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PoliciesThe zodiac thriller
Astrology-based marketing is growing in popularity. Here’s how to make it work in your favour.
From planetary personalisation to data-fuelled algorithms – this week we discuss how companies are creating more effective consumer-centric marketing.
Alex Shiel
Creative
Craft and creativity
5 minute read
If you’ve spent any time around millennials in the last year, you’ve probably noticed an increase in conversation around astrology. We’ve been downloading apps like Co-star and The Pattern, buying clothes based on our star signs, and calling our mums to find out our exact time of birth to get the most accurate chart reading. And don’t get me started on ‘Mercury in retrograde’.
For the record, I’ve always been an astrology believer, but only recently have I started wonder how/why it’s hooked so many people, and whether the marketing industry can tap into its potential.
I started researching and found myself searching for answers to three main questions:
- What is the psychology behind our fascination with horoscopes and why the hype now?
- How can this psychology be applied to advertising to create better experiences for clients and customers?
- Is there any validity in targeting customers based on their star signs?
In short
- People will believe a statement about themselves when they think it’s been prepared specifically for them.
- Star signs could give marketers a new way to segment their customers, especially the millennial generation.
- Horoscopes are a great example of how companies can easily build more customer-centricity into their brands.
The Barnum-Forer Effect
‘You have a need for other people to like and admire you, and yet you tend to be critical of yourself.’
Sounds like you right? Well it sounds like me too.
Looks like we’ve both fallen victim to the Forer Effect (popularised as the Barnum Effect).
In 1948, Psychologist Bertram R. Forer set a personality test for his university students and told them they’d each get a personalised result back. In reality, they were all given the exact same description (the same one that you read above) and asked to evaluate how accurate it was. The students gave this description an average accuracy rating of 4.26 out of 5 or an 84% degree of accuracy.1
More than anything, the study showed that people will believe a statement about themselves when they think it’s been prepared specifically for them.
Sounds like you right? Well it sounds like me too.
Looks like we’ve both fallen victim to the Forer Effect (popularised as the Barnum Effect).
In 1948, Psychologist Bertram R. Forer set a personality test for his university students and told them they’d each get a personalised result back. In reality, they were all given the exact same description (the same one that you read above) and asked to evaluate how accurate it was. The students gave this description an average accuracy rating of 4.26 out of 5 or an 84% degree of accuracy.1
More than anything, the study showed that people will believe a statement about themselves when they think it’s been prepared specifically for them.
Why the fascination with horoscopes, particularly now?
Well humans are pretty egocentric and will seize any opportunity to hear, learn, and talk about themselves – so this, in combination with the Forer Effect, makes astrology endlessly appealing.
This explains why people are so quick to believe in horoscopes and astrology, but what’s the reason for all the extra hype now?
It’s often said that when times are tough, people search for something to believe in.2 It’s no secret that between COVID-19, escalating political tensions, and climate disasters like fires and floods, 2020 was a tough year. It left people searching desperately for hope and answers, and for many people, astrology could fill that void.
It’s also just nicer to have something larger to blame when things go wrong. (‘Mercury in retrograde’ is definitely the reason my laptop keeps crashing, not the 376,492 programs I’ve got open.)
This explains why people are so quick to believe in horoscopes and astrology, but what’s the reason for all the extra hype now?
It’s often said that when times are tough, people search for something to believe in.2 It’s no secret that between COVID-19, escalating political tensions, and climate disasters like fires and floods, 2020 was a tough year. It left people searching desperately for hope and answers, and for many people, astrology could fill that void.
It’s also just nicer to have something larger to blame when things go wrong. (‘Mercury in retrograde’ is definitely the reason my laptop keeps crashing, not the 376,492 programs I’ve got open.)
“People will believe a statement about themselves when they think it’s been prepared specifically for them.”
How can this psychology be applied to advertising?
The Forer Effect has been used by marketers for years. It’s not just coming into play with horoscopes – think about fortune cookies, ‘birthstones’, and Buzzfeed quizzes – they’re all playing into the customer’s desire for personalisation, perceived or authentic.
I recently signed up for a personalised vitamin subscription because, despite the fact I could easily go to Priceline and buy the vitamins myself, a short quiz promised me my ‘unique’ blend at the end.
Unlike outcomes based on detailed algorithms such as recommendations from Netflix and Spotify, horoscopes are based on only one data point – a customer’s birthday. But their perceived authenticity and/or playfulness make them a simple and comparatively affordable strategy for brands to implement in their marketing.
I recently signed up for a personalised vitamin subscription because, despite the fact I could easily go to Priceline and buy the vitamins myself, a short quiz promised me my ‘unique’ blend at the end.
