How did a marketing campaign lead to one of the worst public health disasters in American history? 

In this episode, I investigate the rise and fall of the Sackler family, the pharmaceutical empire they built, and the marketing tactics that got millions addicted to opioids.

You’ll learn:

How reframing turned OxyContin from a last resort into a “safe” everyday drug.

Why a vague letter (not a study) became the foundation for Purdue’s 1% addiction claim.

How the Sacklers used doctors, pain groups, and celebrities to exploit authority bias.

Why repeating a false claim makes it more believable (feat. the mere exposure effect).

How behavioural science helped sell a deadly drug—and what we can learn from it.

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Shatterproof non-profit: https://shatterproof.org/

Empire of Pain: 

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/612861/empire-of-pain-by-patrick-radden-keefe/

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Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/

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Sources:

ABC News. (2025). Purdue Pharma, Sackler family to pay $7.4 billion opioid settlement [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n2uuX1NaQo

LastWeekTonight. (2016). Opioids: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pdPrQFjo2o

CBS News. (2019). OxyContin maker facing over 2,000 opioid death-related lawsuits [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwGGlEFKrSs

ABC News. (2019). Local governments file lawsuit against the family behind OxyContin [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlSDhuhLedg

CBS News. (2022). Trump Organization’s accounting firm cuts ties over financial statements [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csAS4WLvMao

BBC News. (2013). Serpentine Sackler Gallery Opening [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YThcpSZIN0c

CBS New York. (2021). Metropolitan Museum Of Art Will Remove Sackler Name From Galleries [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_u29BL2CQE

CBC News. (2019). Dozens Storm The Guggenheim Museum In Protest Of Donor [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci_yOI3Wyto

CBS News. (2019). Protestors stage a “Die In” at the Guggenheim Museum in New York [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYVvIwbxX2I

CNBC Television. (2020). Would have done ‘nothing’ differently in opioid crisis: Kathe Sackler says [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRl-Zjyf2UE

STAT. (2017). 1998 Purdue Pharma marketing video [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaxlJXpwkzs

GoLocal LIVE. (2019). Purdue Pharmaceutical Commercial 1998-Oxycontin [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCOl1exq3IM

CBS News. (2017). Behind Purdue Pharma’s marketing of OxyContin [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-jxKPpMvmA

LastWeekTonight. (2019). Opioids III: The Sacklers: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaCaIhfETsM

LastWeekTonight. (2021). McKinsey: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiOUojVd6xQ

CBS News. (2018). Whistleblower: Purdue Pharma continued deceptive sales practices after guilty plea [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5qQf3Po31M

Washington Post. (2019). Inside the opioid industry’s marketing machine [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIlpd40CpT0

CBC News. (2018). How One Man Made The Opioid Crisis Possible [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2AUIBB34nI

CBC News. (2019). Nan Goldin ‘Blizzard of Prescriptions’ Sackler Pain Guggenheim Protest & Die-In 2/9/19 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2A4Tb8cOxE

Keefe, P. R. (2021). Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty. Doubleday. 

Cialdini, R. B. (2006). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Revised ed.). Harper Business.

Today's episode of Nudge is a little different.

The no-nonsense marketing expert Louis Grenier gives his uncensored, uncut, and explicit take on marketing (and life).

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Buy Louis's book: https://link.stfo.io/amazon

Sign up for STFO: https://www.stfo.io/newsletter

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Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ 

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There is one straightforward trick to help you remember more. Today, Dr. Ranganath reveals why testing yourself (even when you fail) can supercharge your memory. 

You’ll learn:

Why re-reading notes doesn’t work, but testing yourself does.

How a study with dental students proved the power of error-driven learning.

Why guessing the answer before hearing it makes information stick.

The science-backed technique that beats cramming for exams.

How I memorised my (embarrassing) best man speech 

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Sign up to my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/

Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/

Charan’s book Why We Remember: https://charanranganath.com/

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Sources:

Ebbinghaus, H. (1885). Über das Gedächtnis: Untersuchungen zur experimentellen Psychologie. Duncker & Humblot.

Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L., III. (2008). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Science, 319(5865).

Liu, X. L., O’Reilly, R. C., & Ranganath, C. (2021). Effects of retrieval practice on tested and untested information: Cortico-hippocampal interactions and error-driven learning. Psychology of Learning and Motivation, 75, 125–155.

Ranganath, C. (2024). Why we remember: Unlocking memory’s power to hold on to what matters. Doubleday.

Roediger, H. L., III, & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science, 17(3).

Shotton, R. (2023). The illusion of choice: 16 ½ psychological biases that influence what we buy. Harriman House.

