Cialdini raamat
That is why I believe we are seeing an increasing number of average-person-
on-the-street testimonials on TV these days. Advertisers now know that one suc-
cessful way to sell a product to ordinary viewers (who compose the largest potential
market) is to demonstrate that other "ordinary" people like and use it. Whether the
product is a brand of soft drink or a pain reliever or a laundry detergent, we hear
volleys of praise from John or Mary Everyperson.
More compelling evidence for the importance of similarity in determining
whether we will imitate another's behavior comes from scientific research. An es-
pecially apt illustration can be found in a study of a fund-raising effort conducted
on a college campus (Aune 8( Basil, 1994). Donations to charity more than doubled
when the requester claimed to be similar to the donation targets, saying "I'm a stu-
annaabi.ee 
