Let’s look at a classic set of experiments on framing:
Participants were offered two alternative solutions for 600 people affected by a hypothetical deadly disease:
- Option A saves 200 people’s lives
- Option B has a 1/3 chance of saving all 600 people and a 2/3 possibility of saving no one
72% of participants chose option A.They offered the same scenario to another group of participants, but worded differently:
- If option C is taken, then 400 people die
- If option D is taken, then there is a 1/3 chance that no people will die and a 2/3 probability that all 600 will die
However, in this group, 78% of participants chose option D (equivalent to option B)
The above experiment explains the very essence of framing. The two groups favored different options because of the way the options were presented. The first set of participants were given a positive frame (emphasis on lives saved), whereas the second set were given a negative frame (emphasis on lives lost).
The Takeaway
Marketers and business owners can influence purchase decisions by the way they frame their offers. Here are some ways to apply this idea of framing:
Percentages and Absolute Numbers
In his blog Neuromarketing, Roger Dooley examines the effects of using percentages versus real numbers. It’s the difference between saying:
90% of customers are satisfied with our service.
9 out of 10 customers are satisfied with our service.
Real numbers tend to have a much stronger impact on people. Conversely, if you must present negative information, use percentages for a lesser impact. “Only 1% of our products have a defect” doesn't sound nearly as bad as “1 out of every one hundred products have a defect”.
Break it Down
Breaking down the cost for the product in terms of pennies or dollar per day will make your product much more appealing to consumers. 83¢ per day for a gym membership sure sounds more feasible than $25 a month.
Aggregate
Conversely, sometimes it is beneficial to aggregate a cost. For example, $400 for an espresso machine sounds like a large investment when presented with no framing. However, it is much more feasible when you compare it to the aggregated yearly cost of visiting Starbucks. (i.e. $800)
Price Format
Research shows that price format can also influence a purchase decision. A paper put out by the Harvard Business School compared all-inclusive pricing (e.g., the price of a TV is $500 including shipping) versus partitioned pricing (e.g., the price of a TV is $490 and shipping is $10). They found that price format is an effective way to shift attention from one type of component (the actual price of the TV) to another (the great deal on shipping)
Loss Framing
One aspect of framing in advertising occurs when the advertiser displays what the customer stands to lose if he or she fails to comply with the message. An effective demonstration of "loss framing" instills fear into the recipient and warns of dire consequences. A major example of loss framing occurs in public service announcements. An anti-smoking campaign shows the dangers of cigarettes by displaying images of cancer patients who rely on respirators to breathe and artificial voice-boxes to speak.
Gain Framing
The other side of the coin from loss framing is "gain framing". A message with gain framing shows the recipient what they have to gain from following the advertiser's message. Dental care product advertisers use gain framing messages to display the benefits of routine dental care: sparkling white teeth, healthy gums and fresh breath. The messages also often imply other benefits, such as how a better-looking smile makes the user more attractive to potential dating partners.
Framing and Language
Advertisers are specialists at using language to frame their messages. They understand the emotional reactions that consumers have to specific words.Their goal is to use words that create a positive emotional frame for the product in the viewer's mind. An ad for a high-end automobile uses words like "luxurious" and "well-appointed", while avoiding words such as "expensive" and "over-priced". A similar ad for a lower-priced car would use words like "affordable" and "dependable" instead of "cheap" and "sturdy."
Percentages and Absolute Numbers
In his blog Neuromarketing, Roger Dooley examines the effects of using percentages versus real numbers. It’s the difference between saying:
90% of customers are satisfied with our service.
9 out of 10 customers are satisfied with our service.
Real numbers tend to have a much stronger impact on people. Conversely, if you must present negative information, use percentages for a lesser impact. “Only 1% of our products have a defect” doesn't sound nearly as bad as “1 out of every one hundred products have a defect”.
Break it Down
Breaking down the cost for the product in terms of pennies or dollar per day will make your product much more appealing to consumers. 83¢ per day for a gym membership sure sounds more feasible than $25 a month.
Aggregate
Conversely, sometimes it is beneficial to aggregate a cost. For example, $400 for an espresso machine sounds like a large investment when presented with no framing. However, it is much more feasible when you compare it to the aggregated yearly cost of visiting Starbucks. (i.e. $800)
Price Format
Research shows that price format can also influence a purchase decision. A paper put out by the Harvard Business School compared all-inclusive pricing (e.g., the price of a TV is $500 including shipping) versus partitioned pricing (e.g., the price of a TV is $490 and shipping is $10). They found that price format is an effective way to shift attention from one type of component (the actual price of the TV) to another (the great deal on shipping)
Loss Framing
One aspect of framing in advertising occurs when the advertiser displays what the customer stands to lose if he or she fails to comply with the message. An effective demonstration of "loss framing" instills fear into the recipient and warns of dire consequences. A major example of loss framing occurs in public service announcements. An anti-smoking campaign shows the dangers of cigarettes by displaying images of cancer patients who rely on respirators to breathe and artificial voice-boxes to speak.
Gain Framing
The other side of the coin from loss framing is "gain framing". A message with gain framing shows the recipient what they have to gain from following the advertiser's message. Dental care product advertisers use gain framing messages to display the benefits of routine dental care: sparkling white teeth, healthy gums and fresh breath. The messages also often imply other benefits, such as how a better-looking smile makes the user more attractive to potential dating partners.
Framing and Language
Advertisers are specialists at using language to frame their messages. They understand the emotional reactions that consumers have to specific words.Their goal is to use words that create a positive emotional frame for the product in the viewer's mind. An ad for a high-end automobile uses words like "luxurious" and "well-appointed", while avoiding words such as "expensive" and "over-priced". A similar ad for a lower-priced car would use words like "affordable" and "dependable" instead of "cheap" and "sturdy."
Another example: Participants saw a film of a traffic accident and then answered questions about the event, including the question ‘About how fast were the cars going when they contacted each other?’ Other participants received the same information, except that the verb ‘contacted’ was replaced by either hit, bumped, collided, or smashed. Even though all of the participants saw the same film, the wording of the questions affected their answers. The speed estimates (in miles per hour) were 31, 34, 38, 39, and 41, respectively.
One week later, the participants were asked whether they had seen broken glass at the accident site. Although the correct answer was ‘no,’ 32% of the participants who were given the ‘smashed’ condition said that they had. Hence the wording of the question can influence their memory of the incident.
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