The Pursuit of Happiness

Quest or Personal Meaning

• The more connected we are, the lonelier we feel. We cultivate a paradox between our desire for individualism and loneliness.
• Brands must help consumers form and sustain meaningful relationships.

We’ve been pursuing happiness for 2,500 years. Philosophers, theologians, psychologists, economists, marketers, self-help gurus, Hollywood, Broadway, and just about everyone else have been trying to find out what makes happy people happy. Although we all search for happiness, we often have a hard time describing what happiness looks like. An exotic vacation? Sharing dinner with family? Buying a new handbag? A bigger house? Happiness is not just a positive mood, but rather an overall state of well-being that involves pleasure, engagement, deep satisfaction, and a sense of meaning. However, if we obsess too much on finding happiness, we might miss the joy from the little things in life that bring us pleasure and contentment.

In his book – Brand Hacks – Ipsos’ Emmanuel Probst discusses the psychology of happiness.

Read the full excerpt here.

Or learn more about why we take selfies...