Every time you buy something, you’re being framed.

Whether it’s Starbucks pushing you to buy their most expensive drink, Netflix nudging you to go ad-free, or Apple hooking you with yet another device. The truth is, the products you buy and the purchasing decisions you make are rarely about logic as much as they are about framing. The brands you love have mastered this trick and turned it into billions.

Brand loyalty? Or strategic addiction? Apple doesn't accidentally create multi-device households, they engineer them. Once you buy your first device, the ecosystem is designed to make every next purchase feel more logical, more necessary, seamless.

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The most expensive options aren’t usually meant to be bought, they’re meant to make everything else look reasonable.

Netflix strategically prices its Standard tier at $17.99 to make it feel like the smart middle choice. Without Premium, Standard would feel expensive. With Basic Ads, it feels like quality and, objectively, the logical best choice.

When trying to drive customers to your profit center, don’t limit to just 2 options. Present at least 3 choices and design the middle as the winner.

Apple sells so much more than devices and gadgets, they sell identity. One that comes with membership to an open invitation, exclusive community. And once you’re in, it’s incredibly hard to leave.

Buying that first device activates 3 triggers that lock you in.

Once you’re in the ecosystem, every non-Apple choice feels like a downgrade. Switching brands literally feels like you're losing your (digital) identity. Now, Apple can convince buyers to pay 5x the price because leaving is more painful than paying a premium. Not to mention that it’s more convenient to stay.

People will always pay to save time, money, and effort. Just ask Amazon, where Prime accounts for 53.1% of all US paid retail membership revenues, primarily driven by < 2-day shipping.

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As AI becomes more powerful, companies are implementing new ways to expand revenue. Earlier this year, Delta rolled out AI-powered personalized pricing with plans to cover 20% of their routes by year end. Analyzing factors like booking history, device type, search behavior, and time sensitivity, fares are optimized and tailored to a specific customer. Two travelers could search the exact same flight, for the exact same seat, and see completely different prices. The same product becomes premium, budget-friendly, or exclusive based on who's looking.

Chances are you’ve already encountered this dynamic pricing in other areas of your life. Amazon makes 2.5M daily price changes using AI-driven algorithms that personalize pricing based on a user’s browsing and purchasing history. Price-sensitive shoppers get "lightning deals” while premium buyers see "quality guaranteed" at higher price points.

When customer data is used effectively, pricing can be framed around what each segment values most. The AI will do the math, you just need to understand the psychology.

Successful companies have figured out how to reach into your brain and flip the “buy now” switch. They’re all following the same psychological blueprint, and you don’t need Netflix’s budget or Apple’s brand power to make it work for you.

Create Anchors. Nobody wants to feel cheap, nobody wants to overspend, so they pick the middle option, which always seems “just right.”

Build Ecosystems and Bundle Smart. More touchpoints, more connectivity, increased convenience. Layer in and stack benefits until leaving feels painful. Then charge a premium to stay.

Shift Perspective. You’re not just selling a product or service. You’re selling status, freedom, identity, community, belonging.

Framing works at any scale, and when you master it, you master the sale.

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60% - 6 out of 10 Apple customers own 4 or more devices.

2.5M - The number of daily price changes across products listed on Amazon.

24.3% - How much of Apple’s revenue comes from services

164M - Prime Video viewers, almost matching Netflix’s 173M

35% - Year over year growth of Netflix’s ad-supported tier

Consumers don’t just buy products, they buy the stories that come with them. Like creating a billion-dollar brand by reframing water as hydration for the rebellion.

In an era of unprecedented global challenges and shifting societal expectations, the role of corporate leadership is evolving dramatically, but one thing is clear: the future belongs to purpose-driven organizations that can authentically align their actions with stakeholder expectations.

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