Definition
Those mental shortcuts our brains take that advertisers ruthlessly exploit—confirmation bias, anchoring, sunk cost fallacy—basically why marketing works despite being ridiculous.
Example Usage
We're using anchoring bias in our pricing strategy; the crossed-out original price makes the discount feel 40% bigger than it actually is.
Origin
Psychology and behavioral economics, weaponized by marketing in the 2000s
Fun Fact
Companies lose billions to 'left-digit bias' where $9.99 feels significantly cheaper than $10.00, even though it's literally one penny
Source: Behavioral economics and neuromarketing
Related Terms
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See “Cognitive bias” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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