When the rising price of fuel boosts airlines’ costs, they can buoy their bottom line by increasing optional and barely noticeable fees or raising fares.…
When Less Is More at Dunkin’ Donuts
When a firm like Dunkin’ Donuts does some rebranding with a name change, it is trying to send a new message to its customers…
The Problem With Free Pizza
Not knowing what behavioral economists say about “zero,” the Russian Domino’s was surprised by the response to a free pizza promotion.…
How a Behavioral Economist Explains a Frappuccino Problem
Since 1995, many of us have been consuming shamelessly decadent Frappuccinos. Just one Ultra Caramel Frappuccino with dark caramel coffee, layers of whipped cream (each topped with a dollop of caramel…
What Baby Names Tell Us
When parents choose a baby name, they could be conveying a message to the world that signals their politics and the child’s future profession.…
Why It’s Not Easy to Design a New Animals Crackers Box
When Nabisco realized that it was time to change their Animals Crackers box, they had to recognize new sentiment while retaining an old brand.…
Why Wall Street Might Care About Femtoseconds
Whether looking at the nineteenth century or now, Wall Street has always had fast traders who knew how to get the news before their competitors.…
How We Got Cheesier Pizza
On average, we are eating close to 35 pounds of cheese a year. (And some of us, like me, consume much more.) To see why, our story starts with Domino’s and ends with the federal budget. A Cheesi…
A Trade Story With a Happy Ending
Looking at airplane manufacturing through Bombardier’s new billion dollar order from Delta, we can see why a multinational supply chain can lower tariffs.…
The FDA’s Label Problem
When their requirements are outdated or illogical, FDA guidelines can create misleading labels for foods like eggs and skim milk.…