Summary notes
- Goods/services as a representation of who you are.
- We judge others by material possessions.
- Consumption creates and maintains identities.
- Identity is the subjective concept of how an individual views themselves.
- Identities depend on different social situations.
- We consume to reinforce or establish a role.
- Consumers are unaware.
- Human identities are shaped by lot's of factors.
- Humans use social categorisation and social comparison.
- The perception of others is often affected by people's material possessions, while classification of objects can be influenced by marketing and advertising.
- Brand and product link to what others are like.
- Social comparison is driven by a need to maintain and increase positive self-esteem.
- Purchasing the right kind of products / services can make you feel part of a group.
- Downward social comparisons.
- Upward comparison - 'ideal images'.
- Material goods have meaning.
- Brands / products can be symbols - communication.
- Meaning from marketing - reinforced from social environment.
- The self is modified by human interaction.
- Symbols constructed through social activities.
- Imaging how we are seen by others.
- Products / brands act as tools for make-believe identities.
- Learn through observation of others / media / interaction with others / objects.
- People chose what to consume and what not to consume.
- Groups use consumption to signal they belong together.
- Narcissistic tendencies linked with expensive products that are highly desirable.
- Self-fulfilling prophecy.
- Physical and psychological problems linked to identity.
- Barbie dolls creating role model for young children.
- Using realistic images to promote can have a positive effect.
- Dove's 'real beauty' campaign was really successful.
There is lots of evidence to suggest that humans judge others by their material possessions, consumption has created and maintains identities. We consume to reinforce how we want to be perceived or to establish a role. Products / services show an ‘ideal image’, they act as symbols to communicate a message to the rest of society, whether that is that you are wealthy, beautiful or cool etc. They can categorise consumers into groups, by seeing what products or services someone uses there is a strong link this informs their identity.
‘Narcissists wish others to see them as special and superior’ they buy expensive products that are highly desirable so that others will envy them. Consumers choose what to consume and what not to consume, that is related to their beliefs, if they know a certain product is related to something that they don’t want to stand for they will avoid that product. Consumers can create a self-fulfilling prophecy where they can alter the way people perceive them just by consuming the ‘right’ kind of products.
Physical and psychological problems are linked to identity, when people make upward comparisons to ‘ideal images’ it can cause distress, that ideal is usually heavily edited though Photoshop, but the individual still aspires to look like that because they have come to believe that is the way you should look. Even within children ideals are created such as
Barbie dolls which become a role model, and they soon aspire to look like that even though it isn’t humanly possible.
Using realistic images to promote products / services can have a positive effect as it makes people feel better about themselves as they can more closely compare. Dove’s ‘real beauty’ campaign used ordinary women to promote a range of products, this was successful as people connected with it and it seemed to make people feel better about themselves.
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