Can Ryan Reynolds convince you to switch to Mint Mobile?

 

I was a bit surprised when I saw Ryan Reynolds pitching a phone service in a commercial the other day. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvW5YS6iXPA

After the industry agreed that the $10 million dollars T-Mobile paid Catherine Zeta Jones to be their spokesperson in 2007 was a colossal waste of money, people shied away from celebrity presenters for years.

But celebrities have clearly made a comeback since then.

A bit more research unearthed the fact that Ryan is more than a spokesperson as he has an equity stake in the company.  But what does a college dropout know about phone service?  And does it matter?

Have you bought a brand that a celebrity sells?  Which one and why?  Was the celebrity an expert on the product or just someone that you like?  Which MBTI preferences might be more easily persuaded by celebrities?  Why?

 

(2019, November 25) Ryan Reynolds Purchases Ownership Stake in Mint Mobile.  globalnewswire.com.  Retrieved October 6, 2020, from  https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/11/25/1951947/0/en/Ryan-Reynolds-Purchases-Ownership-Stake-in-Mint-Mobile.html

Do you prefer your LEGO with or without instructions?

I love LEGO.  I played with them as a child and have been lucky enough to play with them again with two generations of nephews.  But I am strictly a free form user.  I like to use my imagination to build houses and furnish them.  That's why my grandfather thought I might become an architect someday. :-)

But , after a loss in 1998, LEGO made a licensing deal with Star Wars and switched to producing branded sets rather than plain bricks.  The move saved the company by bringing in an entirely new group of users - those who prefer to follow directions. (Bhattarai, 2020)

People who like instructions find following them relaxing.  Interestingly they have the exact opposite effect on me.  Where they see the opportunity to find perfection, I see the opportunity to make a mistake. 

It all comes down to personality type.  Myers-Briggs has identified four preferences based on the way that we see and interact with the world.  I am an ENTJ.  So what does that mean in LEGO terms?  As an "N" I like to use my imagination and create new things.  And as an off the charts "J" I am a perfectionist who hates to make mistakes.

But it is interesting to note that I am part of a very small group.  Most people are "S's" not "N's".  That means that they like what is known and familar, what's real.  And they like instructions.

Since 70% of Americans are "S's." Kits are definitely the way to go.  But I hope they keep making raw bricks for the "N's" too. ;-)

Bhattarai, A. (2020, January 16)  Lego sets its sights on a growing market: Stressed-out adults.  washingtonpost.com.  Retrieved February 3, 2020, from  https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/01/16/legos-toys-for-stressed-adults/

If you want to persuade people you need to connect with them first.

I was cleaning out my bookshelves the other day and came across my copy of "How to Win Friends and Influence People."  Written by Dale Carnegie in 1936, it is the true definition of a classic.  The ideas it shares are still true today, only now they are backed up by research.

In previous blogs I discussed how the primacy effect coupled with repetition can lead people to believe that fake news is true.  And that one way to combat the misperception is to create fear that the belief is harmful. (Lehrer, 2018)

But before you can do that, you first have to connect.  Because someone can't relate to you emotionally if they don't like you. 

Myers-Briggs tells us that ~60% of people care more about relationships than tasks.  And since even moderate "T's" care about relationships to some extent, it is safe to assume that "liking" is important to most people these days. (MBTI)

So what makes us like someone?  Robert Cialdini says: We like people who are similar to us, who pay us compliments, and who cooperate with us.  (Cialdini, 2012) 

That's where Dale Carnegie's advice kicks in.  It all starts with showing an interest in the other person and asking questions.  Once you do, you can find common ground and begin establishing a rapport.

One tip from me - hard core task people tend not to care about similarities or flattery, but they do care a great deal about cooperation since it will help them to achieve their goals.  So the next time you are trying to persuade, connect first, possibly by cooperating on a task and then see how you do. 

Good luck!

Carnegie, D.  (1936) How to Win Friends and Influence People. Retrieved February 22, 2018, from

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/how-to-win-friends-and-influence-people-dale-carnegie/1100370318/2689493151239?st=PLA&sid=BNB_DRS_New+Marketplace+Shopping+Textbooks_00000000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP164984&gclid=Cj0KCQiAzrTUBRCnARIsAL0mqcwjVA77Xd7Ox0flsjG46wPVPvUtpKqs56PztC-rHsGKqtOwM7E1aDkaAtgEEALw_wcB

Lehrer, P. (2018) Prof. Lehrer's Blog.  Retrieved February 22, 2018, from

http://pjlehrer.blogspot.com/2018/01/if-you-tell-lie-often-enough-people.html

http://pjlehrer.blogspot.com/2018/01/if-you-want-people-to-believe-you-you.html

http://pjlehrer.blogspot.com/2018/01/how-do-you-change-perception-fear.html

The Myers & Briggs Foundation. (2001) How frequent is my type?  Retrieved February 21, from

http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/my-mbti-results/how-frequent-is-my-type.htm?bhcp=1

Cialdini, R. (2012, November 26) The Science of Persuasion.  youtube.com.  retrieved February 22, 2018, from  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFdCzN7RYbw