Stickers? Really? What am I, five?

I shook my head, ready to decline, but something stopped me.

Once upon a time, I was a sticker collector. Back in my childhood, I adored those puffy stickers with animals and googly eyes. I’d carefully arrange them in my album, flipping through the pages like they were treasure. The problem was, there wasn’t much else to do with them. If I was lucky, I could trade a few with a friend, but mostly, they just sat there, gathering dust.

I’d outgrown all that. Or so I thought.

Fast-forward to today, and my seven-year-old twins had other ideas. Their sticker obsession was real—they whined, pleaded, and their eyes sparkled excitedly. Suddenly, my stance on stickers changed drastically.

Every time I went shopping, I found myself gravitating towards that particular grocery store. Not necessarily because it had the best prices or the freshest produce, but because—God help me—I needed those stickers.

I’d even throw extra items into my basket to hit the threshold for more. Then, at checkout, I’d politely (read: desperately) remind the cashier not to forget my hard-earned stickers. Because back at home, two little collectors were eagerly waiting, ready to fill another page in their album.

And here’s the wild part—these stickers weren’t even the real prize. They were the stepping stones to the ultimate goal: a cheap, stuffed mascot my kids wanted more than any fancy toy shop plushie.

It hit me—this was marketing genius.

The Psychology of Commitment in Marketing

I’d fallen for hook, line, and sinker and wasn’t alone. This sticker campaign was a perfect example of how commitment works in marketing.

You don’t need a psychology degree to understand how this plays out. It’s simple: Once we make a choice or promise, we feel compelled to follow through.

The supermarket didn’t need to convince me to care about stickers. They just needed to win over my kids. It was game over once they had their attention—with bright, colourful animal posters all over the store.

As parents, we might not be in a “sticker-collecting” mindset, but once we promise our kids we’ll collect them, we’re locked in. The resistance fades, and suddenly, we’re repeat customers.

Why Commitment Sells

The best marketers know this: Get people to commit to something small, and they’ll keep coming back for more. It’s one of the most powerful tools in marketing, subtly shaping our buying habits, brand loyalty, and—if my sticker-hoarding experience is anything to go by—our weekly shopping routines.

So, the next time you throw an extra packet of biscuits into your trolley to earn one more sticker, remember—it’s not just about the reward. It’s about the commitment you’ve already made. And that? That’s marketing magic.