🧑‍🔬 How To Win Your Customers' Love

It's counterintuitive...🤔

Author

Josh Viner
June 18, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

Brand: Liquid Death

Psychology Concept: Pratfall Effect

Days Running: 1276 Days - I think this is the longest running ad I’ve analyzed!
(This gives an indication of how it’s performing)

Have you heard of the Pratfall Effect? 🤔

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🧪 The Pratfall Effect

The Pratfall Effect is a phenomenon where individuals or brands become more likable and attractive when they make a mistake or reveal a flaw.

🤳 How Liquid Death Uses The Pratfall Effect

While most brands would probably hide negative social media comments, Liquid Death puts them on their ads. By not being for everyone, they actually make their product more interesting and appealing to some. They admit their flaws and find their true loyal customers but not trying to please everyone.

🧠 How You Can Use The Pratfall Effect

The key to the Pratfall Effect is to embrace your imperfections and show a bit of vulnerability.

When brands acknowledge their flaws, mistakes, or display negative comments, it humanizes them and can increase their likability.

This effect works because it makes your brand appear more genuine and relatable, fostering a stronger connection with your audience.

The Pratfall Effect is backed by scientific evidence: people who show their imperfections tend to be more trusted. 

That’s why authenticity and vulnerability are buzzwords when it comes to creating content online – we like to watch people being vulnerable online because it’s relatable.

To use the Pratfall Effect:

  • State the truth about your product (because your customer is thinking it whether you say it or not).

  • Admit your flaws – highlight what you have to compromise in order to deliver on your true strengths.

  • Challenge the status quo: when everyone in your niche is doing one thing, how can you do the opposite?

Here are some examples:

In this example oat milk brand Oatly admits that their drink does in fact taste like oats and isn’t for everyone.

While they admit that, to some, their product may not taste good, the ad then goes on to focus on the healthy ingredients included.

In this next example CXL, an online marketing training program highlights a negative customer review, admitting they’re not for everyone but only for those who are serious about learning marketing:

By emphasizing the complexity and depth of their content, they single out their core customer – those wanting to seriously pursue marketing.

As a final example, here’s one where price is considered the brand’s weakness. You can decide to lean into it like Stella Artois:

That coupon code ad gave me a good chuckle – last week I wrote about the Humor Effect and how adding humor to your ads can make the more memorable.

Side note: I know it’s expensive but Stella is actually one of my favourite beers if you ever wanna buy me one 😏

So, how will you use the Pratfall Effect?

How will you admit your flaws and highlight your mistakes or weaknesses?

Lemme know how it goes!

Until next time,

Josh