Welcome back to Etcetera.

Ever wondered how menus subtly guide your choices? This week we explore the clever design tricks that make you spend more without even realising it.

There are also two different events to go out and see in Sydney, plus we welcome back an old friend - Sara Lloyd - for this week’s Culture Diet. Let’s dive in!

→ Today’s Etcetera Highlights

• PULSE: How are menus manipulating us?

• HAPPENING: What would’ve happened if Celine Dion was on the Titanic?

• BY EXAMPLE: Don Julio turns Rose Bay pink

• CULTURE DIET: P.E Nation’s Head of Brand & Marketing

The psychological science behind menu design

Did you know menu design is more than just listing dishes - it's a strategic art aimed at influencing diners' choices to maximise spending without them even realising.

High-profit items are strategically placed in prime spots, like the upper-right corner where our eyes naturally land first, while expensive "anchor" dishes make nearby options appear more affordable.

Design elements like boxes draw attention to dishes the restaurant wants to promote. Some menus even omit dollar signs and avoid listing prices in columns to prevent customers from focusing on cost.

Other clever tactics include offering dishes in various sizes without clearly indicating portion differences, nudging diners to opt for larger portions. Low-margin items, like burgers, are often tucked away in "menu Siberia," while high-profit dishes are strategically placed around the anchors.

Next time you’re dining out, take a closer look to spot the mind games behind the menu.

Sculpture by the Sea

Sculpture by the Sea is returning for its big 26th edition with over 100 stunning artworks to discover along the 2km Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk.

Titanique

Using Celine Dion’s back catalogue to build a meta alternate universe where Celine Dion thinks she is on the Titanic, Titanique is unlike an iceberg, in that you won’t want to miss it.

→ And Etcetera…

• Pizza Hut Is Helping Job Hunters With Its Latest Promotion — a Pizza Box That Doubles as a Resume

• Coca-Cola and Bacardi partner on ready-to-drink cocktail

• Wednesday Gets Spooky Crocs Collab Complete With Thing Jibbitz Charm

• IKEA Transforms Windows Into Ads With New Roller Blinds Campaign

• Domino’s are giving out lockable boxes to students – so they can hide their takeaways from hungry housemates

Rose Bay becomes “Rosado Bay” to celebrate Don Julio Rosado

To toast the arrival of the new Tequila Don Julio Rosado in Australia, Example - alongside experiential design and production studio Alfred - threw an opulent water-front soirée that painted the town pink. The country’s top tastemakers and style icons including Abbie Chatfield, Pip Edwards, Rozalia Russian and Sophie Wilde took their PTO (Party Time Off) and celebrated the day at one of Sydney’s most iconic venues: Catalina Rose Bay.

With more than 435 pieces of media content and social coverage received in just three days, the launch of Don Julio Rosado is the highest performing PR campaign by volume in Diageo’s history.

Check out the video and more images over on our Instagram!

Spotlight: Sara Lloyd

Head of Brand & Marketing at P.E Nation

Sara has worked in marketing and communications for almost two decades, is mum to one busy four-year-old boy, and originally hails from sunny Queensland, however has called Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs ‘home’ since 2004. Her IG roast describes her as eternally trying to escape ‘real life’ and notes her mantra should be ‘catch flights, not feelings’ which we can attest to being pretty on point!

Now on to more culture!

→ A Ritual That Resonates

We’re a global business so the first thing I consume each morning is email and I love to digest bite-sized headlines from the likes of SMH, News.com.au, NY Times and Daily Aus on Instagram. I’m also a millennial so I still catch the news headlines on commercial radio while driving to the office – old school, I know.

→ Undiscovered Gems

Specific to fashion culture, I love Outlander Magazine. They have a point of view, and they don’t provide clickbait headlines on Instagram, which I love, so their posts alone give you a lot to ponder and the commentary is always engaging.

→ Culture That Moves You

I’ve listened to his podcast, but I finally read the book, “Diary of a CEO” by Stephen Bartlett. It’s so digestible and really packaged up in ways that are so easily applicable to everyday personal or professional life. A keeper to revisit often. TikTok always moves me, I’m always blown away by trends and the pace at which they move now.

→ A Cultural Experience

It has to be travel, always. It used to be food experiences that drove my destination choices (okay it still is somewhat) but now it’s also about how many recreational activities I can pack in, be it a museum, show, pop-up, anything new and surprising is always memorable!

If you want to see what Sara’s working on, visit PE Nation or her Linkedin.

When you’re ready, we’re here to help!

At Example, we provide strategy, creative, PR, and content services for Australia’s top destinations, products, and experiences that shape culture.

We’re also run half hour modern marketing in hospitality sessions to inspire marketing and operations teams to think differently.