Freud understood that decision was central to the theory of our capitalist market, and the 3 level system of consciousness he constructed had a prominent application into the identity of the consumer.
The unique practice of advertising, since the time of Edward Bernays, has operated on these very irrational and unconscious forces that drive behavior. Bernays, the nephew of Sigmund Freud and the creator of the first major advertising campaigns, exemplified Freud's teachings and understood that the objects of a human's deepest desires can be fulfilled with products through the generated ideas that they could be made to exemplify. Bernays strengthened Freud's application of consumer behavior by establishing the idea of collective or group mind, which he believed exhibited the vast possibilities of behavior manipulation in the market. His campaign to convince women to smoke, calling cigarettes "Torches of Freedom," hoped to influence the very way that women perceived the product. He linked the product with a certain type of emotion, connecting the product to a sense of independence. Through Bernays creative manipulation, cigarettes were not merely a product, but rather a unique entity representing equality with men. He completely changed the social perception of this product by satisfying a deep desire of women nationwide. Thus, the ideology of progress through consumerism has been fashioned among the creative direction of advertising.
Persuasive advertising, such as Bernays campaign, appeals to the consumer's basic instinct and emotion, attaching psychological values such as power, sex, social approval, and victory. Essentially, it is simply using persuasion to sell Freud's id. Since the Progressive Era, advertising has become key to economic progress as it has tapped into the unconscious instincts and emotions that motivate behavior. The irrational forces of the id drive our behavior, and advertising seeks to harness those energies to drive consumer decision.
