In his blog “Is a famous thinker better than a great one?” Seth Godin brings an interesting point to mind: is fame an indicator of higher quality? Or do we subject ourselves to the more popular and deceptively “better” brands, while the great ones linger on ignored and unknown?
I agree with Seth’s view that “for physical goods, a trusted brand name increases the likelihood of purchase.” There is a lower risk involved with purchasing familiar brands. When we bought that Mac computer we associated it with a low performance risk, due to our trust in Apple’s electronics to work properly, and when we popped that last Advil pill to cure our headache, we felt safe that the pain-killer would help, not harm us. As consumers, purchasing reputable brands makes us feel comfortable, and is one of the decision heuristics we make to help narrow down our choices.
However are our mental shortcuts putting us at a disadvantage? Seth indicates they are, claiming that we are particularly “hesitant to hear ideas from lesser known sources,” due to their higher associated social risk. Consumers fear of being rejected by both their direct and indirect reference groups, discourages them from supporting notions that are uncommon or unpopular.
Seth encourages us to be cautious, and question the quality of an idea coming from a famous source, while evaluating and giving new ones a chance. So next time you hear that famous politician or celebrity psychologist giving you words of wisdom, ask yourself: is this a good idea, or is it just famous?
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