Perception is Reality

Do you remember a time when you made a purchase that you thought would help your social status or make you better at something? I remember getting my first pair of Jordan’s when I was thirteen. I wanted them because I thought they make me a better basketball player.

As ridiculous as it sounds, they did; I ran faster and jumped higher. I realize now that it was not because these shoes were any better than my previous pairs, but because the brand position of Jordan’s told me that I would be better at basketball.

A joint study by Cal Tech and Stanford used functional MRI to monitor what happens to brain activity when perceived quality is altered. They found that consumers experience greater enjoyment when they perceive the brand to be high quality or premium- even if the product itself is inferior.

This is an important lesson that many companies forget. Perception is reality. How you position your brand has more impact on your customer’s experience than the quality of the product.