Don’t confuse sales with charity
In keeping with this month’s theme on advertising, let’s talk about what fires up your brain.
There is a very interesting new book called Sway – The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman. In the chapter “Compensation and Cocaine” there is an interesting clue on why you can’t reward altruism.
What scientists are figuring out is when you talk pay or other compensation – the pleasure center of the brain nucleus accumbens fires up. This is the part that loves Las Vegas, it loves rewards, and it loves cocaine.
The part of the brain that fires up when it comes to relationships/altruistic behavior is called posterior superior temporal sulcus.
Here’s the rub, they don’t work at the same time. As a matter of fact, if you try to offer someone a reward for doing the right thing, the pleasure center cranks up and takes over the altruistic center.
Why does this make a difference? Well suppose you want to get a buddy to help you move. If you ask him as a favor, his altruism part of the brain fires up. But if you offer money, you better make it enough to make it worth his while, because as soon as rewarding his help comes into the picture, the pleasure center kicks in.
The brain then starts to measure risk/pain/reward.
What are the implications? You can appeal to someone’s sense of duty, or reward – but not both. As soon as reward rears its head and it takes over.
If you are doing fundraising this means that if you are appealing to people’s sense of duty, don’t offer a premium or reward. Reward trumps the good feeling.
If you are going to offer a reward for extra work, don’t think you can get get out cheaper by also appealing to someone’s altruistic side – because that part of the won’t fire up if the pleasure center is going.
So in advertising, pick your theme, Altruism or Reward, but not both.