Yes this is a blog about Bieber!

 First off, i was a victim to Ulta Beauty's marketing/advertising method(free samples). Its genius really, you buy something from the store and they put samples of other products in your bag when you check out. I fell in love with one of the samples and had to come back to the store to buy more. They really do like to suck you into becoming a loyal customer. I could have probably tried to find that product online or somewhere else, but i didnt have the energy to do the extra research and i already knew that Ulta Beauty had the product. Having the predetermined knowledge of this brought be back into this store lurking for more product.

Now i'm in the store with a friend joking about Justin Beibers new scent "Someday." The store conveniently located all of the perfume/cologne in the front middle of the store to attract consumers(they really do a good job tapping into our senses, especially smell.) My girlfriend and i for the fun of it tried on Justin's new scent, and i'm sure you can guess what its smells like....fruity(just like him.)

Once again i go through the whole checkout process eagerly waiting to see what new prizes i will get in my bag, and what do you know i received Justin Beibers new scent as an air freshener for my car. I sort of chuckle to myself as i walked to my car thinking "wow, i think that this is reminder advertising at its best." I start my car and turn on the radio and you would never guess what song is on the radio as im driving away from Ulta Beauty, yep Justin Beibers new hit "As long as you love me." What are the odds of that happening? Talk about a Justin Beiber overload for the day!

Thanks to this class, i am now more aware of the creative techniques companies use to captivate our senses. I use to be immune to the way marketers advertise to us. Today i experienced an array of advertising techniques from radio to samples.

Impulsive Buying

Our dog had puppies (a total of 9). Yeah it gets crazy at the Wichman house, thats for sure! We had a lady who fell in love with one of the little puppies and she comes by the house every weekend to check up on her new little family member. Today she came by the house and was explaining how she went to Walmart and bought all of this new puppy stuff to create a comfortable new home. Its crazy how one purchase can lead to countless other purchases. You dont just buy the puppy, you buy the food, the clothes, the fun little toys, and whatever else that satisfies your need.  As i was reading in the book (i believe its chapter 7 on personality), i started to notice peoples buying patterns and how they correlate with their personalities. This puppy example is one of many i have experienced this week. So lesson learned here is one purchase (especially one that effects your emotions) will lead to many more purchases.

Humans vulnerability to framing

We wake up each morning to a brand new day, reenergized for whatever the day may throw at us. Ready. Set. Go! The day is full of activities that consume our time. Sometimes we dont even have enough time in our day to do everything we want. I tend to keep a checklist of the things that i would like to get done today, and at times (most of the time) i fail to cross everything off of that list. I always set the bar too high. I am overconfident that i can get everything done in one day. The tasks that i dont finish today will roll over to tomorrow which sometimes rolls over to next week! Just like a cell phone has rollover minutes, my life has rollover tasks.

I am an easy target for companies that use a framing technique to aid in our decision making process. Its basically just the way marketers or companies construct their words. Here below is an Australian ad using this framing technique towards consumers.

How do you feel about energy conservation now? When i first saw this i felt awful! This ad was meant to make us feel bad so that we would change the way we approach and utilize general lighting. In a way they "framed us" Instead of saying "Hey use better lighting, its more efficient". It says "Hey if you dont change your ways and use better lighting or other conservation methods you will be killing Koala Bears!" Its like the guilt effect. Thats just my view on this ad. 

This advertisement correlates with what i am reading in my book for class, Nudge. This book gives another example of "framing" a) if you use energy conservation methods you save $350 a year. b) If you dont use energy conservation methods you lose $350 dollars a year. Option (b) is more effective than option (a). Framing works because people tend to be mindless, passive, decision makers. 

I know that i dont have enough time in my day to weigh out the pros and cons of all the decisions i make throughout the day. I impulsively make decisions based on my gut feeling. 

Is what you own really defy who you are?

I just read The Journal of Consumer Research Inc. article "Possessions and the Extended Self", and its interesting on how we identify ourselves with certian objects, expereinces, and people. As i read through this article i started to soul search, if you will. I can now say that i understand why people and myself buy certian items, participate in certian activities, and interact with certain individuals and groups.

We are litteraly the sum of our possessions. Our clothes shout out our personality and protray our status in society. In a city like Los Angeles California, we can undoubtley see materialism play a role. What you drive, who you hang out with, what activities you participate in, and what you wear all play a role in who you are! To keep up with the status quo of what we think people view us as "ideal self" versus who we really are "real self" we consume certian products. Thats the psychological approach to marketing. I bought the shirt im wearing right now for a reason, i had many choices to choose from, why did i buy this particular one? Thats the question that boggles my mind and probably every marketers mind as well. To understand why we consume what we consume is like a complex puzzle.

The article related an individual and how they identify themselves with thier personal possessions such as  jewelry, automobiles, make up, and clothing to a family and thier house. The home is made up of items you bought at the store, and those items reflect your decisions, which reflect your "self". Our clothing, jewelry, and grooming distinguish our individualality from others and they indicate what group we belong to. I never realized it, but our musical knowledge, preference of a bar/club, and entertainment attendance also demonstrates our identity and what we consume.