Wilson, Jonathan A.J. (2014) Inconspicuous branded consumption is the new business buzzword in retail. The Huffington Post.

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Abstract

As strange as it may sound, being seen to be inconspicuous is on the rise.

The article offers a selection of case examples that highlight a shift in how we are behaving as consumers, and what businesses are doing to meet our needs in a climate of austerity.

Previously, economists have coined the term the 'lipstick effect' to describe consumers' desire to increase their purchase of goods, like lipstick and chocolate, when faced with an economic or social crisis. Within this context, these less costly items assume the status of being viewed as luxuries. They are strictly non-essential, but nevertheless important to us - making us feel better, and we use them as markers to judge the quality of our lives.

What is particularly interesting, is this idea that the choices we are making are not so much about frugality, or just simply feeling good; but they are more about a sort of thriftiness spearheaded through the use of social media - that allows us still to enjoy those little luxuries with an element of secrecy and desired inconspicuousness. Larger social networks and hyper-communication have made us more sensitive of the spaces and opinions around us.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	inconspicuous consumption, inconspicuous branding, consumer behaviour, lipstick effect, mipsters, austerity, retail, online shopping, consumer spending, social media
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HF Commerce H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Business > Department of Marketing, Events & Tourism
Related URLs:	Publisher
Last Modified:	14 Oct 2016 09:26
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/11167

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