The Bipolar Consumer

One trend my firm follows is what we call consumer dissonance.

Consumers are breaking all of the conventional rules of shopping behavior. The same consumer shopping at Costco is also taking luxury spa vacations. And they have a Hummer H3 sitting next to a Toyota Prius in the driveway.

You get the idea.

“I’m So Sick of You “
This trend also applies online. Consider the YOU Fad Trend. The power of one has become obvious with the emergence of citizen marketing. It reinforces the value of, and need for, authenticity. It even comes with a backlash (courtesy of TIME Magazine).

Get A Second Life
Now while I want to express myself and maintain my individuality through social media, I may want to do the exact opposite in a virtual world. Take Second Life for example. The ability to fly and teleport is standard and avatar customization is encouraged. Brands mirroring their real world presence in SL are missing the point of virtual worlds. One SL member I’ve talked with notes “SL is an extension of me, not a duplication.”

What’s my point? One size never fits all in marketing. Whether planning for real worlds or virtual ones—how well do you know your consumer?

The choice is yours uploaded by squacco

tags | consumer trends | authenticity | Second Life

Comments

[DofAM]

I think the Prius is to justify the Hummer. It's OK, I drive the Prius for highway triops, or something like that. Great entry.

GL