Introduction
We all have preferences; We opted for colors, for flavors, for affections, for sensations, but throughout our lives all this accumulation of choices evolves, or at least transforms, into more complex decisions. In effect, we are not the same when we are born as when we die, through our existence there are endless experiences that condition our ability to choose and make us see the surrounding reality in a different way. Innocence, love of the basics and essential pleasure leave room for much more sophisticated options that are activated after a summation of mechanisms hidden in our psyche.
This article deals precisely with this, to analyze the path that our thought goes through when choosing one or the other product, one or the other promise of satisfaction.
1. The first steps
When the human being is born, he has a basic demand that we could summarize in protection, care and food. Surely there will be more than one reader who will be thinking about many others, but as an example I think that these three points are enough. So, we could conjecture that this little being does not need anything more than the essential, which nature offers him in a generous way, without whims, without complex lattices, without questioning. The child does not look for another mother's breast because it tastes better or because the breast milk that the neighbor can provide has some type of superior vitamin component. A plus B equals C, and the circle of supply and demand manifests itself directly, spontaneously, and fully.
But of course, this world is not perfect and little by little the little beings are being conditioned by the adults, creating customs that are going to sow the seed of the model consumer. "I put sugar in my baby's bottle because it is tastier," says one mother, "if I don't put chocolate in their milk, they won't eat me breakfast," says another. And so, little by little, with tastes granted, with whims granted, with impositions of parents towards children, with demands of children towards parents, the first "tastes" are generated. He put the word "taste" in quotation marks because it will be neither more nor less a key factor in the future social life of individuals.
What gives them pleasure, what satisfies them, will distinguish them from their peers, will define to others their way of understanding reality and will allow them to create circles of relationship absolutely conditioned by those choices.
2) The essential is not invisible to the eye
To avoid going too far on the subject, we could say that after the idyllic stage of breastfeeding, the phase that I have dared to call "the beginning of sensory conditioning", or in any case "the preliminary acquisition of preferences", continues. In it the child begins to be much more aware of the sensory and emotional stimuli that his environment emits and, encouraged by him, he tastes flavors, classifies aromas, discovers qualities and thus defines what he likes and what he does not, weaving a Much more sophisticated mind map that will result in your consuming personality.
After the initial phase and until approximately 5 years old, the little one has as his main stimulator of desire his family circle, which as we said, perhaps unconsciously transfers his own preferences. This “sender / receiver” relationship begins to change as they grow as, although the child continues to be an attentive spectator to nearby stimuli, he begins to be encouraged by the media. Surely there will be more than one reader who will argue that the little one is already exposed to the messages emitted by radio, television, the Internet, etc., but it has been shown that until 5 years the child does not manage to relate the promises that they They communicate with their own wishes, and neither are they prepared to deduce whether these “invitations to enjoyment” are worth implementing.
In effect, the media are not going to allow the future "client" to stay out of the commercial circle and will begin to influence their vision of reality through a systematic, and not very subtle, use of discourse. Thus, television programs focused on the children's segment will download on the little one a diversity of messages tinged with an apparent innocence that, little by little, will convince him that his world, so far so balanced, is actually incomplete. They will lead you to think that your basic satisfaction of yesteryear will no longer be enough, and that in order to achieve true happiness you must begin to walk the path of consumption.
3. I want that, that and that
Of course, the little one does not know that living the life according to the media costs money, he is not very capable of understanding that a candy or a doll can only appear if the proper monetary transaction is carried out first. The boy is carried away by the message of that advertisement that says to him: "Go through the kiosk and buy the figurines NOW!", And the invitation is so seductive that it is logical to throw a tantrum at the impediment of the parents (or responsible adult) of committing said action. Those who have children know how annoying this type of situation becomes but, well, if you pay attention we would discover that everything, ALL of your world conspires to think of one thing: HAVE. And from that perspective, I think they deserve our share of tolerance. The dinosaur Plin Plin tells you that such yogurt is delicious,the tiger Boing tells him that with such cereal he is going to become strong like himself, Captain Centauro reminds him not to stop buying his lollipops because, in this way, he will live the best adventures of his life, etc, etc, etc. So much is the internal and external pressure generated, that they would be extraterrestrial beings if they did not manifest their dissatisfaction in a notorious way.
The media put pressure on the child, it is true, but it is also necessary to give a little credit to the environment that acts as a reinforcement of the communication apparatus of consumption. From the garden mates, who tempt you by showing you their recent acquisitions, to the family that, moved by love, takes the little one to fast food houses to make him live a pseudo festive experience, or offers him a nice walk through the shopping, temple supreme of self-satisfaction, it is generating in your psyche a progressive dependence on the action of having.
4. Games were the same as before
The 5-year-old gives way to being a consumer of 6, 7 or 8 years. The years that have passed undoubtedly reinforce the desire to acquire unnecessary objects, have refined their ability to play and experience sensations that far exceed the essential offer of their early times. I do not want to get into the romantic idea that every past time was better (although I must admit that I do think so), but for this analysis I think it is relevant to mention the unfortunate "evolution" that the game has undergone for new generations of children.
