Consume, consume, consume. What does consuming consist of? Why is it such a significant part of our lives? And most importantly, what does it say about us as people, communities, and a society at large?
We can all admit that we buy too many things. And for some of us, we see patterns where we purchase things. Certain brands tickle our fancy more than others, but no matter what we all consume items at a rapidly high rate in our modern world.
There are even some of us, who can admit to being overwhelmingly obsessed with a certain brand. These types of consumers are so tightly wound up with an “x” brand that they must have the latest items they put out on the market. Once these products are released, they are instantly inclined to consume them, a feeling that cannot be let go or brushed aside, but only fulfilled.
This is consumerism. This is a culture that most Americans have adopted during their lifetimes. The term that coins such a culture with such people is called consumer culture. Steven Miles, the writer of “Consumer Culture” within The Oxford Bibliographies explains consumer culture to be a “form of material culture facilitated by the market, which thus creates a particular relationship between the consumer and the goods and services he or she uses or consumes” (Par. 1).
The connection between consumer culture and the market is key here. If it weren’t for the constant production of goods and services within the market, individuals would not be able to act as consumers. And with technological innovation over the past 20 years, consumer culture has grown significantly, exceeding rates of consumerism to the highest level in history. This type of behavior is seemingly alarming, yet so fascinating to think about. It can be perceived as an addiction and this is why:
Due to the need to establish one’s identity and conformity to culture at large, consumerism is coined as an ‘addictive pill’. A pill that controls our society and drives our Capitalistic economy, put forth by the American government who has instigated and propelled consumerism addiction since the earliest years of humanity. As a byproduct, the business industry has excelled, continuously creating subsets of the industry, like that of the brand partnerships sector, which deals with the co-branding of 2 dominating brands within the market.
Questions of what consumerism tells us about our culture are probably at the forefront of our brains at the moment: Why is everyone so superficial? Do we only value material goods to foster meaning and happiness within our lives?
The simple answer is yes, explains Don Slater, publisher of Consumer Culture and Modernity. Slater believes that culture and consumerism act in unison, where one is dependent on the other, creating a continuous, repetitive cycle. He states that “culture goes beyond mere influence, it actually constitutes the needs, objects, and practices of consumption (84). This type of “constitution” of culture propelling consumption establishes the meaning of culture to the individuals that live within it.
The basic need to acquire goods to eat, entertain, and function as beings are the root of the consumption. And then as one continues to consume beyond basic need for survival, they are effectively establishing a sense of identity and place within culture. For lack of better terms, they are “keeping up with the Joneses”.
As humans, we all naturally feel the need to fit it. While conformity can be seen as a negative, it is ultimately something that allows us to connect with those around us through meaningful friendships and relationships. In fact, Gerda Reith, publisher within The British Journal of Sociology, explores important implications of consumption in her work called the Consumption and its discontents: addiction, identity, and the problems of freedom. Reith identifies a paradox most consumers experience within states of liberalism and freedom. She believes that consumers are free to choose the lifestyle and identity which they prefer within the marketed options, however they are simultaneously torn to mold their “subjective states and inner desires in accordance with cultural norms and social institutions” (285). Therefore, most consumers are free and able to establish their own within culture, however if they do not align with cultural norms, they are at the cost of being identified as an “other” by those who conform.
Overall, establishing our identity is an essential process of being and it is interconnected to consumer culture, specifically targeting the items we consume that act as the building blocks of our DNA within society. The severity to which we consume in fact turns into an addiction. An addiction that Reith continues to identify as she explores the concept of the individual being “consumed by consumption”, ultimately being “self destroyed”(285).
It is both an internal and external experience for consumers. Externally, there are certain values, attributes, and norms that are put forth within culture. They are then reacted into internal battles to live up to/mold into. Reith explores this duality within consumer addiction to be both “destructive and enslaving, but also one with creative possibilities” (286). When done right, one can align themselves with cultural norms in their own unique way. Mixing authenticity and social expectations can allow for a greater understanding of oneself under a creative lens. On the other hand, when done incorrectly, one can fall victim to consumer destruction - neglecting their authenticity for pure conformity. It is up to each individual to execute this balancing act, as there are no set rules or directions to follow that breaks down the perfect combination of consumerism and constructing identity.
As consumerism acts as an “addictive pill” within culture to establish one’s identity, it also acts as the main driver of our economy. In order for the economy to do well, there needs to be a balance of producing and consuming. At the forefront of consuming, there needs to be a need or a want, and this is where consumerism comes into play. As the economy has grown and evolved over time, the market has been ever-changing and evergreen, as a main tactic to scale growth upwards. Of course, with growth comes crashes, but Deborah Davis, author of Urban Consumer Culture, defines sustained economic growth to be “dependent and dramatically increased on discretionary consumer purchases”, so things like “branded foodstuffs, pop-music videos and fashion” (692).
