The film The Merchants of Cool really shocked me. I never knew there were experts that go out and find the “cool kids”, so that they can use them as trendsetters to sell procudts to other teenagers. However, although I was shocked, I must say that this film did answer questions I always have had. I always wondered why I would gradually see a trend more and more. For example, I would see one product at one store, or one person with a certain haircut. And then, within a few months, suddenly this product is everywhere or everyone is getting their hair cut this certain way. This has honestly always been something that has annoyed me because it seems like this takes away all originality that could exist. Some people prefer not to look like everybody else, and their style makes them unique. The fact that there are marketers stealing these unique styles to make billions off of them just really bothers me. I know of people that are constantly changing their style depending on what is “in” at the moment. You'll see pictures of them over the past few years and you will see their style slowly change until it is the epitome of the newest trend. To me, this is ridiculous and makes no sense, but apparently there are a lot of people doing this too because so much money is brought in from it.
If people want to follow the trends, then let it be. I don't meant to offend anyone, but, It just kills me that the marketing world knows that people will jump onto trends and profit from it while stripping other people of their indivuality.
Alexandria,
ReplyDeleteI thought it was really interesting how "cool" has been marketed as well. Thinking critically about the correlation between "cool" and consumerism can tell us a lot about the way trends are constructed and overall the way the market operates. Its interesting to see how trends that often have some level of "authenticity" or origin in a subculture can be quickly co-opted by corporate interests. urban Outfitters is a prime example of this. It is a global retail giant founded by a right-wing millionaire, and the company very effectively uses "cool" and "hip" as a marketing tool to sell their products.
If you are interested in more on "Hipsters" and consumerism, check this article out. Its def worth the read (or the listen in audio form).
http://www.adbusters.org/magazine/79/hipster.html
That article really has so much truth in it. The "hipster" generation really does nothing to change anything, but they think that just by being rebellious or different, they are making a change in the world. They are basically a "pleasure" generation. They try to act as if they are these free people, against corporations and money, yet their lifestyles and clothing show nothing of this sort. They are usually on iPhones, wearing nicely put together outfits, smoking cigarettes. The companies that make these products know that these hip people need these products to fit their image, so they specifically try to market to them.
ReplyDeleteI also love how the article kept bringing up cameras, because this is so true. So many "hipsters" are now involved with some sort of art form, even though they have never been interested in it in the past. This is just something else that they try to do to fit this "artsy, free" image they are going for.
Basically, this generation of hipsters is all about their image. The marketing world knows this, and so they can make a lot of money off of them. They don’t seem to care about any real issues.
I am just hoping this is just a trend and it will soon pass like all other trends.