How marketing takes advantage of the FOMO syndrome

The syndrome FOMO (fear of missing out) is a type of social anxiety characterized by the desire to be continually connected to what others are doing. It refers to suffering from an irrational fear of possible regret for having missed out. somethingan experience, a product or an investment. This can lead to an ongoing compulsive preoccupation with missing out on an opportunity for social interaction.

Of course, this leads to anxiety and depressive episodes.

And brands are taking advantage of them. Encouraging FOMO leads to increased ticket sales to events of all kinds, whether concerts, shows, exhibitions or meals.

Associating a brand, or experience, with the idea of a possible social exclusion if you have not experienced it, or have a specific product, is the most successful way to increase sales.

At the cost of mental health.

This may be one of the reasons why events, macro concerts and festivals live their golden age, hanging the "sold out" sign shortly after tickets go on sale. Wanting to be everywhere, at all times, and that everyone knows about it (otherwise "enjoying" these experiences makes no sense, everything must be documented in the network of diffusion that interests you most so that others see that you "live" the moment).

"What you can't miss".the hook for everything

That is why a large part of the advertising expenses of these events are directed to broadcast networks (formerly social) and pay accounts with many followers to say that they are going to be in this or that event. The important thing is to create the feeling that this event is something you can't miss. It doesn't matter if it's a concert, festival, movie, restaurant, disco, expo or city.

"What you have to have."the claim par excellence

Of course, brands are moving on the same terrain. It is no longer important to focus on the virtues of a product, be it a cell phone, car or handbag, in order to sell. What matters to the marketing department is to associate the product with the concept. mustsomething that there is to have.

Perhaps this is why, although the last 4 models of the Apple iPhone have been practically the same, with very slight technical differences between them (the camera, the most used part of the phone, has been the same for three generations, until the arrival of the model 15), nevertheless, the iPhone has been the best-selling phone for the past yearin a climate of global economic recession.

Aspirational products have become commodities.

Youth, and here we even include children who want their first cell phone.They crave an iPhone, not because the user experience is particularly different from that of an inexpensive Android (especially if they are users who have not had a cell phone before) but because it is what they see they have. these social characters they observe.

The concept of aspirational product in which luxury brands have always moved, taken to the social base. Owning an iPhone is no longer just about being able to show others your statusis to want to enjoy an "experience" that it seems you can only have if you use one. Advertising has been oriented to create that fear of losing that user experience. Thus encouraging the FOMO syndrome.

And the same happens when someone says they have eaten at such and such a restaurant, you have to go there, you will not miss the culinary experience that everyone is talking about, and therefore you are not "living". Or, even, that a product random which is sold in the largest supermarket chain in Spain, is something you have to try, because it runs out!

The problem with this marketing, like the neuromarketingis that it affects our emotions and has serious personal consequences.

And even more, if the target are people with little life experience, very impressionable and lacking, due to a lack of experimentation, the tools that would allow them to think critically.

Fear marketing or how to make your customers believe that they live an incomplete life.

Encouraging fear marketing (like Danone years ago insinuating that you let your child get sick if you didn't give him Actimel.) has always been socially reprehensible, but now, in addition, it is encouraging episodes of anxiety among the most vulnerable, making them believe that their life is incomplete if they do not constantly participate in paid group activities.

If this continues, the high levels of mental illness, which we see with astonishment in Asian countries.will be here in less time than it takes you to see the next one. sold out at a concert.

Cover photo by Uday Mittal