The Relationship between Producers and Consumers
The main issue being illustrated from the given texts is the relationship between the general consumers and the producers of the various products. The texts have clearly shown the various dimensions in which the producers and the consumers are related. A better form of this representation is the portraying of what goes on in the minds of the producers and the consumers, which makes them so different. It is very clear from the texts that, to the highest extent, the producer has control over the consumer. However, the producer has to also consider the preference of the consumer on the various aspects and hence struggle in getting the product that would suit the consumer best. This has been properly illustrated especially in the case of the branding of the various products (Dan 54).
The Consumer as a Cultural and Economic Force
The first consideration as based on the information provided is how the consumer is a cultural and economic force even without realizing it (Davis 44). This is a shocking aspect bearing in mind the kind of impact created by consumers by just having a transaction for their own requirements. By the consumer having to purchase some personal item, the impact spills over to the other consumers in the society who are not even in close relation. In addition, the purchase transaction by a consumer also greatly impacts the economy. This shows the level of naivety and ignorance portrayed by the consumer which makes the other parties such as the producers have a huge control over them.
The Burden of Consumerism
Lack of knowledge on the various issues affecting an individual is dangerous. This is because it enhances loss of control over issues that pertain to the particular individuals. In the case of consumers, they are highly monitored and regulated to suit the needs of parties such as the producers. They are shaped to favor the producers' needs, which makes them agents for their impact on the economy and as objects of study and manipulation by the producers (Davis 45). This leads to some huge form of burden to them in terms of the financial aspects, the product selection problem, and the risk of consumer products that they should not necessarily be taking.
The Producers' Control over Consumers
With time, the producers have developed better means of improving their game towards acquiring as many consumers as possible and totally having control over them. This is through the aid of improved science which makes issues such as hygiene to be more sophisticated and also the impact of technology (Davis 46). In this aspect, the issues that were not in existence in the earlier periods are now brought forward and administered to the consumers. This has mostly been enhanced through the use of advertisements and promotional campaigns towards some particular products such as the great usage of mint in toothpaste. For this to be effective, the producers make some great efforts in altering the peoples' culture and behavior so that they align them towards their products. An example is the sudden uprise in advocating for oral health to favor the toothpaste business.
Peer Influence and the Consumer Problem
Peer influence and the necessity to fit in have played a key role in magnifying problems faced by consumers. After so much advertisements have been made to the public, the consumers view this as the next big thing and hence move towards acquiring these products despite them being of low quality and not necessarily important. Factors such as quality do not matter at all so long as the consumer is similar to the other for having a particular product. Such is the case of the Listerine product used in toothpaste whose usage by the public was mainly based on the revolution of better oral health and every individual trying to fit into this category of users of the new products (Davis 47).
Manipulation and Illusion
A more revealing exposure to the extent of this problem is by looking at the main concepts used by the producers to acquire more consumers. It involves too much exaggeration on some minute issues making them seem as if they have a huge impact if not observed. In addition, after some sectors apply these concepts of duping consumers, some other types of producers view it as a great way of improving their interests and they also take up the habit and continue exploiting consumers. This habit spreads across the various sectors and becomes a norm in the society by these issues being viewed as normal. It results in a huge problem as the consumer totally lacks safety in terms of genuine consumption of appropriate products.
Psychological Manipulation of Consumers
Psychological manipulation of consumers by the various producers is an immense contributor to the consumer problem. By using the various products, consumers create some illusion in their minds based on the feelings experienced after using the various products. These thoughts favor the quality and positive effect of the various products. They view them as functioning properly well towards the attainment of the required objective. This is usually not the case. Unfortunately, these thoughts make consumers improve their need for these products in the view that they are completely worth their purpose. This has been illustrated through the cool feelings in the mouth after having a mint product in toothpaste in the mouth which consumers viewed as the product working against disease-causing agents and yet it is just a normal reaction by the body to the chemicals in the product (Davis 48).
The Struggles of Producers
The life of producers is also not easy. They experience great struggles in their attempts to make sure that whatever they produce is acceptable by consumers. This has been well illustrated using the branding concept. It is a very complicated process that involves a lot of input in terms of time, money, human resources, and the fact that it is so disappointing in most cases before getting the appropriate name (Dan 54). This is some source of consolation as it shows that the producers also have a price to pay for their various activities and that they are not exempted from the struggle. It is the cost and sacrifice they have to undergo in maintaining the kind of dominance they so yearn for over consumers. It creates some balance between consumers and producers.
The Complexity of Branding
So much is required in getting a brand apart from the factors mentioned above. It requires a lot of creativity in selecting the right name that would be appealing to the product consumers. The parties involved have also to do some detailed analysis based on consumer tastes and preferences. The branding also requires a multidimensional approach to ensure that vague results are avoided as much as possible as this would have a negative impact on the selling of the product. Brainstorming is also a great method of coming up with the required brand as it involves the detailed exchange of ideas of people from different departments making the output from the process to be so much comprehensive and effective.
Work cited
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
Hill, Julia. Mindfulness in the marketplace: Compassionate responses to consumerism. Parallax Press, 2002.
Mauk, John. Culture: A Reader for Writers. , 2014. Print.
