Techniques of Manipulation

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A friend of mine was selling Vodka before Xmas and advertised this on his facebook status.
All the enquires that followed, many of them that formed a long list were on the lines of 'What brand is it' (it wasn't looking good).
Being anti-brand and knowing what the Vodka was I wrote "Branding is a short cut to decision making, advertisers target easily influenced people to make them believe the brand superiour, but it's just the same stuff, different bottle" Well people were falling overthemselves wanting to be quick to prove they weren't 'easily influenced' and his next comments were "I'll have 8 bottles" and "Put me down for 4" "I'll order 3 thanks" sales increased 200%..
Of course it was orchestrated, I do stuff for his business, but I am ethical in my designs.. Many are not.

I am wondering if others have any similar stories of either being manipulated or devising and putting into practive techniques of this type.

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Another one which was disclosed to me: This guy upon meeting new women would tell them a story of how much he loved his x-girlfriend, he'd go on and on with sentences like "God I loved her" he did this with one intention, to make it known to the new women he was capable of such love. Which he belived endeared women to him, made them believe he'd love them with the same depth and conviction. But in his own admittance, he'd never been in love! This technique he believed worked wonders on woooing women.