Consumers Rule

1
The Self Chapter 5
2
Perspectives on the Self

• Does the Self Exist?
• 1980s called the Me Decade
• March 7th designated Self Day by Self magazine
• Western societies emphasize uniqueness of self.
• Collective self Eastern cultures belief that a
  persons identity is derived from his or her
  social group.
• Mien-Tzu (face) Confucian belief that
  reputation is achieved through success and
  ostentation

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

• Self-esteem
• Refers to the positivity of a persons
  self-concept.
• Social Comparison
• A process by which consumers evaluate themselves
  by comparing themselves with others (particularly
  comparisons with idealized images of people in
  advertising)
• Self-esteem Advertising
• Attempts to change product attitudes by
  stimulating positive feelings about the self.

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 Idealized Selves

• Ideal Self
• A persons conception of how he or she would like
  to be
• Partially molded by elements of a consumers
  culture
• Actual Self
• A persons realistic appraisal of the qualities
  he or she does and does not possess
• Fantasy Bridging the Gap between the Selves
• Fantasy A self-induced shift in consciousness
• Fantasy appeals Marketing communications aimed
  at individuals with a large discrepancy between
  their real and ideal selves

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Fantasy Appeals
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Multiple Selves

• Role Identities
• Different components of the self
• Symbolic Interactionism
• Stresses that relationships with other people
  play a large part in forming the self
• Self-fulfilling prophecy By acting the way we
  assume others expect us to act, we wind up
  confirming these perceptions
• The Looking-Glass Self
• The process of imagining the reactions of others
  toward us

9
Self-Consciousness

• Self-Consciousness
• A painful awareness of oneself magnified by the
  belief that others are intently watching.
• Public Self-Consciousness
• A heightened concern about the nature of ones
  public image
• Results in more concern about the appropriateness
  of products and consumption activities
• Self Monitoring
• Awareness of how one presents oneself in a social
  environment

10
The Extended Self

• Extended Self
• External objects that consumers consider a part
  of themselves
• Four Levels of the Extended Self
• (1) Individual Level Personal possessions
• (2) Family Level Residence and furnishings
• (3) Community Level Neighborhood or town one is
  from
• (4) Group Level Social groups
• A consumer may also feel that landmarks,
  monuments, or sports teams are part of the
  extended self.

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Advertisements Extending the Self

• This Italian ad demonstrates that our favorite
  products are part of the extended self.

12
Sex Roles

• Sex Identity
• An important component of a consumers self
  concept
• Gender Differences in Socialization
• Agentic goals (Males) Stress self assertion and
  mastery
• Communal goals (Females) Stress affiliation and
  fostering of harmonious relations

13
Satirical Ad of Exploitation

• This French shoe ad pokes fun at ads that demean
  women by proclaiming No womans body was
  exploited in the making of this advertisement.

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Sex Roles (cont.)

• Gender Versus Sexual Identity
• Sex-Typed Traits Characteristics stereotypically
  associated with gender
• Sex-Typed Products
• Many products are sex-typed (i.e., they take on
  masculine or feminine attributes and are
  associated with gender)
• Androgyny
• Refers to the possession of both masculine and
  feminine traits
• Sex-typed people Stereotypically masculine or
  feminine
• Androgynous people Mixed gender characteristics

15
Culturally Bound Sex Roles

• This ad for Bijan illustrates how sex-role
  identities are culturally bound by contrasting
  the expectations of how women should appear in
  two different countries.

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Sex Roles (conc.)

• Female Sex Roles
• Female sex roles are still evolving
• Male Sex Roles
• Masculinism The study of the male image and the
  cultural meanings of masculinity
• Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT)
  Consumers
• GLBT population is an attractive segment to
  marketers
• The 1990s saw big corporations actively court
  this market segment

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Male Sex Roles

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

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Male Sex Roles (Contd)

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

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Reinforcing Gender Stereotypes

• This ad rebels somewhat against political
  correctness by reinforcing gender stereotypes.

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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.)?

21
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

22
Body Image

• Body Image
• Refers to a consumers subjective evaluation of
  his or her physical self
• Body Cathexis
• A persons feelings about his or her body
• Ideal of Beauty
• A particular model, or exemplar, of appearance

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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

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Discussion

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

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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

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Beauty Ideals in the 1950s

• This 1951 bathing beauty exemplified an ideal of
  American femininity at that time.

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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

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Working on the Body

• Fattism
• Our society is obsessed with weight
• Body Image Distortions
• Womens ideal figure is much thinner than their
  actual figure
• Anorexia Starving oneself in a quest for
  thinness
• Bulimia Binge eating followed by purging
  (vomiting, laxatives, fasting, or
  over-exercising)
• Body dysmorphic disorder An obsession with
  perceived flaws in appearance

29
Unrealistic Body Shape Expectations

• This ad for an online weight-loss site drives
  home the idea that the media often communicate
  unrealistic expectations about body shape.

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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

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Distorted Body Image
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Discussion Question

• In this advertisement, it is insinuated that this
  models physique was achieved partially through
  drinking milk. (Notice that the model is so thin
  you can see her ribs.)
• Is her physique really ideal? What kind of
  distorted message is this sending to young girls
  about body image?

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Working on the Body (cont.)

• Cosmetic Surgery
• Consumers are increasing electing to have
  cosmetic surgery to change a poor body image or
  enhance appearance.
• Men are increasingly having cosmetic surgery
  too.
• Breast Augmentation
• Our culture tends to equate breast size with sex
  appeal.
• Some women have breast augmentation procedures
  because they feel larger breasts will increase
  their allure.

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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