Envy Sells: The Psychology of Instagram Marketing
Observing Psychologically
by observingpsychologically
3y ago
As I aimlessly scroll through my Instagram feed, past the endlessly narcissistic #wanderlust and #foodporn snaps I begin to notice some pretty aggressive advertising crammed into my phone’s tiny screen. What triggered my curiosity was how unique this advertising is, nothing like other platforms like Twitter or Facebook, advertisements almost blended in with my feed of food snaps and annoying travel pictures. When Insta first became popular in Europe, I was skeptical about how successful it would perform as a marketing platform. My skepticism was evidently unfounded.  If I don’t Instagram ..read more
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Prosecco Pop! The Psychology & Future of Prosecco’s Success
Observing Psychologically
by observingpsychologically
3y ago
As I sat in one of Dublin’s many new hipster bars a few nights ago (complete with frayed sofas and “aged” mirrors) I noticed a not so new trend. Five of the 10 tables had bottles of prosecco sitting on them with mandatory ice buckets and flutes. Customers were glugging the stuff bottle after bottle and no wonder, a bottle in this particular establishment was only €28 whereas the cheapest non-house chardonnay was coming in at €35. A bottle of champagne would have set me back €95 so when I want something a little more indulgent I proudly opt for prosecco to ensure my credit card won’t combust. E ..read more
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Notions: Marketing to Ireland’s Aspiring Middle Class
Observing Psychologically
by observingpsychologically
3y ago
It seems that the days when Glenroe accurately depicted the vast majority of the Irish population are well and truly gone. In 2015 Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse found that over 50% of Irish adults qualified as “middle class” (i.e. a wealth exceeding €45,000), (Kelpie, 2015). We now live in an age where expensive suits, comparing overpriced cars and postcodes is becoming very, very common…is that a tiger’s roar I hear? Notions! As our notions grow, so does our spending. Irish consumer spending rose by 9.7% in 2016 compared to 2015, (Visa Europe, 2016). On the whole Visa Europe found that we ..read more
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Strict Employers: When Workplace Discipline Goes Too Far
Observing Psychologically
by observingpsychologically
3y ago
“Can I speak to you in my office for a moment?” In a certain context this is the last thing an employee wants to hear. Recently I have come across numerous pieces which describe over-the-top “disciplinary procedures” in the workplace. These procedures range from a nasty court summons style letter to a hearing. Organisations attempt to justify pouring excessive resources into keeping employees in line as they believe it keeps them oprating at peak efficiency, but is this true? Excessive workplace discipline has become a major problem in Ireland with a 2013 report finding that 77% of e ..read more
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Managerial Psychopaths: A Bad Investment
Observing Psychologically
by observingpsychologically
3y ago
We often think of psychopaths as dangerous criminals locked up and kept behind bite masks. While some psychopaths are indeed incarcerated many remain in society and in very successful careers. Psychopaths are often attracted to positions of power with management being a prime example as it gives them access to groups of people they can control to amuse themselves and exploit for personal gain. The prevalence of psychopathy in leadership positions is estimated to be four times higher than in the general population, (Whitbourne, 2015) which paints a grim picture for employees and organisations a ..read more
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From Spoiled Brats to Savvy Shoppers: Psychoanalysis & Consumerism
Observing Psychologically
by observingpsychologically
3y ago
For the past few weeks I have been saving up for a new set of celebrity endorsed headphones and when that (ever delayed) pay check came in I finally bought them. I had told myself that I would stop spending money on “luxuries” as soon as I bought them. I would be truly satisfied if I got them and I was quite silly to believe myself. Now I am fighting the desire to invest in an overpriced chrome laptop and assuring myself that once I get that I’ll be satisfied. I can’t be the only one right!? Why do we keep spending? Maxing out credit cards and overdrafts in the process when we know all too wel ..read more
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It’s Not Me….. It’s You: Why We Quit Our Jobs & Why Employers Need to Listen up When Science Speaks
Observing Psychologically
by observingpsychologically
3y ago
“I’m so f#!@#ing done!” The famous last (internal) words of many fed up employees. Then follows the overly polite resignation letter full of thanks, the usual it’s not you it’s me and I want to develop my ect ect….. Although quitting our jobs has become an uncertain endeavor in the past few years given the restricted job market (ever hear the one about the company who want a 25 year old graduate with 30 years experience?), we are still quitting. The worst hit by high turnovers are hospitality (20.2%), banking and finance (13.3%) and healthcare (13%), (CompData as cited in Bares, 2015) Quitting ..read more
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