Have you noticed how hung up some people have become with brands?
They seem to have an unrelenting hankering for only the top brands -- from Micheal Kors to Coach.
Do people not realize that a brand is merely a logo with some words on it?
Sure, the material may be more durable or whatever, but you can still find much more affordable alternatives without having to feel like you're skimping on quality.
This goes to show you the powerful influence that advertisements exert on most of us. At the end of the day, a Honda Civic gets you from A to B like a Mercedes Benz does. And once the novelty of the more expensive purchase wears off, you may be left with buyer's remorse (or what we in the psychology field like to call "cognitive dissonance").
For some consumers, buying a premium brand elevates their feelings of self-worth, if temporarily. I think relying on material possessions to make you happy is detrimental in the long run. Products will always depreciate, and you'll always want the next best thing. I see this phenomenon at play with the recently-launched iPhone 6.
People also let their friends and relatives guide their purchase decisions. They think: If they can have it, why can't I?
It's appalling how materialistic a society we've become. What happened to sitting back and enjoying the simple things in life: reading, writing, taking a walk and communing with nature?
As someone who graduated with a bachelor's in marketing and a minor in psychology, I can say with certainty that I am more impervious to advertisements, which assail us everywhere we go, than my friends and relatives.
When you feel the urge to fork over thousands of dollars on something you really don't need, stop and remind yourself that the money could go toward more noble causes, like helping the poor.
They seem to have an unrelenting hankering for only the top brands -- from Micheal Kors to Coach.
Do people not realize that a brand is merely a logo with some words on it?
Sure, the material may be more durable or whatever, but you can still find much more affordable alternatives without having to feel like you're skimping on quality.
This goes to show you the powerful influence that advertisements exert on most of us. At the end of the day, a Honda Civic gets you from A to B like a Mercedes Benz does. And once the novelty of the more expensive purchase wears off, you may be left with buyer's remorse (or what we in the psychology field like to call "cognitive dissonance").
For some consumers, buying a premium brand elevates their feelings of self-worth, if temporarily. I think relying on material possessions to make you happy is detrimental in the long run. Products will always depreciate, and you'll always want the next best thing. I see this phenomenon at play with the recently-launched iPhone 6.
People also let their friends and relatives guide their purchase decisions. They think: If they can have it, why can't I?
It's appalling how materialistic a society we've become. What happened to sitting back and enjoying the simple things in life: reading, writing, taking a walk and communing with nature?
As someone who graduated with a bachelor's in marketing and a minor in psychology, I can say with certainty that I am more impervious to advertisements, which assail us everywhere we go, than my friends and relatives.
When you feel the urge to fork over thousands of dollars on something you really don't need, stop and remind yourself that the money could go toward more noble causes, like helping the poor.
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