Unlike outcomes based on detailed algorithms such as recommendations from Netflix and Spotify, horoscopes are based on only one data point – a customer’s birthday. But their perceived authenticity and/or playfulness make them a simple and comparatively affordable strategy for brands to implement in their marketing.
Is there any validity in targeting customers based on star signs?
I know this sounds ridiculous but hear me out.
Libras are known to enjoy the finer things in life, and will happily spend a bit more to achieve a luxe life – could they be targeted with your higher-end products? Aries are more impulsive – maybe they’re a good audience to target with sales and discounts? Would the calculated Capricorns need to be served a few more touchpoints before deciding to commit to your brand?
Whether or not this would work really depends on how much the individual customer relates to the personality trait attached to their sign. Some studies have shown that well over half of people believe their sign’s character description to be a good fit for them3 so segmenting by sign may be more valid than you’d think.
A lot of brands have jumped on the trend, either directly targeting customers based on their sign, or sending more generic comms with an astrology theme. Here are just some of the emails I’ve received in the past few years using astrology to sell me everything from homewares to fashion, wine to events.
Libras are known to enjoy the finer things in life, and will happily spend a bit more to achieve a luxe life – could they be targeted with your higher-end products? Aries are more impulsive – maybe they’re a good audience to target with sales and discounts? Would the calculated Capricorns need to be served a few more touchpoints before deciding to commit to your brand?
Whether or not this would work really depends on how much the individual customer relates to the personality trait attached to their sign. Some studies have shown that well over half of people believe their sign’s character description to be a good fit for them3 so segmenting by sign may be more valid than you’d think.
A lot of brands have jumped on the trend, either directly targeting customers based on their sign, or sending more generic comms with an astrology theme. Here are just some of the emails I’ve received in the past few years using astrology to sell me everything from homewares to fashion, wine to events.
If nothing else, it’s a bit of fun, grabs the customer’s attention and keeps them engaged.
So what’s the final verdict on astrology as a marketing tactic?
As with most marketing trends, there’s a right time and place for astrology. Should you be offering your customers a home loan based on their star sign? Probably not. But offering them a payment solution that is tailored to their personal habits with money, or matching them with a loan manager who aligns with their values? A much better route.
Star signs are really just another way of adding personalisation to your marketing that’s easy to implement, fun, and most importantly, effective (especially with a millennial audience).4
Star signs are really just another way of adding personalisation to your marketing that’s easy to implement, fun, and most importantly, effective (especially with a millennial audience).4
Like what you see?
Can you spot the difference in these Lavendarians’ Netflix Top 10? You got it – it’s the title artwork. Something the company has painstakingly personalised so that you’ll click play on an unfamiliar piece of content.6
Like action movies? You’re likely to be served a shot of a heart-racing car chase.6 Seduced by rom-coms? The artwork will probably show the two leads in close proximity. Obsessed with a certain actor? There you’ll find them front and centre.
While Netflix data is largely used to recommend titles similar to those you’ve already watched, here it’s used to create a perceived personalisation – encouraging you to act ‘out of character’ and in line with a key business objective: watch our latest creation!
Like action movies? You’re likely to be served a shot of a heart-racing car chase.6 Seduced by rom-coms? The artwork will probably show the two leads in close proximity. Obsessed with a certain actor? There you’ll find them front and centre.
While Netflix data is largely used to recommend titles similar to those you’ve already watched, here it’s used to create a perceived personalisation – encouraging you to act ‘out of character’ and in line with a key business objective: watch our latest creation!
on personalised algorithms
While perceived personalisation is one thing (as is done with horoscopes), brands like Spotify are instead using them as a creative gateway to play genuine, data-backed insights about their customers right back at them – like in their ‘Only You’5 campaign released this month. The result? A pre-fabricated persona you can actually believe!
References
- Gravity Ideas, #14 The Forer Effect (7 November 2017) Gravity.
- Christine Smallwood, Astrology in the Age of Uncertainty (21 October 2019) The New Yorker.
- Nicholas Campion, How many people actually believe in astrology? (28 April 2017) The Conversation.
- Jeremy Smith, The Forer Effect: A Little Flattery Will Help Your Customers Believe – and Convert (19 February 2019) Jeremy Said.
- Spotify Newsroom, Celebrate Your Unique Listening Style With Spotify’s Only You In-App Experience (2 June 2021) Spotify.
- Ashok Chandrashekar, Fernando Amat, Justin Basilico, and Tony Jebara, Artwork Personalization at Netflix (8 December 2017) Netflix Technology Blog.
