The Netflix documentary ‘Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy’ is a perfect addition to my research because it directly shows how big corporations trick us into buying things we don’t actually need. The film doesn’t just talk about corporate greed; it explains the entire system designed to keep us trapped in a cycle of spending. What I found most interesting were the interviews with former marketing insiders; they openly admit to the psychological tricks they used to manipulate the public.
A major theme in the film is ‘planned obsolescence.’ This is something we all experience—like when a smartphone suddenly slows down after an update or a t-shirt falls apart after three washes. The documentary shows that this isn’t an accident. It started decades ago with the ‘Phoebus Cartel,’ where lightbulb manufacturers agreed to shorten the lifespan of bulbs so people would have to buy them more often. Today, this has become an industry standard. As a designer, this is a huge realization for me because I can see how design is often used to mask the poor quality of a product.
The film also does a great job of breaking down the psychology behind branding. Marketing isn’t just selling a product; it’s selling an emotion. They use brain research to figure out which colors, fonts, or messages—like ‘limited time offer’ or ‘huge sale’—trigger a sense of urgency in us. This creates a literal addiction to shopping. I realized that ads are basically selling a perfect version of ourselves that we will supposedly ‘become’ if we buy that item. It’s pure emotional manipulation, making us feel incomplete without the latest stuff.
I was especially hit by the part about the environmental disaster. The documentary visually shows massive landfills in poorer countries where all the clothes and electronics we throw away end up. It reminded me of what I saw in the ‘Terrapija 3.0’ project and the ‘Dobra ekonomija’ series. The film also warns about ‘greenwashing’—where companies use ‘natural’ and minimalist design aesthetics to look eco-friendly while they are actually still polluting the planet.
In my opinion, this movie is a ‘must-watch’ for any designer. It helps us realize how much responsibility we have when we create visual messages. The film inspired me to explore more in my own project how design can be more honest and help people see through these marketing tricks. Instead of design just being a tool to help someone sell more products, it should be used for education and making people think. For me, this documentary was a visual alarm that confirms my thesis: we need to stop playing by the rules of this ‘shopping conspiracy’ and start designing for real needs instead of manufactured desires.
Disclaimer: AI used
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34350086
https://www.netflix.com/title/81554996
