Reference: Elliot Aronson, Harvard University in 1966 - discovered the pratfall effect with Ben Willerman and Joanne Floyd. Experiments with high performing students and likeability. One spills coffee over a new suit, which enhanced their likeability when committing this 'pratfall'.
Insight: The admission of weakness can make people or companies more appealing.
Insight: The pratfall effect works well for companies where the competitors like to brag.
Insight: The pratfall effect only works when you are seen to be an expert, or strong brand - it makes strong brands stronger, and weak brands weaker.
Principle: Lean into your flaws (when it suits your brand).
Reference: Elliot Aronson - coffee spilling experiment. Spilling coffee hurt the likeability of the average (or incompetent) person, but enhanced the likeability of the expert - making them appear more human and approachable.
Insight: Expressing vulnerability is only effective if you are seen to be competent or an expert.
Insight: People prefer experts over less competent people, and pratfalls are not effective for incompetent people.
Insight: The self esteem of the people that view pratfalls has an impact on their effectiveness - audiences with very high or low self esteem respond less favourably to audiences with average self esteem.
Definition: The phenomenon where the occasional slip-up can enhance likeability.
Insight: The Pratfall Effect works only when someone is in danger of being seen as too perfect.
Reference: Elliot Aronson, University of California - conducted a number of experiments including the effect of knocking a cup of coffee onto a new suit on a persons likeability. The student committing the blunder was viewed as more likeable.
Definition: People have a tendency to like a person more after they make an everyday mistake.
Example: We tend to like actors more after seeing their blooper reels.
Example: We tend to like politicians who admit that they were wrong.
Reference: Elliot Aronson - studied the effects of "blunder" on likeability.
Key Insights & Principles
Branding
Expressing vulnerability can make people and companies more appealing and approachable.
The pratfall effect is only effective for experts or strong brands.
The self esteem of the observer can also influence the effectiveness of the pratfall effect - very high or low self esteem audiences respond less favourably.
