Brand Over Brain

Brands help us assign value to almost everything we buy. But is there a way to know the difference between real and created value? In this episode, TED speakers explore the seductive power of brands.

Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock dives into the mysterious but influential world of brand marketing, on his quest to make a completely sponsored film about sponsorship. Why do we like an original painting better than a perfect forgery? Psychologist Paul Bloom argues that our beliefs about the history of an object change how we experience it. Customers want to feel what they buy is authentic, but consultant Joseph Pine says creating "real" authenticity is a challenge. Marketer Rory Sutherland says advertising adds value to a product by changing our perception, rather than the product itself. He says perceived value can be just as satisfying as what we consider "real" value.

Learn more or listen again to this week's episode.

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