Sometimes it's scary how well marketers do their jobs

Check out this article on packaging design. An excerpt:

It's about sales. Marketers know shoppers can be swayed to buy a product not just because of what's inside the box or bottle, but what's on the outside. That's why package design has become a $1 trillion industry. Even a fraction of a percentage of increased sales can separate a successful selling season from a lousy one. So consumer product giants are adding a splash of summer to packaging.

As a full-time grad student, I have been trying to resist the temptations these marketers present. I have to say many seem to be doing their jobs well because I constantly find myself thinking, "I don't really need that, and if I don't need it I can't afford it."

My background in mass communications has made it a little easier for me to recognize when I'm being influenced by good marketing. And this makes me wonder how much more I would spend without that knowledge. My bank account shudders at the thought.