MIND GAMES
Consumer psychology
Scarcity, social proof, the decoy effect, celebrity halos and FOMO. Why "Only 2 Left" makes your heart beat faster.
Marketing decoded in Hinglish · with Gaurav
Kharidna nahi tha… phir bhi kharid liya.
M101 shows how brands play with your mind. "Only 2 Left" timers, 5-star ratings, premium boxes, 10-minute delivery, the extra 10% on your restaurant bill. Each episode decodes one marketing game so you can decide for yourself.
Episode 01 premieres Sun, 15 Nov 2026. New episode every week.
EP 01 · BEFORE YOU BUY5 checks
- "Only 2 Left" nahi likha hota, toh bhi khareedta?
- Rating ya bestseller label ke bina bhi useful lagta?
- Yeh problem pehle se thi, ya ad ke baad?
- Sale nahi hoti, toh bhi purchase karta?
- Celebrity nahi hota, toh bhi trust karta?
From Episode 01, Reel 13: "Yeh aapka decision tha… ya marketing ka?"
What we decode
Four kinds of marketing games.
LOOKS
Packaging & branding
Heavy perfume bottles, Tiffany's blue box, Tropicana's redesign. Are you buying the product or its presentation?
BUSINESS
How brands make money
Dark stores, delivery fees and free-delivery thresholds. The real model behind 10-minute delivery.
YOUR RIGHTS
Bills & fine print
Service charge, GST vs VAT, cover charges and false urgency. What the rules say and what you can do.
All episodes
Pick an episode.
01 / 10
Swipe, drag or use the arrows. Tap the front card to open that episode.
Season 1 · 10 episodes
Brands we're peeling back.
ListerineTropicanaFrootiTiffany & Co.Coca-ColaAppleFIJI WaterThe OrdinaryNikeBooking.comBlinkitZeptoInstamartPepsiChaayosMaggiCadburyTobleroneHaldiram'sRapidoSwiggySpiceJetBookMyShowFirstCryAmazon PrimeAdobeFashion NovaColdplay tickets
Full stories on YouTube. Quick takes on Instagram.
Watch the complete episodes on YouTube, or catch the short version as reels on Instagram. Subscribe so you don't miss the next brand strategy.
About M101
Brands aapke dimaag se kaise khelte hain?
We usually think our buying decisions are logical. We compared, we checked the price, then we bought. M101 shows the psychology, design and business models working behind that moment.
Every episode takes one everyday experience, like a hotel site saying "Only 1 Room Left" or a restaurant adding 10% to your bill, and explains what is really going on, with real brand stories, research and Indian consumer rules. We're not anti-marketing. Marketing often gives useful information. We just want you to know when it's working on you.
How an episode works
One question. Real examples. One checklist.
Each episode is a ~15-minute YouTube story that starts with one everyday question and works through it with real brands and real cases. Short versions of each idea also go up as reels on Instagram.
HOOK
A moment you recognise
"Bill pay karne aaye the, chocolate bhi kyun le li?"
PROOF
The research or real case
A 1975 cookie study, Listerine's "halitosis" ads, a CCPA penalty.
TAKEAWAY
One question to ask yourself
"Mujhe actual mein kitna chahiye?"
The host
Gaurav, creator of M101
"Hi, this is Gaurav, and welcome to M101." Gaurav explains marketing in natural, conversational Hinglish, from the buyer's side of the counter. (Add a line about your background here.)
Our promise
How we decode a brand.
FACTS FIRST
Public sources only
Research papers, court and regulator orders, company statements and news reports. If we can't source it, it doesn't go in.
FAIR
No allegations
When we use a made-up example, we say so on screen. We explain how a tactic works; we don't call anyone a cheat.
INDEPENDENT
Never paid to decode
No brand pays to appear in a breakdown, or to stay out of one. Sponsored content is always labelled.
FAQ
Questions people ask.
Is M101 against marketing?
No. Marketing often gives useful information. We want you to notice when a tactic is shaping your decision, so the choice stays yours.
Why Hinglish?
Because that's how most of us actually talk about shopping, sales and bills. It keeps every episode easy to follow.
How often do new episodes come out?
Every week. Episode 01 premieres on Sunday 15 November 2026, and a new episode follows every Sunday after that. Follow the YouTube channel and Instagram so you don't miss one.
Can I suggest a strategy?
Yes. Use the form at the bottom of any page. The most requested strategies go on our shortlist.
Videos
Episodes & reels
Season 1 starts Sunday 15 November, with a new episode every week. Each one runs about 15 minutes. Open an episode to see the questions it answers.
YOUTUBE
The full story
Each episode connects every idea, with the bridges, context and final checklist. Best when you have 15 minutes.
Open the channelINSTAGRAM
One idea at a time
Short reels, each one complete on its own. Best for a quick scroll, and easy to send to a friend before they hit "Buy now".
Follow @m101.in
Insights
The tricks, named.
The marketing ideas we keep coming back to, one card each, with the episode where we explain it.
Ep 01 · Reel 08
The decoy effect
Medium popcorn at ₹289 exists to make large at ₹299 look like a steal. You end up comparing large with medium, not with what you actually need.
Ep 01 · Ep 08
Scarcity & false urgency
In a 1975 study, people rated the same cookies as more desirable when fewer were available. Real scarcity exists, but fake timers and "last piece" lines have drawn government penalties in India.
5.0 ★ (4) vs 4.6 ★ (2,500)
Social proof
A crowd outside a restaurant, a bestseller badge or a star rating tells us what others chose. Useful, but popularity and quality are not the same thing. Always check how many reviews sit behind the stars.
Ep 01 · Reels 02–03
HEAVY BOTTLE = LUXURY?
