Everywhere you look online, someone is selling something. But are people actually being convinced? Or, have they already made up their minds about what they want? The psychology of modern influence suggests the latter. Most of us aren’t stumbling across life-changing products or services by accident; instead, we’re consciously—and often subconsciously—seeking out things that align with our tastes, interests, and beliefs.
If people are looking for what feels right to them, what purpose does marketing serve today? And why are we constantly surrounded by social media content pushing us to buy into something?
The Layers of Influence: Conscious Desire vs. Subconscious Conditioning
To understand why certain brands resonate while others don’t, let’s look at two key psychological drivers in decision-making: Conscious Desire and Subconscious Conditioning.
Conscious Desire: Often, buyers know what they want or need before they even start looking. They’re not swayed by loud marketing—they’re simply seeking out what aligns with their existing preferences or needs. In photography, for example, this is like a client already knowing they want a specific style, mood, or format. They’re just looking for the right match, not a hard sell.
Subconscious Conditioning: Behind those seemingly independent choices, however, lie subtle influences. People don’t always realize how much their preferences are shaped by cultural norms, social media, or repeated brand messages. Over time, these elements subtly shape what people view as the “right choice,” even if they’re not fully aware of it. This influence is powerful, creating a natural pull rather than a push.
Together, these layers explain why people may “already know” what they want, yet still feel drawn to certain brands. For creatives, understanding these factors is less about influencing decisions and more about creating work and things that resonate authentically with the needs and values of those who are already looking for it.
Why the “Content for Content’s Sake” Strategy Is Failing
With everyone trying to stand out online, some have turned to an approach that feels like carpet bombing: post more, post louder, post anything that will stick. But here’s the catch—this style often backfires, especially with a discerning audience. Inundating people with content just to stay visible doesn’t build trust; it erodes it.
We’re seeing this now with social media influencers, “thought leaders,” and the ever-present “how to get rich” course gurus. The formula is all too familiar: recycled tips, high-energy pitches, and relentless content streams aimed at “grabbing attention.” What’s left is a glut of shallow material that often ends up making viewers tune out. People can see through it, and savvy audiences recognize that authentic influence doesn’t come from spamming posts or hyping up low-value content.
For a creative professional with a valuable product or service, this distinction matters. Authentic influence can’t be rushed, and it can’t be manufactured by sheer volume. It’s the reason why certain artists and creators don’t post endlessly—they don’t have to. Their work speaks for itself, and that resonance has depth, unlike the fleeting noise of the “get rich quick” gurus who bombard us with content but rarely deliver anything of substance.
The Mechanics of Manufactured Influence: High-Budget Strategies and Short-Term Appeal
Big corporations approach influence differently. Unlike personal brands, billion-dollar companies benefit from two major advantages: unlimited access to capital and a faceless brand identity. With these resources, they create demand artificially, flooding the market with campaigns designed to shape consumer behavior without risking their image. Here’s how they do it—and why these methods don’t translate well for individual brands offering genuine products and services.
Social Proof and Scarcity: Corporations leverage vast amounts of data to create a sense of scarcity or exclusivity around their products. By suggesting that everyone is buying it (social proof) or that it’s in limited supply (scarcity), they tap into psychological triggers that prompt quick decisions. These aren’t genuine connections; they’re orchestrated cues that make consumers feel they’ll miss out if they don’t act fast. For corporations, this creates a temporary surge in demand without needing to build long-term loyalty.
Precision Targeting and Algorithmic Reach: Big brands use advanced algorithms and detailed consumer profiles to target specific demographics, often younger audiences. Built on data that reveals who their audience is, what they aspire to, and what might make them click “buy,” this precision targeting allows corporations to reinforce their message repeatedly until it feels inevitable.
Adaptable Messaging Across Regions: Corporations also tailor their messaging to resonate with different cultural or regional audiences. A brand might run a campaign that emphasizes themes of inclusion or diversity in one market while downplaying or omitting those elements in regions where they may not be as widely accepted. This flexibility allows corporations to appeal to local values, highlighting their facelessness—they can afford to shift stances without being tied to a single, consistent identity. It’s about maximizing appeal in each market, not necessarily staying authentic.
High-Frequency, High-Visibility Campaigns Backed by Unlimited Capital:
Large corporations can afford to run ad campaigns across every major platform, creating a level of visibility that makes their products seem unavoidable. This sheer volume of advertising can create a perception of popularity and legitimacy, but it comes at a high cost—something only companies with massive budgets can sustain.
For example, major movie releases often allocate marketing budgets that rival or even exceed the cost of producing the films. The recent release Joker: Folie à Deux reportedly had a production budget around $200 million, with tens of millions more spent on marketing. However, despite the extensive promotional push, the film opened with a disappointing $40 million at the domestic box office, falling short of expectations. This highlights that even significant marketing spends can’t always compensate for a lack of genuine resonance with audiences. For many big-budget films, marketing expenses often overshadow the actual production budget, aiming to generate buzz that doesn’t always align with the film's quality.
