2: Why Do You Buy What You Buy?

Years ago I read Paco Underhill’s Why We Buy, a fascinating and science-based foray into the physical surroundings that make us more likely to purchase products: wide aisles, good lighting, and more. (Paco is an environmental psychologist, an occupation I did not know existed, but which perfectly explains what he does.)

What about why we buy the brands we buy?

There are a zillion books on this (Buyology by Martin Lindstrom is one I liked), about brand storytelling and brand activism and customer experience and customer loyalty and and and.

Take a minute and think about it. Whether because of where you are or the brands available, what influences you to buy what you buy?

Why do I buy? A recent case study:

1. Steve and I made a New Years Resolution to make more cocktails at home. So we went to the local discount liquor store to stock up on supplies.
2. We made a shopping list based on the drinks we were most eager to try: vodka, gin, dark and white rum, Kahlúa.
3. What we purchased:
   1. Absolut vodka
      1. Why? In 2018 my client showed me #TheVodkaWithNothingToHide Absolut commercials. They are so unexpected and hilarious that I thought to myself, consciously, I am only going to buy Absolut vodka from now on. 
   2. Tanqueray gin
      1. Why? My high school boyfriend loved The Notorious B.I.G., and with him I heard the song Ultimate Rush, in which Biggie raps, all I do all day is drink Tanqueray. So I bought it.
   3. O.H.S.O. white rum
      1. Why? O.H.S.O. is the only distillery in Phoenix, AZ, which I discovered when I stumbled upon their orange tent at the farmer’s market. I’ve taken a tour at their distillery (thanks for the tour, Greg!), eaten at their restaurants, and gifted their peach rum to family and friends. I love buying local and especially with a personal connection, so it was an easy choice.

I don’t remember what brand of dark rum we bought – Steve chose – and with Kahlúa there’s only one option: Kahlúa.

My buying decisions were influenced by a clever, unexpected commercial, a hip-hop song from high school, and my local economy.

But that doesn’t tell the whole story. The whole story shows that why I buy has to do with people: 

• My client, who sent the #TheVodkaWithNothingToHide commercial. If she hadn’t shared it with me because of our working relationship, would I have seen it? Would I have been as impressed in a different context?
• My high school boyfriend, who introduced me to that Biggie song. Look, our relationship was mostly lousy. Why does that line from that song stand out? And while I don’t want to harken back to how that relationship felt, maybe part of me wants to harken back to how being that age felt, or listening to that music felt. 
• Greg the distiller, who gave us a tour of the O.H.S.O. distillery. He was friendly and informative and took a group picture which he texted me later. Frankly, the rum bottle is nothing to write home about (that’s another reason Why I Buy – beautiful packaging) but it makes me feel good to buy something that he does and that is centered in the city where I live.

The other part of this story is how helpful and relieving it is to have a reason to choose something. There are too many choices, and I don’t want to spend my precious life comparing gin labels.

When I have a personal connection, a quirky reason to pick this brand over that, it saves me time and strife and makes me feel like my choice was meaningful.

The last time you went shopping, why did you buy what you bought?

Image by Markus Spiske.