Perceived quality
Weight, colour and shape change how expensive something feels before you use it. Tropicana changed its carton and sales fell about 20%. Frooti redesigned and reported 60% growth.
Ep 07
FAVOURITE CRICKETER → PRODUCT
Halo effect & endorsements
We carry our admiration for a celebrity over to the product. Amitabh Bachchan said he stopped endorsing Pepsi after a schoolgirl questioned him about it.
Ep 01 · Reels 09–11
₹2,000 → ₹2,310
Drip pricing & extra charges
Delivery fees, small-cart fees, service charge, cover charge. The price you see first is rarely the price you pay. In India, a restaurant cannot add service charge to your bill by default.
Ep 09 · Ep 10
SEEN IT 20 TIMES = TRUST IT?
Mere exposure effect
Seeing a brand again and again on Reels, YouTube and cricket breaks makes it feel familiar, and familiar feels safe. Familiarity is a reason to trust, not proof of quality.
Ep 01 · Reel 12
"HALITOSIS"
Insecurity marketing
Listerine didn't invent bad breath, but its 1920s ads turned it into a social fear. Ask yourself: did I feel this problem before I saw the ad?
Ep 01 · Reels 04–05
ADD A COLD DRINK?
Checkout cross-selling
Chocolates at the billing counter and "add dessert" before you pay work because the product shows up at the exact moment you're ready to spend. Ek extra tap bhi ek extra purchase hai.
Ep 01 · Reel 07
₹20 SAVED, ₹100 SPENT
Free-delivery thresholds
"Add ₹80 more for free delivery" turns a milk-and-bread order into a full cart. Compare the delivery fee with what you added to avoid it.
Ep 09 · Reel 07
SAME ₹10, LESS INSIDE
Shrinkflation
Instead of raising ₹10 to ₹12, brands put less in the pack. Same price, same-looking packet, fewer grams. Check the net weight and the price per 100 g, not just the price.
Ep 04
₹1 TRIAL → ₹799/MONTH
Subscription traps
A cheap trial with AutoPay switched on, a monthly price billed yearly, a cancel button hidden five screens deep. Set a reminder the day you start any free trial.
Ep 06
Consumer rights cheat sheet
Service charge on your bill?
Based on the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) guidelines of July 2022. Full details in Episode 10.
- A restaurant can't add service charge automatically or by default.
- It can't collect it under another name, or make it a condition of entry or service.
- You can ask for it to be removed. Paying is your choice.
- Still charged? Call the National Consumer Helpline on 1915 or file a complaint on the NCH app.
Syllabus
Start here.
New to M101? Watch in this order. Each step builds on the one before, from how your mind gets nudged to what to do when a bill looks wrong.
01
How brands play with your mind
The foundation. Scarcity, social proof, insecurity ads, the decoy effect and celebrity halos.
- Episode 01: Aapko kharidna nahi tha… phir bhi kharid liya! · 15 Nov
02
Reviews and ratings
Why 4.9 stars can still mean a bad experience: fake reviews, review brokers, hijacked listings and AI-written reviews.
- Episode 05: 5-star reviews ka asli sach! · 13 Dec
03
FOMO and limited-time offers
Hotel booking pressure, countdown timers, Nike draws and the Coldplay ticket rush.
- Episode 08: Only 2 Left! Aapko jaldi kis baat ki hai? · 3 Jan
04
Sales and discounts
What 70% off really means: inflated MRPs, ₹999 pricing, bank offers, coupons and cashback coins.
- Episode 02: 70% off ya 70% ka dhoka? · 22 Nov
05
Hidden fees and drip pricing
Platform fees, convenience fees, pre-ticked boxes, on-road car prices and no-cost EMI charges.
- Episode 03: Price kuch aur, bill kuch aur! · 29 Nov
06
Packaging and shrinkflation
How a box changes what you pay, and how packs shrink while the price stays the same.
- Episode 07: Packaging premium, product bhi premium? · 27 Dec
- Episode 04: Packet wahi, andar maal kam! · 6 Dec
07
Subscriptions and auto-pay
Free trials that turn paid, UPI AutoPay, hard-to-cancel plans and price hikes you didn't notice.
- Episode 06: Free trial liya tha, paise kaise kat gaye? · 20 Dec
08
The business behind convenience
Dark stores, delivery fees, free-delivery thresholds and what happens to the kirana store.
- Episode 09: 10-minute delivery ka asli sach! · 10 Jan
09
Your rights at the bill
Service charge, GST, MRP on water bottles, buffet exclusions and how to complain.
- Episode 10: Restaurant bill mein yeh extra 10% kahan se aaya? · 17 Jan
Quick test
Can you spot the trick?
Four situations from our episodes. Pick the tactic behind each one.
Answer all four to see your score.
Partner with M101
Reach people who think about marketing.
Our audience is founders, marketers and business students. We only partner with brands we'd recommend anyway, and every integration is clearly labelled.
INTEGRATION
Sponsored segment
- 60–90 second read in a lecture
- Link pinned in description
- Performance report after 30 days
MOST REQUESTED
Sponsored explainer
- A full episode on a consumer topic
- Never about your own brand
- Reels cut-downs included
WORKSHOP
Team session
- Live session for your marketing team
- Built from the M101 syllabus
- Q&A on your own campaigns
Add your own audience numbers and rates here once you're ready to share them.
Our rules
What sponsors can't buy.
01
Script approval
Sponsors see what we'll say about them. They never edit what we say about anyone else.
02
A pass from a breakdown
Paying us doesn't keep a brand out of a future episode.
03
Hidden ads
Every paid segment is labelled on screen and in the description, following ASCI's influencer guidelines.
Contact
Say hello.
Topic ideas, partnership questions or a campaign you want us to break down. We read everything.
EMAIL
Replace with your real address before going live.
hello@m101.io
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