The Why #36: Why is everyone playing Wordle?
Question submitted by Olive, Freemantle
It was only a matter of time before someone asked the hard-hitting questions (admittedly, there’s still no escaping horse milk). This one has been on my mind too Olive, so let’s jump right into it. Maybe Olive is a good starting word…
If you’re on social media, no doubt, like mine, your timeline has been saturated by friends posting their cryptic Wordle score in the form of a distinct green, yellow and white, lined cubic graphic. In November 2021, the online game was played by just 90 people. By the end of Jan 2022, 3 million were on board. Heck, we even have a team Slack channel dedicated solely to it.
For the uninitiated, Wordle is a simple game. You get just six chances to solve a new mystery word each day, with all the glory going to those who complete it in as few moves as possible. Used your six tries? Bad luck. You’ve got 23 hours to sit in your self-induced shame and ponder how it all went so horribly wrong.
So really, there are two burning questions here: how has it gotten so popular, and why is it SO wildly addictive? (also, is ‘adieu’ actually the best starting word?)
What Wordle has tapped into is a potent cognitive bias that has our watches synched and fingers primed at the ready.
Scarcity Bias
The Scarcity Bias is our tendency to place more value on things that we perceive to be rare, in short supply, high demand, or only available for a limited time, compared to things we perceive to be in abundance.
In 1975, psychologist Stephen Worchel at the University of Virginia first identified the Scarcity Bias in what could be the most delicious scientific study ever undertaken. First, researchers split 134 university students into two groups and showed them a jar of cookies. One group was given a cookie from a full jar. The other received theirs from a jar that only contained a few. The students were then asked how they’d rate their cookie and how much they’d be willing to pay for them. Fascinating, the cookies perceived to be in short supply, were rated more highly, and participants were willing to pay 25% more for them.
The conclusion (which has been replicated in numerous studies using everything from ballpoint pens and pencils to keyrings) is that rare cookies really do taste better (and cost more).
In the context of Wordle, we’re given six (precious) chances per day to solve a single 5-letter word, and only given 24 hours to do it. If we don’t act now, the challenge is gone forever, prompting millions of us worldwide to build it into our daily routines.
For brands, look for tactical ways to make your product or service more desirable by dialling up the scarcity. Exclusive product runs, limited quantities and time restricted offers (the hallmark of any good telco) are all ways to quickly drive up value perceptions and spur the ambivalent into action.
Behaviourally Yours,
PS If you missed the last edition, you can still check out Why do my New Year’s resolutions die with January? here.
Bad Decisions Podcast
Learn more about the Scarcity Bias in episode 33 of the Bad Decisions podcast.
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