It's that time of year!

As I approach any grocery store it's hard not to notice that Christmas is out- Valentine's Day is in. 

Seasonal Marketing at it's finest. How intriguing is it that consumers can bounce from holiday to holiday in a blink of an eye?

Grocery Store isles are filled with ample amounts of pink and red heart shaped delicacies. A little over a month ago it was red and green, and before that orange and black. 

Marketers are geniuses. Every item placed so intently on those shelves are available on  a daily basis. Yet, a change of color, shape, and the season, and sales are off the charts. 

If only I could go back in time and be the one to come up with that idea originally..

Sex Sells.

The sensation that grips the nation.

Retail Therapy is one of the most common phrases that I hear of from friends.

"That was a hard test, I need some retail therapy."

"Gosh what a great day, I'm going to reward myself with some retail therapy."

"I need to look good for So-and-So, I need to shop."

"So-and-So broke my heart, I need to shop."

The list goes on and on.

While studying marketing, this is in fact one of the most intriguing ideas for me. Not in a "I never thought of it that way idea," but in a "Why does no one else understand how brilliant this is? Type of way."

While reading "Retail Therapy" and learning about Ernest Dichter, it was stunning to learn that he was the first to implement many of these ideas. It seems like common sense.

If a company wants to sell to men, why not have a beautiful woman in the picture?

If to women, have another beautiful woman in the picture, all women aspire to be what they are not- and we all relish the fact that someday..maybe we could appear to look like a Victoria's Secret model. 

If we can't look like them, at least we can wear the same clothes as them. 

Sex sells.

It's the easiest concept to understand. Everyone wants to appear sexy. 

When people want to do some "retail therapy," they are searching for something to make them feel better. To make them feel...sexy.