20/08/2026
Why does something feel more valuable simply because you helped create it?
That’s the psychology behind the IKEA Effect - our tendency to place greater value on things we’ve invested our own effort in. And for brands, that insight can be powerful.
When customers are invited to customise, assemble, personalise or co-create, they’re doing more than interacting with a product. They’re investing a little of themselves in it. That participation can turn a simple transaction into a sense of ownership - and ownership into attachment.
For marketers and brand leaders, the lesson is compelling: sometimes the strongest connection with a brand isn’t created by what you give customers, but by what you allow them to create with you.
At Oxford College of Business, we explore the thinking behind the brands people don’t just buy but become emotionally invested in.