Varghese, A. S., Sankeshwari, R. M., Ankola, A. V., Santhosh, V. N., Chavan, P., Hampiholi, V., Khot, A. J. P., & Shah, M. A. (2024). Effectiveness of error-based active learning compared to conventional lecture-based method among undergraduate dental students: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 13, 268.

Back in 1923, Claude Hopkins wrote the definitive book on advertising. David Ogilvy said the book “changed his life,” and over eight million copies of the book have been sold. But are the 102-year-old tips still accurate today? In this episode of Nudge, I find out. 

You’ll learn:

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Download the Reading List: https://nudge.kit.com/readinglist

Sign up to my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/

Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/

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Sources:

BBC. (2016). Corsodyl: How an unnerving ad campaign works. BBC News.

Behavioural Insights Team. (2013). Applying behavioural insights to charitable giving. Government & Society.

Berger, J., Moe, W. W., & Schweidel, D. A. (2023). What holds attention? Linguistic drivers of engagement. Journal of Marketing, 87(5). https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429231152880

Berger, J., Sorensen, A. T., & Rasmussen, S. J. (2010). Positive effects of negative publicity: When negative reviews increase sales. Marketing Science, 29(5). https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.1090.0557

Harris, K. [Kamala Harris]. (2024, March 1). Enemy Within | Harris-Walz 2024 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQnugO8SEx0

Hopkins, C. (1923). Scientific advertising. Printers’ Ink Publishing Company.

Hüttel, B. A., Schumann, J. H., & Wagner, C. J. (2018). How consumers assess free e-services: The role of benefit-inflation and cost-deflation effects. Journal Name, 21(3).

Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Monnier, A., & Thomas, M. (2022). Experiential and analytical price evaluations: How experiential product description affects prices. Journal of Consumer Research, forthcoming. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4046802

Pick, D. F., Sweeney, J., & Clay, J. A. (1991). Creative advertising and the von Restorff effect. Psychological Reports, 69(3, Pt 1), 923–926. https://doi.org/10.2466/PR0.69.7.923-926

Rogers, T., & Lasky-Fink, J. (2023). Writing for busy readers: Communicate more effectively in the real world.

Schindler, R. M., & Yalch, R. (2006). It seems factual, but is it? Effects of using sharp versus round numbers in advertising claims. Advances in Consumer Research, 33, 586-590. Association for Consumer Research.

Sutherland, S. (1992). Irrationality. Pinter Publishers.

Trump, D. J. [Donald J Trump]. (2023, September 12). Wolves [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/pxz9sxUqgsE

Weiner, M. (Writer), & Draper, M. (Director). (2008). Mad Men (Season 1, Episode 11) [TV series episode]. In M. Weiner (Producer), Mad Men. Lions Gate Television.

In 1980, Michelle Smith published a book that triggered the Satanic Panic, a worldwide fear that Satan worshippers were recruiting millions to embrace satanism. 

Today, I explore the surprising science of false memories with Dr. Charan Ranganath, author of Why We Remember. Dr. Ranganath reveals how memory is more imagination than recollection, why some people vividly remember things that never happened, and why the Satanic Panic was based on fiction not fact. 

You’ll learn:

How Michelle Remembers sparked the Satanic Panic and shaped public fear.

Why memories “recovered” in therapy can feel real but be completely false.

How a memory expert misremembered her own mother’s death.

The shocking study where 40% of participants believed they committed a crime they never did.

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Download the Reading List: https://nudge.kit.com/readinglist

Sign up to my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/

Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/

Charan’s book Why We Remember: https://charanranganath.com/

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Sources:

60 Minutes Australia. (1989). Teens cruel ‘sacrificial’ offering to Satan in quiet country town [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/yiN27M0akuY

Bartlett, F. C. (1928b). Types of imagination. Philosophy, 3(9), 78–85.

Bartlett, F. C. (1932). Remembering: A study in experimental and social psychology. Cambridge University Press.

KABC News. (1988). Devil worship: Satanic panic circa 1988 [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/RGxf7G3Xpj4

Kassin, S. M. (2008). False confessions: Causes, consequences, and implications for reform. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 17(4), 249–253.

Loftus, E. F. (2005). Planting misinformation in the human mind: A 30-year investigation of the malleability of memory. Learning & Memory, 12(4), 361–366.

Loftus, E. F., & Pickrell, J. E. (1995). The formation of false memories. Psychiatric Annals, 25(12), 720–725.

Loftus, E. F., Miller, D. G., & Burns, H. J. (1978). Semantic integration of verbal information into a visual memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning and Memory, 4(1), 19–31. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-7393.4.1.19

Magnetic Memory Museum. (1994). Law enforcement guide to Satanic cults [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/VTJ0_BABexo

Ranganath, C. (2024). Why we remember: Unlocking memory’s power to hold on to what matters. Doubleday.