For smaller brands, trying to compete in this way would quickly exhaust resources and rarely yield the same level of visibility or perceived popularity. Independent brands benefit far more from authentic, intentional engagement than from mimicking these high-frequency, high-budget strategies used by major corporations.
Psychological Manipulation of Aspiration: Manufactured influence taps into aspirational desires, suggesting that owning certain products brings people closer to an ideal lifestyle. This approach isn’t about creating a meaningful relationship; it’s about making products seem like stepping stones to a better life. While it can generate immediate sales, it lacks the depth that fosters long-term loyalty. Personal brands relying on these tactics risk coming off as insincere, which can damage credibility over time.
Short-Term Impact, High Turnover:
Corporations often prioritize immediate sales over lasting relationships. This high-turnover approach works because they can quickly move on to the next trend, while independent brands benefit from sustainable, meaningful relationships with clients. For example, in the tech industry, companies frequently release new versions of products—such as smartphones or laptops—each with incremental upgrades. This strategy drives consistent sales by creating a sense of urgency around having the latest model, even if the differences are minimal.
For smaller brands, however, trying to emulate this high-turnover model can be counterproductive. Independent brands typically rely on fostering authentic, long-term connections, as their credibility and influence hinge on delivering consistent quality and meaningful engagement rather than chasing rapid, short-term sales. Unlike corporations that can move from trend to trend, personal brands risk brand fatigue and loss of trust if they focus solely on short-term visibility rather than building lasting relationships.
Why Manufactured Influence is Risky for Personal Brands
For independent creatives, small businesses, or personal brands with quality offerings, imitating corporate tactics can backfire. Here’s why:
Resource Limitations: Unlike corporations, individuals and small brands don’t have unlimited budgets. Trying to compete on volume and visibility is financially unsustainable and often fails to make the same impact. Without millions to spend, smaller brands risk exhausting their resources without seeing a proportional return.
Brand Fatigue and Overexposure: Personal brands are tied to a single individual. When individuals or small businesses flood the market with their presence, it can lead to overexposure and brand fatigue. Audiences may feel they’re constantly being sold to by the same person, which can feel inauthentic, leading them to tune out.
Erosion of Personal Credibility:
Unlike faceless corporations, individuals don’t have the same flexibility to shift direction if an approach doesn’t resonate. Their identity is closely tied to their brand, so overly aggressive or frequent marketing can sometimes feel insincere. Today’s audiences value authenticity and can quickly sense when self-promotion overshadows the actual value being offered. For smaller brands, credibility is strongest when self-promotion serves as a vehicle to communicate meaningful benefits and insights rather than as an end in itself. When the focus stays on the audience’s experience, trust and loyalty grow naturally.
Sustainable, Relationship-Based Growth: Corporations can shift focus with each trend, but personal brands rely on building genuine relationships with their audience. This means growth should be slower, intentional, and based on substance rather than visibility. Rather than creating artificial demand, personal brands thrive when they focus on delivering meaningful experiences and fostering authentic engagement.
Creative Influence as Alignment, Not Persuasion
So, how does creative influence work if people aren’t actively being sold to? It’s about alignment—finding where your work meets a desire that already exists. Think of it as a gravitational pull rather than a hard sell. When people encounter art or photography that aligns with their worldview, it’s not about convincing; it’s about affirmation. They see something that speaks to them, often in ways they hadn’t articulated.
In photography, this might mean focusing on a consistent aesthetic or style that attracts clients who naturally connect with your work. It’s less about posting constantly and more about showing up with purpose, allowing the work to build its own audience over time. In a noisy world, this quieter, intentional presence stands out far more than endless posting.
Why People Don’t Need to Be Sold—They Just Need to See You
Ultimately, most people buy because they’re looking for something specific. They don’t need convincing; they need to find what resonates with them. For creators, influence happens less in direct marketing and more in showing up authentically. It’s about creating work that’s true to you, allowing those already inclined to appreciate it to come forward.
Are people really being sold? The answer might be no—and that’s exactly what makes influence so powerful today. Influence isn’t about persuasion; it’s about being visible in a way that reflects what people already value. This is where real creative influence happens: when people gravitate toward the work because it speaks to something they’re already seeking, not because it’s forced into their lives.
Redefining Influence: A Quiet, Intentional Approach
As the digital landscape gets louder, the value of a quiet, intentional approach becomes clearer. Influence today isn’t about out-shouting the crowd; it’s about standing out by remaining authentic, consistent, and true to your work. When your work has depth and alignment, people find it—not because you convinced them, but because it already reflected what they sought.
As the noise of quick-fix tactics and sales-driven content fills feeds, remember: influence built on genuine connection outlasts trends. This is where real creative power lies—not in manipulation, but in resonance.
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