Marketing 0

Driving the Pursuit of Aspiration
As social beings, we observe other people's life stories and relate
them to ours. Friends in our social networks become our
benchmarks. We aim to emulate the behavior and lifestyle of others,
especially those with seemingly more exciting lives—driven by fear of
missing out (FOMO). Personal expectations are now set by social

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environments that continually influence and motivate us to achieve
bigger goals.
Technology should tap into this hidden pursuit of aspiration
embedded in social networks. AI-powered content marketing,
gamification, and social media may support humans’ innate desire
for peer recognition and social climb. Instead of patronizing
customers with suggestions and recommendations, AI should
exercise influence subtly through existing role models—friends,
family, and community—which they listen to more than companies.
When leveraging social influence, however, businesses should go
beyond selling products and services. Technology may become a
powerful behavioral modification tool that drives digital activism and
ultimately social change. Inspiring and encouraging people to pursue
a more responsible lifestyle through social networks may become a
significant contribution of technology to humanity.