Every day we are the object of someone's manipulation, but often we do not notice it. We pay even less attention to how we are manipulated by manufacturers and sellers of goods and services. This is because we are almost always sure that it is very difficult to manipulate a person, and who, if not we, know all the psychological tricks. On this we come across. Games with human weaknesses were discussed in the Freedomart branding company.
It is often said: "Man is weak." This is how it is, especially when he stands in front of a New Year's window, rolls a cart in a supermarket, or chooses a new car. The main weaknesses used by manufacturers of goods are stupidity, curiosity and self-doubt, suggestibility, passion, love for someone else's flattery, superstition, greed and envy, and many others. The variations and combinations of these weaknesses, of course, are innumerable.
Curiosity
Curiosity is not a vice, especially when it brings money. Many strategies for manipulating consumers are built on curiosity. One recent example is chewing gum with a question mark on the packaging. Ordinary taste has been touted as something with an unknown taste that should not be told to anyone. Well, and you say you haven't tried it? Out of principle?
The same technique is often used in social networks, selling letters, mailing lists. You can find out something very interesting and important only by going to the site. During public speeches, speakers very often use the curiosity of the audience, telling something interesting at the beginning of the presentation and promising to continue soon. This principle is no less successfully exploited in serials, the plot of which ends at the most interesting moment.
Suggestibility
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All people are more or less suggestible. Old people and children are most suggestible. That is why old people so often become victims of "sales agents" and buy vacuum cleaners, irons, juicers of antediluvian models, miracle pills and other goods of dubious quality that they do not need.
“Everyone has one or another level of suggestibility,” says Kirill Khalyuta, CEO of Freedomart branding company. - It largely depends on the level of education, values, social environment, the presence of stress in a person. People to whom it is impossible to inspire something do not exist. It's just that more facts need to be used for educated people."
By the way, recently you can often hear the word "fact" in advertising campaigns. Beer facts, milk facts. One of the milk producers set up a quiz on the site using interesting facts about the product, attracting consumers not with vague slogans, but with scientific data. There are also seasonal properties of suggestibility. Spring - the time of love - is actually a period of severe stress for the body. It is in the spring that advertising campaigns usually start with slogans about renewal, changes. Porsche 911. A way to bring spring closer. Porsche. 911 Moments of Spring”(Porsche Center Moscow). Advertising slogans in the cold spring of 2011.
If a person is convinced that he is dying, it can really kill him. “Branding is one of the most effective technologies of suggestion today,” says Kirill Khalyuta. “That's why branding companies need to be aware of what they are doing. Otherwise, you can get parents to teach their children to smoke”.
Internal potential
This is not a very common method of manipulation by manufacturers; it is more suitable for teachers, psychologists and those who work with difficult teenagers, prisoners, etc.
Nevertheless, some of the references to the desire to show a person his hidden capabilities are inherent in many brands. Not long ago, Nike caused quite a bit of buzz on the Internet when a very fat boy advertised its products. The idea was to show precisely the inner potential of a person who, far from being an athlete, is capable of changing for the better.
The desire to get at least something for free
More often among the people, we call it a simple word "freebie". Lovers of "freebies" are always and everywhere. Of course, there are a lot of "like freebies" when you get free software or service, but on the condition that you view ads (Microsoft office 2010). Or, for example, when they give you some thing for free in exchange for an action - bring a friend, like and so on. A pseudo freebie - or just a hidden discount - is getting a second item, packaging, chocolates for free. Most of these offers are not beneficial. Today, BTL-actions are certainly popular as marketing moves - tastings, distribution of samples, product samples for free.
Of course, there are human weaknesses that are not inherent in everyone, but many. You can play them too.
Desire to show off your purchase
The desire to show off greatly lightens the pockets of shoppers. Often, elements of bragging can be found in commercials. - Brag, where did you buy it? All kinds of "bragging rights" - uploading photos with purchased goods - can often be seen on social networks, which only further inflame the weakness of bragging, both in men and women. With the advent of all kinds of mobile devices on the market, the habit of showing off newfangled gadgets has come, often deliberately reaching them in front of others. The social network Instagram is almost entirely built on people's desire to show off, themselves and their purchases.
