"I want this and this..."

“Do you really need that? Are you really going to use/wear it?” are common questions that my mom always asks me whenever I go on a crazy shopping spree. In return, my answer is always “YES! I really need headbands, jeans, nail polish…” There are certain items we “need” in order to survive such as food and water and others we obviously don’t so they are categorized under “want.” However, many people, including myself are so determined and want something so bad that we consider it something we now “need” because that is all we can think about. After we have determined what we “need” then there is the brand and what kind to get. People are naturally drawn to vibrant, colorful, and unusual objects or images because it catches our attention. That is why advertisements and commercials have such a great effect on consumers. It is inescapable as ads are everywhere from: magazines, newspapers, television, movies, billboards, and the internet. Consumers are being sucked into buying and buying more with good deals and advertising. Phrases such as “buy one get one free,” “only two payments of $9.99,” and “three for the price of one” all catch the eye of the consumer and makes them rethink whether they need to purchase this item because of the special deal.

Ads help consumers familiarize with the product. If the consumer always sees an ad or commercial for a certain product, they might choose it over another brand. This leads to the debate of which is better, generic or brand name medication? Pharmacists conclude that a generic drug has the same active ingredients as the brand name drug. Generic drugs are usually less expensive in comparison to their brand name counterparts because the advertising and marketing costs for brand name drugs are extremely high. To make up for this cost, the drug’s retail price will also increase. However, many consumers don’t know this and most people will end up picking up Tylenol instead of acetaminophen (generic Tylenol). Most consumers recognize the word Tylenol and its packaging but not acetaminophen. Some will choose the most expensive of the two just because they think that the brand name will work better and faster (especially if the product is unfamiliar to them).