Jake Allen’s Ockhamist.com

Marketing. When it works, it hits the jackpot. I didn’t realize how much it affected me until I reflected on it when I went shopping today. In college, I switched deodorants, and have stayed with one brand for the last seven years. The company gave away buckets of free samples, and I recieved about three months worth. I stayed then out of habit, and so remain.

I started to notice today which products I purchase generic and which I purchase brand name, and began to wonder how much marketing has affected these decisions. I bought generic diet cola, but brand name laundry detergent. The generic cola was more than 60% less than national brand, while the detergent was 30-40% less. Is marketing worth 30, 40, or 60%? Sometimes, I think it is.

Madness?