Roever, D. (1989). Exposing the Satanic web [Video]. Rcom Productions. YouTube. https://youtu.be/Hgymy7VlhT8

Shaw, J., & Porter, S. (2015). Constructing rich false memories of committing crime. Psychological Science, 26(3), 291–301.

Unknown Author. (1990). Satanic cults & ritual crime [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/byUvJDXqxa4

Winfrey, O. (1989). Oprah Winfrey Show 1989: Ritual sacrifice of babies [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/BRninYpnlzM

Elon Musk’s hiring strategy goes against conventional wisdom—he asks just two questions and relies on gut instinct. But does it actually work? Today, Prof. Gerd Gigerenzer reveals why Musk’s method might be smarter than traditional hiring processes and explores the psychology behind better decision-making.

You’ll learn:

Why Musk’s hiring heuristic could outperform complex selection methods (feat. insights from Gerd Gigerenzer).

How experienced managers naturally use heuristics to make better hiring decisions.

The surprising downside of having multiple interviewers (feat. findings from a 2014 hiring study).

A smarter way to assess job candidates (that goes beyond endless questions).

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Download the Reading List: https://nudge.kit.com/readinglist

Sign up to my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list 

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ 

Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/

Gerd’s book Smart Management: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262548014/smart-management/

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Sources: 

Reb, J., Luan, S., & Gigerenzer, G. (2024). Smart management: How simple heuristics help leaders make good decisions in an uncertain world. The MIT Press.

Luan, S., Reb, J., & Gigerenzer, G. (2019). Ecological rationality: Fast-and-frugal heuristics for managerial decision making under uncertainty. Academy of Management Journal, 62(6). 

Fific, M., & Gigerenzer, G. (2014). Are two interviewers better than one? Journal of Business Research, 67(8), 1771–1779.

I explore the surprising science of memory with Dr. Charan Ranganath, author of Why We Remember. Today, Dr. Ranganath reveals why forgetting isn’t a flaw but a feature of our brains and how simple strategies can dramatically improve recall.

You’ll learn:

Why forgetting is normal (feat. Ebbinghaus’s forgetting curve).

How multitasking physically changes your brain and worsens memory.

Why filming concerts on your phone makes the experience less memorable.

Proven techniques from memory athletes to help you remember more. 

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Sign up to my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/

Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/

Charan’s book Why We Remember: https://charanranganath.com/

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Sources:

Ebbinghaus, H. (1885). Über das Gedächtnis: Untersuchungen zur experimentellen Psychologie. Berlin: Duncker & Humblot.

ESPN. (2018). LeBron James recalling play with photographic memory [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkHAsh-i6WQ

Miller, G. A. (1956). The magic number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63(2), 81–97.

Ranganath, C. (2024). Why we remember: Unlocking memory’s power to hold on to what matters. Doubleday.

Tulving, E., & Schacter, D. L. (1990). Priming and human memory systems. Science, 247(4940), 301–306. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.2296719

White, R. (2018). How to memorize a deck of cards (fastest way taught by memory champion) [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/yevxvTbUa4s?si=x447uhmpm9-z--SD

Golf players, investors and CEOs perform better if they take their time. Or do they? 

Today, Prof. Gerd Gigerenzer reveals why intuition often outperforms complex analysis and how shortcuts can lead to smarter decisions in business, sports, and investing.

You’ll learn:

Why gut instinct can beat data-driven decisions (feat. insights from Gerd Gigerenzer).

How firefighters, CEOs, and handball players make better choices under pressure.

The dangers of overthinking—why too much time can worsen decisions (feat. 2004 golf study).

Why simple rules predict outcomes better than complex models (feat. Wimbledon & NFL studies).

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Sign up to my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list 

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ 

Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/

Gerd’s book Smart Management: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262548014/smart-management/

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Sources: 

Baum, J. R., & Wally, S. (2003). Strategic decision speed and firm performance. Strategic Management Journal, 24(11), 1107–1129.

Beilock, S. L., Bertenthal, B. I., McCoy, A. M., & Carr, T. H. (2004). Haste does not always make waste: Expertise, direction of attention, and speed versus accuracy in performing sensorimotor skills. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 11(2), 373–379.

DeMiguel, V., Garlappi, L., & Uppal, R. (2009). Optimal versus naive diversification: How inefficient is the 1/N portfolio strategy? The Review of Financial Studies, 22(5), 1915–1953.

Dörfler, V., & Eden, C. (2017). Becoming a Nobel Laureate: Patterns of a journey to the highest level of expertise. AoM 2017: 77th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Atlanta, GA, August 4-8.

