The Power of Behavioral Science in Branding

Behold the magic!

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Ever wonder why some businesses have customers who remain loyal to them through market ups and downs? You might think, “It’s all about branding!” And you wouldn’t be wrong, my friend.

Next time you swing by Starbucks, take a sec to sit and enjoy your coffee while checking out your surroundings. We all know that Starbucks is pricey, but charging five to six times more than McDonald’s for a cup of joe is actually a genius business move. They charge more for a beverage that used to be cheap and gussy it up as a premium customer experience, complete with cozy seating, good tunes, and friendly baristas.

When you take a closer look, you’ll notice that Starbucks offers a personalized experience. For example, your name is written on your cup when you get your drink. Even though the baristas may not always spell your name correctly, the act of writing it on your cup creates a more personalized experience. Plus, the Starbucks experience is highly addictive, particularly their app, which gets rid of two of the biggest pain points to getting coffee: waiting to pay and waiting for your order. There are other things that Starbucks is doing that are total genius!

All these things that Starbucks does can be boiled down to psychology, and specifically it’s called behavioral science.