Author(s) :

Wanwanus Punwatanawit, Yixi Kennedy.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

Psychological tactics are deeply ingrained in everyday marketing, subtly influencing consumer decisions without their conscious awareness. This paper aims to explore specific psychological tactics used in marketing to influence consumer behavior and drive sales. Key strategies investigated include color psychology, urgency and scarcity, and anchoring bias. The content for this paper was gathered from academic sources and includes real-world case studies, ranging from the significant uses of color in fast food chains to luxury brands, as well as the BOGO (Buy one, get one free) offer, which anchors the value of two products for one. These examples demonstrate the effectiveness of marketing techniques across global populations and the universal efficacy of these tactics across diverse markets. While the techniques explored in this paper have been proven to yield clear results and drive profits for brands, the applications of these strategies must carefully consider the population to whom they are marketing to ensure appropriateness, addressing variables such as gender, culture, and age. Furthermore, the effectiveness of these techniques depends on their remaining hidden from the consumer’s conscious awareness to act effectively upon the subconscious mind. To this end, the paper also investigates the potential pitfalls of these tactics. It considers how the misuse of these techniques could damage brand identity in the long term, which would outweigh short-term increases in consumer sales. By examining both the benefits and drawbacks of these psychological tactics, this paper provides valuable insight for marketers to seek a balance between healthy persuasion and ethical responsibility.