Selling a Lifestyle

In response to the movie we watched in class, the documentary Merchants of Cool opened my eyes to the impact that advertising and advertisers have on the teenage mind. Even though the movie was old and a lot of the facts stated were outdated, I think that what they said still applies to the world we live in today. An example of this is how advertisers try and create a relationship with teenagers by emphasizing loyalty. Advertisers understand that teenagers are a big market and in order to understand them, they have to relate and think like them.

Something that the movie brought up that I think still applies to today is "marketing a lifestyle." Even in class during part 1 of the marketing analysis project, most of the ads were trying to sell a lifestyle. I think that it appeals to most teenagers because people want to feel like they are a part of something. If they see a commercial that tells you you can be happy all the time if you have this product, or you will be deemed as "cool" or "popular" if you have something, then the product is more likely to appeal to a larger audience which in this case is teenagers.

Being a teenager is an awkward time in a person's life when they are becoming an adult. It may be hard to find friends and people that have the same interests as you. With this new form of advertisement where advertisers appeal to you by selling a certain lifestyle, they are inviting you to be a part of a group that owns this product. An example of this is the Sprite concert in the documentary. With all of the rappers and people at the party, to the outside viewer, they would think that drinking Sprite would make them just like the rapper and the people at the party having a good time. Another example was how MTV virtually took over the teen TV. The documentary portrayed MTV has being a hotspot for all of the teen media imaginable. By watching MTV, you are living a lifestyle. This includes all of the parties and things featured on the channel.

Image result for surfing vans
In my opinion, I think that advertisers still do this today. The reason why this specific type of marketing is still being used by advertisers is because it works. Companies that use their products to embody not just the brand but a lifestyle behind it are the most successful. Take Vans for example. In their marketing, they film skateboarders doing tricks and surfing on the beach. This is desired by teenagers all throughout America. Teens want to have a relaxing lifestyle where they are on the beach all day long. And this brand appeals to all of those people.

It's not about the product anymore. To be successful you need to know how to sell not just a product but the desired lifestyle behind it.

Comments

  1. Hannah SanfordMay 20, 2019 at 9:02 PM

    I agree that lifestyles are being marketed much more than products are these days. Only well-known brands or products that have been around for many years get acknowledged in the public eye. How would a new brand build a lifestyle appealing enough to compete with these old brands? For example, Nike has associations with strength and athleticism like no other company. It sort of sucks that no new products are able to approach the market entirely effectively because of the fact that people don't focus on the product itself but the statement it makes about them. Converse are actually a crappy shoe, but people buy them because they are considered "cool". Interesting topic, Ben.

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