Consumers Rule

1
The Self Chapter 5
2
Perspectives on the Self

• We buy products to highlight/hide aspects of the
  self
• Does the self exist?
• Collective self vs. independent/unique self

3
Self-Concept

• The beliefs a person holds about his/her own
  attributes, and how he/she evaluates these
  qualities
• Very complex structure of attributes
• Attribute dimensions content, positivity,
  intensity, stability over time, and accuracy

4
Self-Esteem

• The positivity of a persons self-concept
• Low vs. high self-esteem
• Acceptance by others
• Social comparison
• Marketers attractive models using their products

5
Discussion

• Self-esteem advertising products provide remedy
  to low self-esteem
• Think about/locate examples of self-esteem
  advertising.
• Evaluate the probable effectiveness of these
  appeals. Is it true that flattery gets you
  everywhere?

6
Real and Ideal Selves

• Ideal self vs. actual self
• Comparison influences self-esteem
• Ideal self is molded by consumers culture
• Products
• can help us reach ideal self
• can be consistent with actual self

7
Fantasy

• Many successful products appeal to consumers
  fantasies
• allowing us to try on interesting roles
• Personal websites projection of self

8
Multiple Selves

• Each of us has many selves/roles
• Situation-dependent
• Role identities
• Marketers pitch products needed to facilitate an
  active role identity

9
Symbolic Interactionism

• Relationships with others play a large part in
  forming the self
• Symbolic environment
• Shared meanings
• Our possessions define who we are
• Self-fulfilling prophecy
• Acting the way we assume others expect of us

10
Looking-Glass Self

• Taking the role of the other
• Can vary depending on
• Whose perspective we are taking
• How accurate our predictions are of their
  evaluations of us
• Self-fulfilling prophecy

11
Self-Consciousness

• Awareness of self
• Public self-consciousness
• Self-monitoring
• High vs. low self-monitors

12
Consumption Self-Concept

• Identity marketing
• Turok, baby boy Iuma, Harley Davidson tattoo
• Product consumption as definition of the self
• Discussion Construct a consumption biography
  of a friend, family member, or classmate.
• Make a list of his/her most favorite possessions,
  and see if you or others can describe this
  persons personality just from the information
  provided by this catalogue.

13
You Are What You Consume

• Social identity as individual consumption
  behaviors
• Who am I now?to some extent, your possessions!
• Inference of personality based on consumption
  patterns
• Attachment to product as it maintains
  self-concept
• Symbolic self-completion theory

14
Self/Product Congruence

• Self-image congruence models
• Cognitive matching of products self
• Ideal self relevance vs. actual self relevance

15
The Extended Self

• External objects that we consider a part of us
• You are what you drive wear
• Japanese business cards
• Levels of extended self
• Individual
• Family
• Community
• Group

ALLMYLIFEFORSALE.COM
16
Sex Roles

• Sexual identity is very important to the
  consumers self-concept
• Gender differences in consumption situations
• E.g., food preferences of men vs. women

17
Gender Socialization

• Advertising reinforces gender expectations
• Gender roles vary by culture/nation
• but do change/evolve over time
• Agentic vs. communal goals
• E.g., Mattels building toy called Ello

18
Gender vs. Sexual Identity

• Gender role identity body mind
• Biological gender vs. sex-typed traits
• Masculinity femininity
• Many products are sex-typed
• They take on masculine feminine attributes
• Princess telephones
• Thors Hammer vodka

19
Androgyny

• Possession of both masculine feminine traits
• Androgynous people function well in social
  situations
• Sex-role orientation responses to marketing
  stimuli
• Females more sensitive to pieces of info
• Men consider overall themes
• Sex-typed people
• Non-traditional male (NTM) tendencies

20
Female Sex Roles

• New managerial class of women
• Has forced marketers to reexamine strategies
• Sporting goods, car accessories, and electronics
  products for women

21
Male Sex Roles

• Masculinism
• Three models of masculinity
• Breadwinner
• Rebel
• Man-of-action hero
• Misandry

22
Male Sex Roles (Contd)

• Grooming products for men
• Metrosexual
• David Beckham
• Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
• Prosumers/urban influentials

23
Discussion

• The metrosexual is a big buzzword in marketing,
  but is it real or just media hype?
• Do you see men in your age group changing their
  ideas about acceptable interests for males (e.g.,
  home design, cooking, etc.)?

24
GLBT Consumers

• 4-8 of U.S. population
• Equivalent to Asian American market
• Spends 250-350 billion a year
• Simmons study compared to heterosexual markets,
  readers of gay publications are more likely to
• Hold professional jobs
• Own a vacation home
• Own a notebook computer

25
Body Image

• A consumers subjective evaluation of his/her
  physical self
• Body Cathexis

26
Ideals of Beauty

• Exemplar of appearance
• What is beautiful is good stereotype
• Favorable physical features
• Attractive faces
• Good health and youth
• Balance/symmetry
• Feminine curves/hourglass body shape
• Strong male features

27
The Western Ideal

• Skin color eye shape status, sophistication,
  and social desirability
• Less powerful cultures adopt standards of beauty
  in dominant cultures
• Plastic surgery to obtain
• big round eyes, tiny waists, large breasts,
  blond hair, and blue eyes

28
Discussion

• How prevalent is the Western ideal of beauty
  among your peers?
• How do you see this ideal evolving now (if at
  all)?

29
Ideals of Beauty Over Time

• Specific looks/ideals of beauty
• Early 1800s delicate/looking ill appearance,
  18-inch waistline (use of corsets)
• 1890s voluptuous, lusty woman
• Bad economy mature features vs. good economy
  babyish features
• 1990s waif look
• Modern women high heels, body waxing, eyelifts,
  liposuction

30
Ideals of Beauty Over Time (Contd)

• Media marketing communicate standards of beauty
• Barbie dolls unnatural ideal of thinness
• Plus-sized apparel market
• Strongly masculine, muscled body for men

31
Working on the Body

• Products/services promise to alter physical
  self/self-concept
• Fattism (worldwide)
• Increasing worldwide obesity rates
• Discussion Should fast-food restaurants be
  liable if customers sue them for contributing to
  their obesity?

32
Body Image Distortions

• To some, body quality reflects self-worth
  (particularly among women)
• Distorted body image is linked to eating
  disorders among females
• Body dysmorphic disorder males
• Steroid scandals
• GI Joe/Batman action figures

33
Cosmetic Surgery

• Changing a poor body image or to enhance
  appearance
• TV Nip/Tuck Extreme Makeover
• Breast Augmentation
• Perception that breast size sex appeal

34
Body Decoration Mutilation

• Decorating the self
• Separates group members from nonmembers
• Places the individual in the social organization
• Provides a sense of security
• Tattoos body piercing
• Historically associated with social outcasts
• Now a fashion statement