How Social Influence Has Shaped What You Buy

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“Wow, there are so many people here to buy the new phone,” you say as you join the line to get first dibs on the latest device released into the market. Everyone in line may all be here for the same product, but the reason they made the decision to buy the product is different. Tech purchases aren’t only about specifications and its daily uses, they are deeply influenced by our desire to feel that we belong (psychology) and our outward place in society (sociology).

The Tribe You Choose

Social Influence is information by and pressures from individuals, groups, and mass media that affects how a person behaves. This can be influenced by marketer and non-marketer sources that are labeled as reference groups, which are a set of people that individuals compare themselves to as a guide to developing their own identity.

We may look to influencers, our parents, friends, or colleagues when shaping our buying habits and behaviors. This is definitely apparent when choosing iPhone v. Android. Whether its green or blue messages, iOS or Android OS, people choose their device based on aesthetic and compatibility with others in their ingroup.

Aspirational groups are groups that are admired and wish to be like but not a member of. This could be android users looking to join iPhone, Gym goers that want to join luxury gyms like equinox or social clubs that offer exclusivity. Associative groups are groups that we belong to, which can be recreational groups like sports teams, professional groups like trade unions or teachers association, and political parties.

Choosing your group can serve as a badge or professional and social success.

The Why Behind The Click

From self-care items to food brands, we all have a reason we purchase specific items when we in a store. If you want to learn more about how culture influences your shopping cart click here.

In PBS “Weapons of Influence”, Robert Cialdini touched on Social Proof and Conformity. Cialdini explains that it is the tendency to decide that something is the right choice because a lot of other people are doing it or have been doing it.

“Its not just about what other people are doing, its about what other people like me are doing” – Robert Cialdini

When thinking of influence, there are two types that can come from reference groups: Normative and Informational. Normative drives conformity through the desire of being liked and accepted. Informational stems from the desire to be correct, where individuals conform to those they believe have superior knowledge. These two influences have effected all of us; buying new designer shoes because you may appear more valuable or a millionaire selling “how to get rich” e-books stem from silent influences that we are subject to.

Marketing To The “Whole” Human

Brands use Multicultural Marketing to make products feel like it belongs to a specific cultural identity. This is an integrated strategy targeting diverse ethnic and cultural groups through tailored, culturally relevant messaging, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. This can cause consumers to have more brand loyalty which drives engagement and sales, all by using people of different cultures to influence purchases.

Coca Cola aced this strategy during the “Together is Beautiful” campaigned in 2014, where it celebrated American diversity, unity, and inclusion by showing diverse groups enjoying a coke. The goal of this campaign was to celebrate multiculturalism of the US, but when analyzing from a marketing standpoint Coke’s tactic to include everyone helped increase its brand perception and most likely influenced consumers to purchase their brand instead of their competitors.

The Revive Insight

So now that you have been informed on the influences impacting your buying patterns, what can you take away from this? Social influence isn’t about being tricked into buying a product, its about the human need for connection and belonging. Our brains are wired to learn behaviors and act based on our external environment; if we see someone we admire or want to be like, we tend to emulate certain characteristics through material aspects like fashion.

As you navigate through society, its important to become a “conscious consumer”. Once you learn why you are being influenced to buy a product, you can determine if that brand serves you well.