OUGD401 Study Task 3 - Reading and Understanding a Text

The module question I have chosen to look at is:

'What is the relationship between branding and the consumer self?'

The chosen text in relation to this question is called 'Consumerism as a way of life by Steven Miles'.

Tone of voice:

Within the text I found that the author took an even viewpoint on the argument of a design for life or consumption designed. It was a very informed piece of writing using lot's of different arguments and research with occasionally his added opinion to a specific persons view. I felt that the text was more about allowing yourself to form opinions and ask questions and leaving it up to the reader to make their own decisions on their view.

5 Key points:

1. Design has a key influence on capitalism and maintaining consumerism.
2. Design has become exposed as a counterproductive social trend. During the twentieth century design plays more of a role in the desirability and saleability of a product.
3. The variety of areas of consumption have extended to the consumer due to advance in technologies and social changes.
4. In the early days consumers were uneducated on style and taste and products were made for the purpose of speed and saving costs rather than style and status symbolism.
5. In the 1920's the focus of products began to be 'eye-appeal' aimed at continual stylistic change in order to raise sales and profits. Manufacturers noticed the economic benefits of this, that something goes 'out of fashion'.

5 Key quotes:

1. 'In effect, we have come to live in a post-materialist age where the superficiality of design for design's sake and, indeed, consumption for consumptions sake has been exposed for the counterproductive social trend it always was.'
2. 'For these new consumers appearance and life-style were becoming increasingly important and this pointed the way to products becoming a means of offering them style and social status which, in turn, called for increased product elaboration.'
3. 'Compulsory obsolescence is the foundation-stone of the modern design industry and involves the intentional design of products for a short-term use.'
4. 'A thriving economy and the fact consumers had more disposable income encouraged the development of an increasingly eclectic market-place.'
5. 'Style, and hence the meanings people invested in design, became a social value in it's own right.'