What I learned about desire engineering changed how I see marketing forever.
I’m a marketing strategist.
I help brands craft marketing that doesn’t feel like marketing.
I thought I was immune to manipulation.
But Apple proved me wrong.
In the last 60 days, I bought:
- AirPods Pro 2 ($249)
- iPad Pro M4 ($1,299)
- Magic Keyboard ($349)
- Apple Watch Series 10 ($399)
Total damage: $2,296.
The scary part? I didn’t plan to buy any of it.
Here’s how Apple’s silent psychology tricks work — and how you can use them.
Apple doesn’t sell you everything at once.
They give you breadcrumbs.
First, they got me with the iPhone 15 Pro. I needed a new phone anyway. Logical purchase.
Then the AirPods Pro 2 went on sale for $189. “Perfect match for my new phone,” I told myself.