Feeling of inferiority
Insecure people often feel inferior in some way. We often doubt our abilities, intelligence, upbringing, appearance, etc. It may be a false feeling, but such a person is very easy to manipulate. Remember how often your interlocutors in negotiations use the phrase "everyone knows", "proven fact", the same technique is true for advertising.
Stupidity
Exclusively due to ignorance of basic things and lack of desire to think logically in our country, and all over the world, "miracle pills" are still being sold literally immediately saving from obesity, impotence, cancer. Except for human stupidity, there is nothing to write off this fact. So as long as fools live in the world, sales of such companies will not fall.
Failure to make a quick decision
A person who cannot make decisions quickly is a great object for manipulation. At the moment when you need to quickly answer, such a person gets lost and agrees faster. This technique is often used in chain eateries like McDonald's or Teremok, as well as during various promotions. Fast food waiters usually speak very quickly themselves. After accepting an order, they always quickly ask “Do you want to add?” And name an additive or dessert, which, as a rule, is quite expensive in relation to the entire order. A person who cannot quickly figure out, in fact, immediately says "yes", although, most likely, he does not need the proposed.
Inability to stand up for yourself, to cope with the problem yourself
This human weakness has given birth to many goods and services. For example, the services of a bodyguard are to some extent a reflection of the inability to stand up for themselves, or for example, a service for collecting debts from debtors.
Love for gifts
A “gift from an establishment,” “a second gift,” or just a cute trinket in a bag with a purchase is a strong incentive to come back to the store or a way to relax your guard and sell something at an overpriced price.
Passion
Excitement is that human weakness that allows the owners of sweepstakes, casinos, slot machines to live comfortably. A person completely absorbed in the game spends much more and easily part with money in the hope of a big jackpot. A special atmosphere is created in casinos and gambling halls (by the way, as in nightclubs), in which it is difficult to understand what time of day it is. Many players do not leave the casino for days. Such obstacles as a vigilant friend who came with a client to the casino are instantly eliminated by the already mentioned "freebie" - free alcohol at the expense of the establishment. They also play with passion lotteries, slot machines, and place bets on sports events. Video games also cause a feeling of excitement, when, wanting to win, the player spends more and more time and money on additional artifacts, levels, and so on.
Envy
Despite the fact that psychologists consider the feeling of envy destructive for a person, some brands openly use it. As a rule, these are luxury goods or services. Sometimes it is even important for their consumers to feel the admiration and envy of others. Otherwise, they do not understand why they are overpaying.
The most painlessly open desire to be envied is exploited by cosmetic brands and perfumes: EnviMe (Gucci) - “Envy me”, 1Million (Paco Rabanne) - 1 million, and others.
Greed
Greed makes people buy more even if they don't need to. The coveted inscription on the packaging "20% more", "In a new big package", "More, for the same price" and so on, makes people buy more products. The result is usually deplorable - according to statistics, about 10% of all products bought by Russians for the recent New Year went to the trash cans and were not even opened.
Of course, all of these manipulation methods can be used separately and together.
“The more methods are used, and through the greater number of communication channels - hearing, sight, smell, tactile sensations and all the 11 known human senses, the easier it is to make the consumer buy this or that product,” sums up Kirill Khalyuta.
In addition to weaknesses, there are also basic human needs. They are very simple. Everyone knows about them. But still, manufacturers of goods and services are still using it successfully.
Maslow, one of the creators of the theory of needs, divided human needs into physiological, the need to feel safe, the need to feel part of society, the need to realize oneself, as well as respect and recognition by other members of society. At the same time, a person tries to get the maximum of positive emotions from life. All this is used in the modern film industry, advertising, and sales.
