Yes, conservatives like to wear Ralph Lauren clothes, while liberals prefer threads from Urban Outfitters. Why? Because the former view our social hierarchy as legitimate; the latter donāt.
Thatās all according to a study by Assistant Professor of Marketing Nailya Ordabayeva, to be published in the August issue of the Journal of Consumer Research. Ordabayeva and a colleague found that conservatives buy products they believe will signal their own superiority (big-name brands, high price tags) while liberals buy products they hope will show their uniqueness (unconventional colors or design).
The data suggests that taglines like Mercedesā āA Class Aheadā and Appleās āThink Differentā really work. Ordabayevaās research also has startling implications regarding the extent of our national polarization.
The professor summarized her findings in a Harvard Business Review article, And the full research paper, āBetter or Different? How Political Ideology Shapes Preferences for Differentiation in the Social Hierarchy,ā is .