Did you ever watch a commercial for a product and comment “that’s fucking stupid” and then like five months later you’ve got that product in your house either because you bought it, someone else bought it or it was gifted to you? Yeah, all of us. Well, good news is that it’s not your fault. Bad news is, you were right, it’s a piece of shit.
It’s not your fault because advertisers are tricky as hell. They convince people we need stuff we really don’t know. This video explain how but it’s simple. They use one of these four techniques.
Empowerment: “You will be a better you if you use this thing, rub this soap on your ass, swallow these pills.”
Shared values: “Many people feel the same way as you do about a thing and those people bought this thing so they must care more than you about this thing. BUY THIS THING AND SHOW YOU CARE!”
Celebrity: “I’m a famous person and what I say matters so buy this thing in an attempt to be like me.”
Fear of missing out: “Everyone else is buying it! What are you, an unsocial asshole??!?!”
This is why all of us are in debt. This and strip clubs.
[via Life Hacker]