Appeal to physiological needs
This is a paradise for brands. The feeling of hunger can be quenched with "Snickers", thirst with "Sprite". Columbia will help protect yourself from the cold. Well, the reproductive instinct will help quench everything today - from coffee to a car. Sex sells, as they say.
An appeal to the desire to feel safe
It feels like we are living in a Caribbean crisis. Several months ago there was information in the media that people were buying insurance "from the end of the world" and also building underground bunkers. Some insurance companies give out policies for free as a marketing campaign, others sell them.
Appeal to fear of loneliness
Even the most independent individual is afraid of being alone. For a comfortable existence, a person needs to feel like a part of society. The Adidas brand in the latest advertising campaign All in one, which in Russia is translated as “All with us,” in the Russian version refers precisely to getting rid of loneliness. Dress up Adidas and you will be with us (not alone). In part, it seems, for the same reason, in order to "bring" the stars in the video closer to consumers, they are named only by their first name or only by their last name (Catty, Beckham, etc.).
Another recent example is the Beeline New Year ad. At the heart of the creative idea is the desire of each person on New Year's Eve to feel part of something in common: part of a family, a friendly company, the whole country.
Fear of death
Another of the strongest fears, partly close to the fear of loneliness, is the fear of death. And brands have learned to flirt with him. What is the video "Death and Mercedes", where the car eventually wins over death. An unsuccessful example of flirting with death can be called a line of yoghurts and curds "Skeletons" from "Danone" (in adults it was associated with death), which quickly turned into "Zdrayvery" (children's health).
Human need for respect
“No advertising or brand building is possible without respect. If a person is not respected in advertising for his choice, such advertising will not work, - says Kirill Khalyuta, CEO of Freedomart branding company.
Self-realization
Brands constantly play with images of a successful person. What should be a house, a car, a watch, a suit, where and how successful people spend their time - all this is successfully exploited by brands. Often brands "sneak up" on parents through their children and their desire for the child to grow up as a worthy continuation of the parent. Plus, children cannot buy goods, so it makes more sense to contact a solvent buyer. Hence, there are a lot of advertisements in which children eat "Nutella" before going to school, and then solve problems better than anyone else and jump higher than anyone else in physical education. Such achievements are the dream of any parent.
The principle of denial is also often used - the person who uses / does not use this product is not like everyone else. The latest Orbit advertisement on the Internet is - eat, drink, DO NOT chew Orbit. Holes in the teeth are in fashion. Or, for example, the ad for Dior's Jadore perfume, which denies such acclaimed jewels as gold and diamonds.
The need for positive emotions
Modern man experiences a colossal deficit of positive emotions. The frantic pace of modern life, stress and overload prevent you from enjoying simple things - good weather, your favorite book, holidays. The less positive emotions in a person's life, the easier it is to manipulate them, showing that a product or a brand is exactly what will give them these emotions.
One of the striking examples is the BMW ad. Its creators partly appeal to emotions. Just look at the slogans - BMW is joy (BMW is joy), delight - became the foundation of the company. “Sheer driving pleasure” is a slogan used since 2009.
Another indisputable proof of the lack of positive emotions is the dominance of serials on Russian TV channels. Such serials can be roughly divided into "male" and "female", capable of cultivating positive emotions in the audience. An uncomplicated plot (the film can be watched from any episode) gives an opportunity to take a break from stress and experience the missing emotions - men watching "Capercaillie" or another epic of "Cops" feel like heroes. For women - an opportunity to gossip, wash the bones of a virtual "friend" from the series, without feeling like a gossip. This largely explains the success of the series Sex and the City, which is almost entirely based on the monologues and dialogues of girlfriends-heroines about their sexual life - a favorite topic for conversations among bosom friends. After watching such a series, a woman no longer seemsthat she is lonely, she has the impression that she "chatted" with her friends.
Of course, all of these manipulation methods can be used separately and together. And this is only the first step towards getting the consumer to buy this or that product.
The funny thing is - whether you know or don't know about the methods of playing manufacturers, brand creators and advertisers on the simplest human needs, you still get caught.