Automobile and Consumerism
The automobile has completely revolutionized consumer culture. From being a novel invention that very few could afford to own, to becoming the number one purchased product in the United States, the automobile has not only changed the way that individuals travel independently, it has also altered the advertising industry. Advertising is the mechanism by which consumers are able to become aware of the products that are being made and sold (Pricken, 2004). This has in turn created a culture based on materialism and consumerism. Individuals are now purchasing items that are not necessarily essential, but they are presented in a way that allows consumers to believe that their lives would not be able to function appropriately without them. When it comes to the automobile, the techniques are no different. In modern, developed countries, the automobile is as common as having a bicycle. It is heavily relied on to do just about everything. Households in these countries often have more than one vehicle for their family. Advertising for this product has not only allowed for this revolution to occur in the first place -- it continues to feed it.
In order to appeal to a wider crowd and to get a product sold, the correct persuasive techniques need to be implemented. A popular technique used is association and it takes advantage of a celebrity's status (Pricken, 2004). Celebrities are pop culture symbols, therefore becoming part of the consumerism that has engulfed people. Actress Kate Walsh has advertised for Cadillac on numerous occasions (Cameronsfx, 2008). This advertising has helped Cadillac sell their automobiles, while maintaining the idea that they are in touch with popular culture. Choosing a celebrity signifies that a product has already reached a status that have celebrities willing to put their names on the product. When celebrities are chosen to sponsor an item it makes people think that they can be just like these celebrities if one were to purchase the item that the celebrity is vouching for. This puts more emphasis on the status that the automobile will bring you, instead of the practical uses that it may have had.
Another technique used in advertising is appealing to normal people and also convincing them to join the crowd, through a technique called bandwagon (Pricken,...
There are more BMW's and Porches being driven than Maserati. Position as a unique and superb driving machine, and extension of personality. Never call it a car. Brand leadership -- Emphasize hand crafted and unmatched quality. Brand has been known for decades as unmatchable. Head on positioning -- Emphasis on not really an apples-to-apples comparison; emphasize specs and luxury differences. FOCUS on innovation. Use statistics of the number of BMW and
Until that time, the lower classes, as they were known, would produce most of what they needed at their own homes, and the upper classes would simply employ the lower classes to produce whatever goods they needed and subsequently purchase them, or employ craftsmen to produce 'quality' goods that were usually required by noblemen. (Elemental Economics: Intermediate Microeconomics) There were also firms that would purchase goods and services and these
" (Walker, 1999) the gas crisis caused that particular market sector to almost completely vanish, and the need for increased efficiency shifted power in the automotive industry away from designers and into the hands of engineers. Detroit tried one last time to introduce small cars to the American public, but this attempt was far less successful than all others before it. GM created the Chevrolet Vega, and Ford had the
The process would then need to continue so that the changes that can be seen in the environment can also affect the changes in entry strategies. Environmental factors, economic factors, political/legal factors, social/cultural factors and also technological factors should all be considered. The legal factors that need to be addressed include issues in employee law, monopolies and mergers legislation, environmental protection laws, and wider issues such as foreign trade regulations.
"Lady Gaga in part because she keeps us guessing about who she, as a woman, really is. She has been praised for using her music and videos to raise this question and to confound the usual exploitative answers provided by 'the media'… Gaga's gonzo wigs, her outrageous costumes, and her fondness for dousing herself in what looks like blood, are supposed to complicate what are otherwise conventionally sexualized performances"
Flapper Movement The Effect of the Flappers on Today's Women The 1920's in the U.S. And UK can be described as a period of great change, both socially and economically. During this period the image of the women completely changed and a "new women" emerged who appears to have impacted social changes occurring in future generations of both men and women. This new symbol of the women was the Flapper. The Flapper
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