Nudge Theory was developed by economist and Nobel laureate Richard Thaler in 2008. The theory suggests that placing small, practical stimuli or “nudges” help us change behaviour or guide us towards an action. “Nudges help people deal with a fact about the human brain—which is that we have limited attention” (Sunstein, 2021).
Thaler and Harvard Professor Cass Sunstein wrote the first edition of Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness in 2008 with the 5th edition being published in 2021.
The theory was originally developed to ‘nudge’ more people to pay their taxes, but we aren’t after you for that.
Nudge Theory is now widely used across industry and everyday life. Including marketing strategy.
The Power of the fake fly. And eh ME…N!
The age-old task of aiming accurately at the toilet can be a challenge for half the population, this we know. So did the operators of Schiphol Airport in 1999. They realised that the highest cleaning costs were accrued in the men’s toilets. The floors specifically. Colourful begging signs would perhaps have been the obvious solution, but the Dutch had bigger ideas.
They knew they needed an incentive, a prompt, a nudge. So they etched a picture of a fly on each urinal and whaddya know… men couldn’t resist taking aim. Cleaning costs decreased by 80% and cleaners, we imagine, hated that job a wee bit less.
“We know that good nudges make the chooser’s life better.”
(Sunstein, 2021).