In order for the market to keep this “sustained growth”, it is crucial for the market’s products and brands to align with cultural ebbs and flows. For example, with the rise of sustainability and eco-friendly footprints, consumers are increasingly showing support and loyalty to brands that align with these values. Therefore, fashion brands like Patagonia, food brands like Beyond Meat, and pop-star artists like Billie Eilish, have all gained popularity due to their alignment with cultural values surrounding such environmental activism. With such services and goods that these three examples provide for the market, consumers are continuously addicted to hopping on the newest brands that align with the identified cultural trend.
With this importance of consumption and materialism at large, it is specifically important to attribute the heightened sense of both things to the rise of technology. Due to this innovation within the tech industry, mostly that of Silicon Valley, the market has shifted gears towards an online presence. E-commerce has allowed for more consumption, one that is so efficient and easily accessible on a global scale. In fact, The United Nation News declared the global e-commerce to hit $26.7 trillion dollars during the COVID-19 pandemic (Par. 1).
This total purchasing power on a global scale identifies the materialism that lies within all cultures worldwide. It is a materialism that goes hand in hand with the consumer addiction that propels both cultural and personal identity.
Tim Dant, author of Material Civilization: things and society, believes that like all other animals with nature, us as human animals have inhabited our own nature within a “material environment”. And with the rise and integration of technology, there is a “rapidly changing material environment by many humans, especially those in the densely inhabited parts of the industrialized world”. In fact, Dant determines that this material environment has accumulated so many followers due to the inclusivity of technology, that the involvement and diversity of the overall material environment is “greater than at any time in the past” (290).
Such materialism that excels the material environment that we inhabit is deeply rooted in the success of our economy. With more technological growth, comes more consumerism, which in turn contributes to more economic growth. It’s a multi-segmented and intertwined system between cultures, societies, brands, and the economic market, that our American Capitalistic government supports and excels.
As a result, technological growth has exceeded the success of many companies, allowing them to grow bigger than ever before. When one consumes the products or services from these companies, they are identifying themselves with the brand. Apple for example, is one of the biggest and most successful tech companies on the market, and their customer base is quite large as a byproduct. When one buys Apple products they are aligning themselves with the brand as a tech savvy individual with the latest, hip tech products on the market.
As a way to grow new audiences, these types of companies are co-branding with other companies. This idea of co-branding has established a new sector within the business industry called brand partnerships. The benefits of these brand partnerships include that of a bigger audience, a broader social buzz, a chance to diversify the brand and add value, an opportunity to alter or enhance a brand’s perception, as well as the benefit of sharing of both two brands ' resources. It is essentially an opportunity to expand a company and to align loyal customers with those of another brand on the market. Due to the consumer identity associated with certain brands, it is essential to co-brand with companies with “similar ideals that help keep each brand bring out the best in each other” (Brown).
The consumer and materialistic culture that has controlled the market, has allowed for the emergence of co-branding. For instance, Apple has a strong relationship with the real-estate developer, Caruso. While it is not an obvious co-branding opportunity, Caruso is one of the top-tier developers in Southern California. The strong presence and best in class position Caruso has within the real-estate market is evidently enough an indicator for Apple to co-brand with them. Their brand partnership business is presented at The Grove, in the heart of Los Angeles - one of Caruso’s most successful developments.
This Caruso location includes a family room space, specifically for the young children of the family-oriented shoppers that roam the space. In order to enhance the development and user-ability of such a family room, Caruso has decided to co-brand with Apple. Within the space, Apple has drawn up large vinyl wall decals of their current kid-friendly tv-shows and movies. Apple is also able to play their content on each of the tvs that exist within the space. And even during holidays, Apple is able to showcase live events within the space to enhance their customer engagement and following during the holiday season - which is where a hefty sum of their sales lie.
By and large, the co-branding between Caruso and Apple is a strategic business plan for both parties. The relationship between them furthers both brands' customer loyalty, brand image, and overall dominance within the market. What is important to acknowledge, is the key driver and operator of such brand partnerships - the consumer. Due to the demand and need for Apple products and services, partnerships are exponentially growing with desirable, aligning brands like Caruso. Ultimately, consumerism is the core and heart of the brand partnerships industry. As digital innovations have pursued like that of social media platforms and online e-commerce sites, advertising and branding as a whole has been a key component to the exceptional success and growth of dominant companies within the marketplace.
In total, consumerism drives a materialistic world for us all. Due to the need of fitting in and identifying one’s integrity within an ever changing culture, consuming is perceived as a continuous addictive process or “pill” that cannot be broken or quit. Key indicators like that of technological innovation, have furthered such consumption to rapid rapids on a global scale. In turn, businesses have continued to produce better products as well as develop new sectors within their branding and advertising sectors, like that of brand partnerships, to further the consumption of their products and goods. Each feature discussed influences another in a deeper, more complex way, changing the course of our environment, cultures, and humanity as a whole.
Referenced Sources:
Comments