Do you think subliminal advertising works? Does it have to be namebrand for you?

[cheerfulgreek]

I was reading the paper today and I read an article about subliminal advertising. There was a test that was conducted giving consumers both a lightweight and heavy tv remote control. The across the board response to the lighter-weight model was "It's broken." Even when they found out the lightweight remote was totally functional, shoppers still felt its quality was inferior. They were also saying that some tv remotes and MP3 players on the market today would weigh half of what they do if they weren't stuffed with completely useless wads of aluminum. Based on what I read, I guess customers believe the heavier objects they're holding are more sturdy and substantial. So, now I see why most people are willing to pay a higher price for them.

They also asked the question, saying that if someone offered you a choice of two new cars all expenses paid, they're the same model, the same make, the same color and both are decked out with the same accessories. There's only one difference. One is made in Turkey, and the other is manufactured in Switzerland. After I read that, I, of course would have taken the Swiss car. When I got to the bottom, it said that most people would take the Swiss car because of high standards and superb craftsmanship.

The guy that wrote the article said that a few years ago, he was helping a struggling perfume maker regain its footing in the market. He said he noticed that instead of the glamorous cities associated with perfume like Paris and Rome, the company listed middle-American cites on its labels. He said since the company had offices in Paris, London, New York and Rome, he persuaded its marketers to place those names on the bottle. He said that once the switch was made, sales shot up.

I don't know if I totally believe that it works on all consumers. I'll have to admit, I prefer certain namebrand products, because of the quality. The reason why, is because how did they get to be a namebrand? I'm willing to pay the higher price for better clothing and other high quality items because of their history of making great long lasting products. My mom has an LCD tv set, but it's a "Dynex". I never heard of that kind of tv before. She said she paid $500.00 for it. I noticed how clear it was, and it seemed to have high quality too, but just because something feels heavy, sturdy and looks great doesn't mean it's going to last. I go for the namebrand items. I don't know if I totally agree with purchasing an item because of its weight. I've felt MP3 players that were heavier than my ipod, but I highly doubt that its a better product. It depends on the name for me. The same for perfume. Of course it's the fragrance, but the label is just as important, to me.

Do you agree with the article? Do you prefer namebrand products/clothes etc? Or does it even matter?