Easterbrook, G. (2010). TMQ’s annual bad predictions review. ESPN.

Eslam sdt Henry. (2018). Best football trick world cup 2006 Jens Lehmann [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/LRAOEWAbO00

Johnson, J., & Raab, M. (2003). Take the first: Option-generation and resulting choices. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 91(2), 215–229.

Klein, G. A. (1999). Sources of power: How people make decisions. MIT Press.

Reb, J., Luan, S., & Gigerenzer, G. (2024). Smart management: How simple heuristics help leaders make good decisions in an uncertain world. The MIT Press.

Serwe, S., & Frings, C. (2006). Who will win Wimbledon? The recognition heuristic in predicting sports events. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 19(4), 321–332. https://doi.org/10.1002/bdm.530

West, D. C., Acar, O. A., & Caruana, A. (2020). Choosing among alternative new product development projects: The role of heuristics. Psychology & Marketing, 37(12), 1719–1736. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21397

Learn why so many ads today are ineffective and what marketers are getting wrong. Today, Tom Goodwin reveals the four simple truths about advertising, the surprising power of “wasted” marketing, and why aesthetics alone can make an ad more persuasive.

You’ll learn:

Why most digital ads fail and how short-term thinking is to blame.

The hidden power of repeated exposure (feat. Moreland & Beach’s 1992 study).

How slow-motion, jingles, and branding signals can make products feel more premium.

Why targeting is overrated.

The one thing marketers should focus on to create better campaigns without breaking the bank.

This episode contains strong language. 

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Access the bonus episode: https://nudge.kit.com/07a850cbb7

Sign up to my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/

Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/

Tom’s book: https://www.koganpage.com/digital-technology/digital-darwinism-9781398601925 

Follow Tom on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomfgoodwin/

Follow Tom on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/tomfgoodwin

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Sources: 

Cialdini, R. B. (2021). Influence: The psychology of persuasion (New and expanded ed.). Harper Business.

Goodwin, T. (2018). Digital Darwinism: Survival of the fittest in the age of business disruption. Kogan Page.

Innes, M. (2023, May 5). CMO tenure falls to lowest level in more than a decade. MarketingWeek. https://www.marketingweek.com/cmo-tenure-falls/

Moreland, R. L., & Beach, S. R. (1992). Exposure effects in the classroom: The development of affinity among students. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 28(3), 255–276. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1031(92)90055-O

SungJin, J. & Dubois, D. (2022). When and how slow motion makes products more luxurious. Journal of Marketing Research.

Join the Nudge Unit: https://maven.com/nudge-unit/course-cohort

Why does a $5 Uber voucher turn angry customers into loyal fans? In this episode, Eva van den Broek and Tim den Heijer share actionable insights from their book The Housefly Effect, revealing seven marketing psychology tips you can use to grow your business. 

You’ll learn:

How scarcity drives demand, from pineapple rentals to volume-limited products.

Why a $5 apology voucher boosted Uber’s revenue (feat. reciprocity principle).

How Tropicana’s rebrand taught marketers a costly lesson about habits.

Why "95% fat-free" yoghurt sells better than "5% fat" (feat. framing effect).

The clever way airlines manage flight-time expectations to keep customers happy.

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Get the book: https://bedfordsquarepublishers.co.uk/book/the-housefly-effect

Sign up to my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/

Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/

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Sources:

van den Broek, E., & den Heijer, T. (2024). The Housefly Effect. Bedford Square Publishers.

Bundesliga study | Brandes, L., & Franck, E. (2012). Social preferences or personal career concerns? Field evidence on positive and negative reciprocity in the workplace. Journal of Economic Psychology, 33(5), 925–939

McFlurry sales boosted by 55% | Walsh, N. (2024). Tune in: How to make smarter decisions in a noisy world. Bedford Square Publishers.

Uber $5 apology | Halperin, B., Ho, B., List, J. A., & Muir, I. (2019). Toward an understanding of the economics of apologies: Evidence from a large-scale natural field experiment (No. w25676). National Bureau of Economic Research. https://doi.org/10.3386/w25676

Berger, J. (2013). Contagious: Why things catch on. Simon & Schuster.

Gu, Y., Botti, S., & Faro, D. (2013). Turning the page: The impact of choice closure on satisfaction. Journal of Consumer Research, 40(2), 268–283. 

Martin, S. J. (2024). Influence at work: Capture attention, connect with others, convince people to act. [Paperback]. Economist Edge.

Yuan, Y., Liu, T. X., Tan, C., Chen, Q., Pentland, A., & Tang, J. (2020). Gift contagion in online groups: Evidence from WeChat red packets.