Advertisers everywhere have been adapting a marketing approach that appeals to the emotions of the consumer, rather than rational based decision making. This has been going on since before the 1920’s, but companies like Apple and others; have been better at it through the research findings of people like Edward Bernays, Henri Tajfel and other influential marketing, psychology, business, and intellectual minds that sought to understand the consumer’s brain over sixty years ago. Studies by Melany Dempsey and Andrew A. Mitchell, have concluded,

Choice decisions of consumers are not only determined by evaluations of rational information (products attributes) but are also driven by forces that are generally outside of rational control.”

Brands can become hard-wired into your brain through conditioning. (Martin Lindstrom, Buyology)

Secondly, it is a part human nature to want to belong to groups, discriminate against opposing groups, and to develop a relationship with objects (Seth Godin, Tribes). By creating an enemy, and making their customers feel different or better than others; a company can build loyal customers by giving them a social identity (Henri Tajfel). Microsoft is trying to adapt this technique with their latest commercial called, “Bing It On”, by having a public display of blind search result test to see if people unknowingly will choose Bing over Google.

iJerk™ Meter: MEDIUM -Ridiculing another company; “Us vs Them” tactics.

Continue Reading