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Lesson 7: Concreteness | Jonah Berger
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October 13, 2025
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October 13, 2025
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6:15Now PlayingHave you ever asked a teenager, “How was school?” and heard “Fine” in response? Did you then try, “What did you do?” only to be met with “Stuff”? If so, then you know a lack of concrete language can come off as a lack of engagement. Just as being abstract doesn’t land well at the dinner table, it also doesn’t get you very far in customer service or marketing.
In this video lesson, marketing professor Jonah Berger argues concrete language can leave customers happier and more likely to remember and purchase what you’re selling. He also notes those times when abstract language is the better bet.
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About Jonah Berger:
Jonah Berger is a Wharton School professor and the internationally bestselling author of Magic Words, Contagious, Invisible Influence, and The Catalyst.
Dr. Berger is a world-renowned expert on natural language processing, change, word of mouth, influence, consumer behavior, and why things catch on. He has published over 80 articles in top-tier academic journals, teaches one of the world’s most popular online courses, and popular outlets like The New York Times and Harvard Business Review often cover his work. Berger has keynoted hundreds of major conferences and events like SXSW and Cannes Lions, advises various early-stage companies, and consults for organizations like Apple, Google, Nike, Amazon, GE, Moderna, and The Gates Foundation.
Find Jonah’s website and his latest book below:
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