To be more clear, before fantasy was free, the little ones owned their world, they created it to their measure, they transformed it, their minds gave life or death to every imaginary being that threatened or secured their environment. That mental exercise, a great generator of sensory and emotional growth, did not depend on the launch of the new virtual games that large corporations produce each season. The media, companies, marketing, and perhaps society as a whole, have brought much of the playful experience to an economic conditioning where fun is only guaranteed if you have the necessary resources. Indeed, the innocence of yesteryear gave way to a new relationship between the young individual and his environment, which would have nothing wrong if it were not for accessing it,it is necessary to be a "more evolved" consumer.
5. His majesty of consumption: adolescence
Leave your impulse to buy free, if you could satisfy it then the world is yours, if not, it never was…
Time passes, children grow and their desire to have increases with them. This is how the teenager is born, one of the favorite targets of commercial strategies, and it is no wonder. Nowadays, the new generation of young people love the image, I dare say that many even worship it, they have an excessive desire to be in tune with global trends, not only in relation to clothing, but also to technology, food, recreational activities, etc. For them, buying means a reaffirmation of their "I". The brands know this and reflect in their slogans, complicit winks, aimed at loyalty and becoming a spokesperson for the way they feel about the world around them. "Encourage to give the best", "feel full", "we know what we do","Not to the limits" are some of the phrases that we could hear from the mouth of any of them.
Between the ages of 12 and 18, to fix a temporality to this story, many positions are determined that will condition in a transcendental way the future existence. During these years people define a profession, choose a partner, discover their true friends, adopt a philosophy of life, establish the way they will face adversity. And in the midst of all these decisions, choices and feelings, sales weapons mutate, camouflage themselves, analyze the context and are redirected based on it to continue their influence on the target. A clear example of a chained relationship between “product / brand / function / consumer” is chewing gum. Yes, this candy, which at first glance provides basic satisfaction (which could be its sweetness), actually transforms its appearance, its flavors, its formula and,of course its functionality, to become an inseparable ally of the public as it grows.
To be more clear: when I am little the chewing gum will be a friend, it will invite fun, its ability to help me achieve "super balloons" will become an inescapable sales pitch. But as the years go by and the child is no longer attracted to these "immature practices", the brands in the category will be redirected towards "the concept of flavor" and thus, the new feeling of the target will lead to a market where jelly, juice, and chocolate dragees will take over the scene. The “gourmet junior” phase will be followed by the “romantic” phase, and it is there where once again this simple delicacy will transform again to meet the needs of a teenage audience that, eager for conquest, will see their “good breath” as main ally. So,companies will make available to the consumer a whole range of super refreshing chewing gums, minty, with pearls of flavor, etc., once again harnessing the link between their products and the life experience of their public.
But chewing gums are just one example, many other categories act in the same way knowing that it is essential to renew and link offers to generate a solid and self-empowering consumer chain.
6. The experienced consumer. The one who is back…
It is clear that to deal in depth with consumer attitudes over the years requires much more space than that provided for this article. But I think that the reader will have to read these lines to agree with me that people are influenced by a reality where being and having go hand in hand. Preferences are brewing from the moment of birth and, although hereditary factors may influence them, the truth is that there is an entire environment ready to shape our way of living life.
That "carving" of personality has its climax in middle age. In my opinion, after 40 years, the consumer becomes more refined, more select in their tastes and chooses those offers that allow them to enjoy life with greater certainty. Gone is the rampant purchase, far away are the immediate and simplistic satisfactions. The mature consumer turns his experience into each choice. He is much more methodical, more analytical, he has a much more realistic world view, he observes the macro environment and seeks to establish a much more rational link with it. Do you enjoy Of course, but your satisfaction is much more predictable.
But the brands are not impressed by the intelligence of their target, and for this segment of the public they have prepared a variety of products that will break any attempt to get away from their area of influence. This is how healthier, natural drinks will be created, made with herbs and fruits as alternatives to sodas or extra sweet juices, gourmet products will be offered that will make eating a different culinary experience from the tempting burgers of yesteryear, beers with more body, more aromatic, made with special ingredients, or more refined wines will be offered that will seduce you much more than those “little flight” alcoholic beverages that used to shine before the bowling alley.
conclusion
Companies and the public are, in my opinion, co-builders of this markedly commercial reality. On the one hand, the former seek to sell, and in that eagerness they are logically attentive to the needs and manifestations of their potential audience. The public, on the other hand, seeks to evolve, and as the environment says that only by consuming is evidence of this growth given to the game and accepted without question.
As a packaging specialist and communicator, I believe that this game that has been established between brands and their respective targets is a clear manifestation of the consumer society in which we currently operate. It can be seen as good or bad, but the truth is that it exists. We must accept their presence, understand their mechanisms and learn to play by their rules. Only in this way will we obtain the ability to separate the harmful from the good, influence it positively and contribute to building a better and better reality together.
