Consumerism and marketing is a funny thing. Producers want you to buy more stuff than you actually. The essence of consumerism is buying NEW stuff before the old really needs to be replaced.

But to do this companies needed a new sales pitch, because throwing away perfectly good stuff makes no sense at all.

Edward Bernays - Sigmund Freuds nephew - told manufacturers to appeal to our lower and irrational instincts (based on his uncles discoveries). So the idea was to make you feel good about wasting stuff - to make you enjoy a certain brand or good, because it made you a better person.

So people would buy a car endorsed by Mr Spock - because they want to be like him - although it is highly illogical.