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One of our copywriters here at Barefoot, Sarah Knott, brought to my attention a study published in the March 21 issue of the journal Science that suggests people gain even more happiness when they spend their money on other people than when they buy stuff for themselves. You can read a nice overview of the research here on Yahoo Health.

While I think these findings confirm what most of us would intuit, it still offers up some good food for thought when it comes to marketing products. How might we as marketers add a philanthropic aspect to our brands that makes people more likely to engage with them, spend money on them, and feel better about doing so. I suppose the whole “(RED)” initiative to help fight AIDS is one clear example (though there’s considerable controversy over this specific program because the money spent advertising it has so far outpaced the money raised for the charity). I can also think about some fly fishing equipment I have bought from brands that support conservation efforts, which has made me more passionate about the brands, and, yes, more happy with myself.