The Things People Will Buy

Trends will come and go just like they always have. One trend going around the sports community is Power Balance. Power Balance products, specifically their bracelets, have made a real splash. These bracelets contain a hologram that is supposed to react with a person’s body to make them perform better in some way or another.

The way they attract so many people is the fact that Power Balance have paid celebrities including Shaquille O’Neal and Lamar Odom to endorse the product. That is all there is to the bracelets. According to the frequently asked questions page of www.powerbalance.com, the Power Balance company doesn’t even completely believe in their product with round about answers like “they react differently to every person” and that users have “experienced benefits” from the product.

Different studies you can find online show that it is a placebo. It will affect your skills at basketball just as much as wearing a Chris Paul jersey would. If people want to buy a bracelet that will make them feel better about themselves that is their business.

The real crime about Power Balance is the cost. The Livestrong bracelets that came out in 2004 and became extremely popular were one dollar. They also raised money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation which helps improve lives affected by cancer. Power Balance wristbands are quite similar to the Livestrong bracelets. They are a little fancier than the yellow Livestrong bracelets. They come in many different colors and have different team names and logos on them with the Power Balance hologram (sticker). The cheapest Power Balance bracelet I could find on their website was $30 and they are a private company making huge profits.

This all brings up the question “How important are fads to you?” Personally you won’t see me wearing a $30 bracelet with a sticker on it anytime soon. Also, I hate Lamar Odom.