Episode description

Every brand wants attention, to be seen as a must-have, but how do some manage stratospheric levels of popularity? It might happen organically, perhaps even by accident, but it’s also true that many brands engineer it.

Evan Davis and guest discuss the tricks of the trade, from social media influencers to artificial scarcity, and the potential pitfalls when a product is so popular that it's almost impossible to get hold of.

Plus, what is it that compels people to queue several hours for a sandwich, or pay ten times the usual price for a bottle of energy drink - we explore the consumer psychology behind the hype.

Evan is joined by:

Ellis Gilbert, founder of Soho Yacht Club and Talk Nice Studios; Rory Sutherland, vice chair of Ogilvy UK; Dr Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, reader in psychology at Anglia Ruskin University; and Sian Evans, founder of Chatsworth Bakehouse.

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Producer: Simon Tulett Researcher: Drew Hyndman Editor: Matt Willis Sound: Neil Churchill and Donald MacDonald Production co-ordinator: Rosie Strawbridge

(Picture: A customer jumps in the air as he leaves an iPhone store in London, after being the first person to buy the brand's latest phone. Credit: Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images)