Brands

A very famous study done by colleagues at Duke University flashed either the Apple logo or the IBM logo to two randomized groups of participants. The study found that after being subliminally exposed to the Apple logo, compared to when you'd been exposed to the IBM logo, participants performed better on creative tasks. And the argument is that Apple has been telling you this story over and over again, that Apple is the brand for hip, cool, fun, creative people. This is the true power of brands. They can influence our behavior in ways that extend way beyond the point of sale. So to what degree can the influence of brands wreak havoc on our ability to make rational spending decisions? This is Americus Reed. He studies identity and marketing at the University of Pennsylvania. When I make choices about different brands, I'm choosing to create an identity. When I put that shirt on, when I put those shoes on, those jeans, that hat, someone is going to form an impression about what I'm about. So if I'm choosing Nike over Under Armor, I'm choosing a kind of different way to express affiliation with sport. The Nike thing is about performance. The Under Armor thing is about the underdog. I have to choose which of these different conceptual pathways is most consistent with where I am in my life. And once a consumer makes that choice, their relationship with a brand can deepen to the point where they identify with that brand like family. And once you identify with a brand, it can shape the way you behave.