You are What you Drive

They say that men who drive fast cars are making up for other inadequacies. So why would someone buy a Porsche or a Ferrari? Fortunately for these men, these cars also reflect an image of success, adventure and extravagance. Conversely, most men who drive off the lot in a brand new minivan are not doing so out for their image but for their family. So how do you associate yourself with the car you drive?

Geoffrey Miller's book, Spent: Sex, Evolution, and Consumer Behavior covers these very issues. Miller, an evolutionary psychologist, examines how our consumer patterns are dictated by more than just need but by how we see ourselves. The book aims to educate consumers on how to make more informed purchases and to ultimately be happier and more responsible citizens.

Just as a lion's mane may make it more attractive to a lioness, we choose our automobiles with a similar strategy in mind, according to Miller. This propensity to look good and be admired extends beyond merely cruising the strip for romance, but to being thought of by one's peers as sophisticated, worldly, and hip.

Marketers of goods are not unaware of our desire to be seen in a certain way and they have been constantly tweaking their messages to best corral this common goal. Placing professional athletes or superstar actors in their car is one way of making a potential consumer feel what it feels like to be that person.

Having a cool car means you are a cool person. Having an expensive car means you are a successful person. According to Miller, the truth in these speculations is not what counts, it is how much you are willing to pay for these speculations. Miller's field of evolutionary psychology seems to be closely paralleled by the efforts of marketers and advertisers who not only monitor our desires but shape them, as well.