Consumption Stereotypes

Measuring in at six feet, four inches, born a caucasian male, and a member of the middle class, life is not all sunshine and rainbows like most claim. The white, middle class male, in my opinion, is the most accused member of the all social classes. Now, yes that is just an opinion, but if a survey were to be taken, more often than not, that opinion would be agreed upon.

In this reading, I will be discussing the different categories in which advertisers have placed consumers to distinguish them from one another using their values, attitudes, and life-style. According to the writer of American culture and advertisement James B. Twitchell, “the object of much consumer research is not to try to twist their feathers so that they will flock to your product, but to position your product in such a place that they will have to fly by it and perhaps stop to roost. After roosting, they will eventually think that this is part of their flyway and return to it again and again” (p. 178). The proposition of stereotyping consumer lifestyles is a very effective way of marketing goods and services. The VALS2 strategy of marketing segment, target, and position used by advertisers is based on research; which means, marketers know more about consumer behaviors than what we think. This is an important issue because it’s necessary to raise awareness in society about the advantages and disadvantages that this can bring. After having evaluated all given points; this article is an eye opener for those who have any doubts about what consumers mean to large companies and advertisers.

A major way in which they express this negative self-perception is to restrain their diets or binge-eat (Eating Disorders Review, 2007, 5). Many cultures idealize robust women and practice feasting as a common social practice. However, women feel pressured by the stick-thin images they see on Western-influenced television advertisements to lose weight or look more conventionally attractive by Western standards. They feel torn between participating in their traditional custom and looking like the women they see idealized in the media. They feel guilt and embarrassment about overeating but participate in it as part of the cultural norm. (Becker, 2003, 430)

On a daily bases people make excuses for everything. Everything meaning our actions and the things that we say. Common things that we make excuse for deal with sexist, racist, and heterosexist comments. Sexist is classified as saying that one sex is better than the other. An example of this is someone calling a male or female something that they are not. I do not like this because we are all humans and deserve to be respected and not called something that is degrading. We all know that racist is downgrading one race compared to another. An example of this is, saying that all black people are loud and ghetto. We all act the same but some people do certain things different from others. That’s just there way of living. I do not think that just because one person acts one way the whole race does also. Heterosexist is defined as heterosexuality is better than all other expressions. An example of this would be talking about how a guy dresses and calling him gay. I do not agree with this as well because it is good to stand out and be your own person not matter how others see you.

One’s posture is a factor in how they feel and are perceived by society. In Amy Cuddy’s editorial “Your iPhone is Ruining Your Posture - and Your Mood,” and her TED Talk “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are,” the topic of posture affecting social standing and emotion is explored with research and personal experience. Cuddy seems to firmly believe that posture is a key factor in one’s life. Jane E. Brody also delves into the conversation with her editorial, “Posture Affects Standing, and Not Just the Physical Kind,” in it she also agrees with Cuddy’s side while appealing more to emotion and using some research. Both editorials cover the same topic, but Cuddy’s appears to be stronger as it appeals to more areas of the rhetorical triangle.

Know once you have adopted these three roles, there is another all I would like you to assume, this I think just paints the whole picture, this is sort of the background canvas of which you paint the rest of this portrait. You need to understand something the parents these days have long since forgot, and are going to have to relearn again your grandparents knew this, but today’s generation appearance doesn’t seem to, and that is you do not get to design your children, nature would never have permitted that to, evolution would not have allowed a generation of a species to be so influenced by the previous generation, it hasn’t happened and it doesn’t happen, and it especially doesn’t happen in children, you do not design your children, and

Some statistics would make this a little stronger, that way the consumer can see actual numbers and not think your are only insterested in their money but also in their well being and their future. Customer like to feel appreciated and that whomever is taking their money cares for them and their money. So they not only want to see you telling them or advising them what to do, but if they see some statistics it might make you a little more believeable and trustworthy. If you are interested in their business you need to show them that you are putting yourself in their shoes and that you have ther best interest at heart, that you are treating them as your own and that you are treating their money as your own. There should be a little more caring

Sexist attitudes may have a role in the potential development of eating disorders. Ambivalent sexism is defined as a “deep ambivalence toward women rather than a uniform dislike of women”. (Matlin, 2012; Glick & Fiske, 1996). Sexist attitudes can be categorized as either benevolent or hostile (positive or negative), which in combination result in ambivalent sexism. (Matlin, 2012; Glick & Fiske, 1996). Hostile sexism is present in the attitudes of people, who believe that women should be subservient to men and that women should “know their place” as the second (less important) sex, putting the needs and wants of men’s ahead of women’s. (Matlin, 2012; Glick & Fiske, 1996). Benevolent sexism is characterized by attitudes which place women’s roles

In as much as both obese men and men suffer from stereotyping, the scale in more instances than one tips towards women. From serving as bad examples to young ones to the perception that they live off the sweat of their husbands, engage house-helps to do menial household chores and make no effort in watching out their weights; women experience bias in all aspects of life. In general, men acquire the perception that at least, make an effort to get off weight and present a more active clique in obesity matters.

Obesity may have its most immediate consequences in psychological and social realms, where stigmatization of obese people has been recognized since a long time. A study showed that young boys described obese body types as being indicative of negative personality characteristics (such as; cheating, lazy, sloppy, lying, naughty, mean, ugly, dirty or stupid), and in younger children the degree of negative stereotyping increased with age, while among adolescents, girls may be more affected than boys, although both genders report some negative experiences (Puhl, 2012). The prejudice and discrimination against obese individuals does not appear to have softened, although obesity has now become far more common worldwide. Some of the negative consequences

Why would people let themselves hurt for the permanent inked mark on their skins? The supportive fans get tattoos of their favorite brand icons, band logos and specific people trademarks only because they really do admire them. People easily get inspired to get inked of those icons on their skins without anyone’s persuade. Brand tattoos help customers bond with others in the same social group who share special interests and common values. Brand tattoos send a message that they belong to a unique, personally meaningful community. You only “get the message” if you’re part of that

Both genders can be negatively influenced by weight-related stereotypes. Smith commented that females are more likely to experience more stereotyping than men, because society expects women to be thinner (2007). Allison, Basile, and Yuker said, men had more positive views of overweight people, but were more likely to openly acknowledge their negative thoughts. On the other hand, a female is more inclined to

For decades the American people have been seen as the most privileged in the world. Their country has been envied upon for its many opportunities and benefits.In the past, Americans were subservient to the stronger higher powers of other countries,such as Great Britain. In 2015, Americans are seen as one of the most powerful and influential people in the world who live in a country who has both good and bad effects on other countries.

When business do not understand the mind of their target audience they do not generate the type of responses they initially hoped.

In the” The construction of Masculinity in fast food TV Advertising “Carrier Packwood, Freeman and Debra Mersin, Professors and studies how the media portrays veganism and animal production at the University of Georgia, Debra also teaches and does research on the media portrayal of women and minorities at the University of Oregon .Gender has repeatedly been a victim of negative stereotypes. Today negative characters are constructed through advertisement or commercials and people are embracing them. In the essay the authors portray stereotypes in commercials or advertisements generally in fast- food products. Debra and Carrier claim that commercials do not sell products, they articulate value and build meaning. Furthermore they pointed out the negative characters pictured in today’s commercial which are objectification of women, supreme identity of male and women as freedom takers. These characters have built meanings and it has become something normal in the American population. Not only have fast- food products exposed these character but other products have continuously built stereotypes hence people are not buying products instead stereotypes