This is the eBook version of the printed book.

This Element is an excerpt from The Truth About What Customers Want (9780137142262), by Michael R. Solomon. Available in print and digital formats.

How you and your customers are influenced by others (from celebrities to experts to groups)...and what that means for marketing.

In Like Mike, the main character believes that he can fly higher when he dons his magical Air Jordans. Even those of us who would need a rocket pack to jump higher still get caught up in beliefs like this–if we didn’t, all those sweet celebrity endorsement deals would be nothing but net. Many of our product choices are strongly influenced by what others do.