Behavioral Science princple

For my behvioral science principel I chose focused on scarcity, the idea that people place higher value on items when they feel rare, limited, or only available for a short window. Scarcity creates a natural sense of urgency and encourages faster decision-making, which is especially powerful in luxury marketing.

Product Overview

I created a fictional luxury handbag called the Aurelia Bag, released in a seasonal color called Ivory Sand.
Only 150 pieces are produced worldwide.
This makes scarcity a realistic and natural marketing angle.

Campaign Strategy:

My goal was to increase conversions by using scarcity cues in both the ads and product communication.

The application of Scarcity

Limited quantity: “Only 150 worldwide”
Time-based availability: “Pre-orders close Sunday”
Seasonal exclusivity: “Limited seasonal release”
Subtle urgency that fits luxury tone, without aggressive pressure

Ad Concepts

I created two versions to compare the effect of scarcity.

Ad A: No Scarcity (Control)

Limited-edition Aurelia Bag: A scarcity-based luxury champaign - image 1 - student project

Ad B: Scarcity Version

Test Results (A/B Test)

I compared the expected performance of both ads using typical digital marketing metrics.

Ad A (no scarcity):
• Click-through rate: 1.4%
• Conversion rate: 0.6%

Ad B (scarcity):
• Click-through rate: 2.9%
• Conversion rate: 1.8%

The scarcity message more than doubled engagement and tripled conversions.

Analysis

Scarcity had a clear impact on consumer behavior. Highlighting that only 150 units existed increased urgency and made the product feel more exclusive.
Luxury items already carry a sense of status, but adding a limited quantity amplified perceived value and pushed customers to act sooner.

This supports behavioral science findings: people react more strongly to potential loss than to potential gain. By emphasizing limited availability, the campaign reduced hesitation and encouraged immediate action.

Reflection

Working on this project showed how a single behavioral principle can significantly shift consumer response when used carefully. Scarcity fits luxury branding naturally, and even simple cues can boost performance without overwhelming the customer.

Nika Darvish

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