I have a problem with desire – when brands use it to fuel overconsumption.

We all have natural desires. It makes us want to achieve, form relationships, build communities, improve our lives and be helpful in the world and to others.

But in the capitalist system, spending and owning goods are marketed to us as achieving all these things. The consumer buys things believing they will give them their heart’s desires.

We naturally desire to connect with others, express ourselves and our personalities, and be happy. The capitalist system tells us that owning stuff is how we achieve this. What’s more, the messaging is so strong, so prevalent, yet incredibly subtle at times it has us hooked.

As a matter of fact, brands love social media, its influencers and reality TV, which fuel the need to own things and live certain lifestyles. These are more ways that brands tell us that owning more is good for us.

Even the news will report that buying more is good for us. They will tell us at Christmas or during a pandemic that we need to buy more for the economy’s good despite knowing people are earning far less, and prices have increased considerably.

We are buying more stuff that we do not need in the hope of achieving the perceptions of success that brands sell to us. Except we never succeed this way, and the happiness we experience is momentary. And what follows is a vicious cycle of buying more stuff to get the same euphoric results.

You see, overconsumption is not only wrecking the planet but isn’t good for our mental well-being either. The desire to own more and never truly pursue the things that give us genuine joy leaves us unfulfilled, inventing realities on socials, jealous, depressed and running some of us insane. Because no matter how much we own, we cannot have it all. And even when we do own it all, it is never enough.

Even though intellectually, we know owning stuff is not the route to happiness, the capitalist system has driven us to believe it is. And whether we care to admit it, because of our innate desires, most of us are not immune to the marketing messages to own more stuff.

So, it’s partly up to us to become conscious marketers and CEOs to stop it; to change how we do business. Profits do not have to be our driving force, but rather the good of humanity does. In another post, I’ll share what conscious marketing looks like. Some of you may already be on the path. Please share in the comments what that looks like for your brand.

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I will share insights on creating and managing brand desire in an upcoming lecture. To learn more, book here – Creating Brand Desire using Social Media

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