evolution

The Dodge Brothers Weren’t Ford Employees; Died Long Before The Challenger & Charger Were Made

The Dodge Brothers Weren’t Ford Employees; Died Long Before The Challenger & Charger Were Made

In a series of recent ads exploring the creation and evolution of Dodge and its famous Challenger and Charger models, the car maker harkens all the way back to its origins as the Dodge Brothers Company to evoke a sense of spirit and competitiveness. While these commercials are successful in eliciting the desired emotional response, the company isn’t quite telling the truth about John and Horace Dodge and their role in creating these popular muscle cars. [More]

How Fantastik's Packaging Has Changed From 1967 To
Today

How Fantastik's Packaging Has Changed From 1967 To Today

Flickr user RhymePile submitted to the Consumerist Flickr pool this fantastic photo of bottles of Fantastik brand all-purpose cleaner from 1967 and today, side-by-side. [More]

Cute Baby Photos Can Help Recover Lost Wallets

Cute Baby Photos Can Help Recover Lost Wallets

Strangers are more likely to return lost wallets containing photos of cute babies, according to British researchers. The scientists sprinkled 240 wallets across Edinburgh last year with pictures of either a smiling baby, a puppy, a “happy family,” or a “contended elderly couple.” It turns out nobody cares about your pooch, retired parents, or smugly superior family life. But that cute wittle baby? Apparently it triggers a “compassionate instinct towards vulnerable infants that people have evolved to ensure the survival of future generations.” Finally, an everyday use for evolution!

Expensive Purchases Are Like Peacock Feathers, Except They Don't Work

Expensive Purchases Are Like Peacock Feathers, Except They Don't Work

Geoffrey Miller, an evolutionary psychologist at the University of New Mexico, says marketers are trying too hard to find a working model of why people spend money the way they do. It really comes down to the human equivalent of “cost signaling” in the animal world—a sort of “peacock feather” display that’s supposed to tell peers and prospective mates how smart or sophisticated we are. The only problem is, other people never fall for it.

People Care More About Status Than Money

People Care More About Status Than Money

Would you rather be A or B?

Poll: Do You Write Checks?

And I’m wondering what percentage of people with checking accounts actually carry or write checks anymore (I myself have gotten to the point where I pay all my bills online and use cash or plastic in stores).