Project Statement

‘Being a consumer is about identifying one's needs and satisfying them by choosing, buying and using a product or service’ (Slade-Brooking, 2016) being a consumer is directly derived from making a choice about the products in which one buys into. Levels of understanding tell us that different brands direct the same product in different ways in order to add a markup and create lifestyle imagery around the particular product in order to sell, not only the product itself but the lifestyle that is also associated with it. The conclusion of my theoretical exploration of this topic evident to me that even now being consumer gives you freedom of choice brands still have a hold over the way in which consumers act and presented. The consumer overall has a certain power over how brands present themselves, as the conclusion of my theoretical practice relays brands are forced into refreshing due to the way in which consumers and consumerism involve or cease to exist. Although battling against this believe they should only have one type of consumer, in the case of Burberry this led to a destruction of £28.3 million worth of stock, other high-end brands such as Cartier also destroying around £3 million worth of watches each year. Brands are beginning to tell the consumer who they should be through new media, using social media influencers to tell consumers that they aren't good enough for the brand and aren't portraying the correct lifestyle they should be in order to be able to endorse that particular brand. Meaning that the consumer is not only endorsing a brand but also becoming part of the neo-tribe selected by the brand itself, taking away from a person's personality and individuality. ‘Luxury goods are more than simply objects of consumption. They have become a language, a non-verbal method of self-expression and social dialogue’ (Butman and Silverstein, 2014). It was also uncovered in my theoretical practice that through such actions brands lose their authority in the way that people engage with them. During the destruction of products and unethical morals that are meant to protect brand they are in turn destroying their consumer, before discarding them are moving onto a new consumer.

Therefore, the decision I made was to create a lifestyle fashion magazine which would engage with the target audience that the brands are trying to cultivate into making loyal customers (18-30), which would inform the consumer of the issues behind endorsing high-end brands. In doing so it will bring to light the negative effects of purchasing branded items on an excessive level whilst also informing them of ways they can move away from these immoral decisions which through endorsing a brand, they are themselves deeming acceptable; and also, financially funding. This target audience was selected as they are the audience which these brands are trying to develop into long-term consumers, and more easily swayed and conscious of the effects that purchases have on the outside world. Fashion lifestyle magazine style was selected in order to tap into familiarities of this target audiences’ previous interests, and therefore be able to engage with them on a level in which they would be able to understand. The target audience is interested in the lifestyle they are portraying, as discovered in the essay which is the reason, they are buying into the brands the first place, and therefore interested in lifestyle magazines in which they believe influence their consumer decisions to portray this particular desired lifestyle. Lifestyle magazines also are more modern, simplistic and designed in a more streamlined way reflecting an online experience, which my target audience is more adhered to, again increasing the level of engagement with the target audience. The content was created in a way that the audience would find engaging, in terms of a range of media including artworks and poetry, alongside conversational articles that bring to light factual information that supports the evidence of immoral values from high-end fashion brands. Visually the outcome successful in terms of being a professionally printed high quality perfect bound document, similar to those that would be found on the shelves of the lifestyle fashion magazine style. The design was Simplistic keeping the main focus on the content itself and consistency offers an equilibrium of importance throughout the information given to the audience, further exemplifying the way that the consumer needs to consider their purchasing decisions; in order to endorse their own morals rather than the brands that they are finding too. The entire publication offers a new understanding of the way that you are also endorsing the imagery that goes along with the brand and its lifestyle, as well as the negative connotations from a brand. I believe the project overall has been successful in creating a product which could create an impact on the audience, yet it could be improved through questioning within a focus group of the target audience who are interested in brands to gain an understanding of the way in which they engage with the content and visual nature of the piece as a whole.