How likely are you to give the wrong answer when everybody in the group gives the wrong answer? More likely than without the group. That’s what Asch conformity experiments have proven.

Marketing people know that. So when you get the impression  that “everybody uses X”, please be aware that it can be intentional and maybe does not match the reality. It can be just a trick. Bloggers for example, have incentives to write about X (consultants that can make money if you adopt X).

I don’t want to accuse any specific firm or product in this post but I suspect the “coolest”, the most advertised and the most pushed down our throats products. There is no guarantee makers of X are interested in your success. They are surely interested in their own growth and success.

Hope this post increases your chances to survive next marketing attack just by being aware of yet another deceitful marketing technique.