Expectations, Queen, and Coffee

Predictably Irrational - man what a book.  And one that honestly makes me...a little uncomfortable.  I try hard to know my tastes in things and to have a developed understanding of the things I enjoy, whether it be music, movies, drinks...the list goes on.

But, some of the examples in the book really make me wonder --> how much of the enjoyment we get out of something is actually due to the thing itself, and how much is due to the enjoyment we imagine we will get out of it? Is there even a difference?

Queen was always ahead of the rest of us...

The book goes into detail about different tests that prove how irrational we are as humans.  The classic example is the wine experiment.  People enjoy wine more when it is given to them in a fine glass than if given in a Styrofoam cup.  In fact, they enjoy the wine more even if they are just told the it is expensive/fine/whatever wine! 

So, how can we relate this to marketing?  I think it shows us that impressions do matter. Packaging matters.  Color matters.  Words matter.  Anything that influences the customer's impression and expectations is extremely important. We as marketers need to understand what image we want our customers to associate with our products.   

For example, provided they are all exactly identical, what are the impressions and expectations you would get if someone handed you an Americano in these three different type of cups? Would they change your enjoyment?