Zoe and Spotify use behavioral science 48:10

11M ago48:10

48:10

In this episode, we talk with ad agency founder Kate Waters on how the AA, Zoe and Spotify apply behavioral science. We cover a wide range of principles: from language reframing to social proof, concreteness to choice paralysisBy Consumer Behavior Lab

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How Starbucks used scarcity to create the cult of the Pumpkin Spiced Latte 30:28

12M ago30:28

30:28

In this episode, we uncover how Starbucks turns the Pumpkin Spice Latte into a cult favorite through the power of scarcity.By Consumer Behavior Lab