Why many effective consumer marketing campaigns focus on experiencing, rather than possessing, a product.

"In their first experiment the authors set up a lemonade stand — operated by two six-year olds, to make it appear authentic — for which they used three different signs. The first sign read "Spend a little time and enjoy C&D's lemonade"; the second one, "Spend a little money, and enjoy C&D's lemonade"; and the third, neutral one said simply, "Enjoy C&D's lemonade." Only one of the signs was displayed at a time. Customers were told they could pay between $1 and $3 for a cup of lemonade; the exact amount was up to them. After they made their purchase, they were surveyed to determine their attitude toward the lemonade.

The results were instructive: The sign stressing time attracted twice as many passersby — who were willing to pay almost twice as much — than when the money sign was displayed."

Read more: http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/jennifer-aaker-happiness-time-connection