In a strange series of events, a consumer microwaves his cell phone instead of a burrito, a lab worker drops his mobile device into a vat of toxic sludge, and a commuter throws her phone into the backseat of a departing taxi. Horrible mistakes? No. As becomes clear at the end of this Virgin Mobile TV commercial, these phone owners are all intent on “accidentally” destroying or losing their devices, thus necessitating an upgrade purchase. Is this simply a humorous advertisement, or can knowledge about the availability of product upgrades actually lead consumers to mistreat the products they own? Together with Josh Ackerman of the University of Michigan, we conducted some research to find out.
Why We Are So Careless with the Things We Own
People are wired to crave the newest version of products, from iPhones to shampoo.
December 02, 2016
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HBR Learning
Customer Focus Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Customer Focus. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Learn how to keep your customers—and their most important needs—front and center.