I study marketing. I am truly obsessed with consumer behaviour patterns. During my summer internship as a content writer, I witnessed how brands use cognitive dissonance, so I tried writing about it. This is me trying to make my blog more than my diary entries. Tell me what you think?

Human beings are too complex. We think one way and act another. There is often inconsistency between how we feel we should act and how we actually behave, possibly due to biases, social conditioning, or just circumstances. This distance between the ideal state of things and their current state creates dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is the psychological tension between an individual’s behaviour and beliefs. Let’s say you are out to buy a box of cereal. Your preferred brand and its competitive brands are stacked next to each other like always. However, you notice a new brand which is comparatively priced higher. The box is more colourful and says the packaging is made with biodegradable materials that break down much faster and all the raw materials used in production are ethically sourced. Won’t you stop for a second and wonder if this would be a better purchase than your usual cereal? Sure, this is not a brand you have tried before, you would have to pay a bit more. But you don’t separate your waste and never recycle paper. Maybe a little sustainable lifestyle change is worth the extra money? This urge to buy more environmentally sustainable options rises. Why? Because being sustainable aligns well with your ideal state of being. However, wouldn’t you rather buy a sweet treat at the checkout counter instead of spending that money on a better box? This is called dissonance.

Many brands create ad campaigns that trigger this psychological response to gain business.
Ad campaigns for Tata Salt never focus on the product. Instead, they focus on their catchphrase- Desh ka Namak. All their adverts follow a storyline that appeals to the ‘Indianness’ in each viewer. Common themes include the emotional connection to the Indian independence struggle, the nostalgia of traditions and the collectivist nature of Indian communities. The brand creates dissonance in the minds of viewers who identify with the same values and still don’t use Tata Salt. Patriotism is a far reach for a salt producer but their consistent branding over the years has made Tata Salt a symbol of celebrating your “Indianness.” You are convinced that by purchasing and consuming Tata Namak, you are patriotic for your homeland.

A pair of Doc Martens retails for over 100 euros minimum. When I moved to Europe, I saved bits of my monthly allowance for 5 months to be able to buy a 250-euro pair of boots. My parents were livid when I told them the price of these chunky, rugged, industrial-style boots. My uncle said his neighbourhood plumber wears the same boots and could have gotten me a better deal. Why was I so desperate to buy a pair of Doc Martens? Because Doc Martens equals revolution, freedom, and most importantly, self-expression. This brand which was originally created to make durable working class boots became a punk rebellion symbol by the 70s. Soon, Doc Martens became a subculture advocating self-expression. Now, all their marketing and branding revolves around this idealogy of freedom to find your voice and style. While a pair of boots can only do so much, they have managed to create dissonance in the minds of countless consumers like myself. I wear my Docs to bridge the gap between my actual state and my ideal state of self-expression. In some manipulated corner of my mind, no other boots will be able to empower me the way Doc Martens does. I have actually made acquaintances with numerous strangers on public transport and in university wearing Doc Martens. A pair of boots has made me a part of a global subculture. Thus, if I had spent those 250 euros on something else, I would have missed out on this experience of “freedom.”

Planting this fear of missing out is the winning hand for all marketers. If you successfully convince your consumers that they will miss out if they don’t buy from you, they will become a less desirable version of themselves, you have used a very natural and common psychological response- cognitive dissonance, to your advantage!

I wonder at what point does strategic marketing become unhealthy manipulation?