Consumer Culture as an Experience

 If you utter the words ‘Merry Hill’ to anybody born and raised in the Black Country you will inevitably get the reply: “Ugh. Merry HELL!” This has become a running joke where I’m from refers to how busy the shopping centre can get. And as a worker at Merry Hill, some days, I’d have to agree.

In order to illustrate the points made by Arthur Berger in his article ‘The Objects of Affection’, I wish to explore how Merry Hill offers consumerism as an ‘experience’. It currently holds 309 stores, offers 10,000 car parking spaces and even has flats and apartments built on the centre. (Yes. Some people would actually want to live in a shopping centre…)

In 19^th Century Paris, where the first department store was invented, there were quite a few concerns including the fact that independent stores were unable to compete with corporate brands. This can be said for ‘Merry Hill’ as there are very little small family own stores (if any!) And businesses that start-up here are usually boarded up within a couple of months if they are not a major high street store.

In terms of how Merry Hill offer their services as an experience is evident by the amount of shops it holds. It also has many restaurants, eateries and the bars dotted around the centre. There is also an ‘Odeon’ on the complex so an entire day can be spent at Merry Hill by shopping, seeing a film, having dinner, maybe a drink at Whetherspoons and then more shopping! The retails shops don’t close until 9pm, so customers have the benefit of having 12 hours a day to shop.

I’ve got to admit, spending most of my time at Merry Hill, it does promote false desires as put forward by many cultural theorists. The amount of times I’ve ventured up there to buy one thing and walked past TopShop and got distracted… Needless to say I end up arriving home with a lore more shopping bags than I had bargained for…

Arthur Berger - 'The Objects of Affection: Semiotics and Consumer Culture'

Berger, Arthur Asa (2010) The Objects of Affection: Semiotics and Consumer Culture. London: Palgrave MacMillan, pp33-54.

Berger opens up this article by suggesting that consumerism is little about buying brands and products, but consumerism is a reflection upon our lifestyle. Commercial brands and products that we buy are consciously linked to our income, class, tastes and identities. For example if you order take-out sushi over a McDonalds you’re saying to the world “Hey, I’m health conscious and can afford to splurge on my lunch.”

Mike Featherstone in his book ‘Consumer Cultures and Postmodernism’ (1991) outlines three components to consumer cultures: 

•  Consumerism is an expansion on capital commodity production.
•  Consumers receive satisfaction and status depending on products consumers.
•  Consumers receive great pleasure and emotion gratification.

Berger then uses the work of different theories and different opinions to compile thoughts regarding consumerism. He begins with the religious stand point and explains the work of Weber (1958) and Calvin (1509 - 1564) in detail. Despite varying opinions these theorists believe that consumerism is a ‘cage’ and that it controls our actions.

From a psychological stand-point Joan Riviere in ‘Hate, Greed and Aggression’ (1937:4) argues that consumerism signifies that the consumer is good and worthy of love, respect or honor. Advertisements fuel our insecurities and make us feel that we’re not quite good enough, until we buy those new shoes…

Advertising campaign for 'Dune' featured in 'Grazia'

I feel that women’s magazines would be a good contemporary example of this. I am going to focus mainly on ‘Grazia’ magazine. Whilst reading the 2011 press pack that can be found here a section appears called ‘The Power of Grazia’ can be found outline the effect of advertisements in this magazine. One example is of six women reported to have travelled to Paris in order to buy a Louis Vuitton leopard print scarf that was featured in ‘Grazia’ but had sold out in the UK. In order for companies to gain the sort of attention 'Grazia' has to offer, a full colour page advertisement will set you back £15,000.

"Buy this scarf and you'll be just like SJP, Keira Knightly and Lindsay Lohan!"

In terms of Marxism, consumer cultures are the way in which the ruling class divert the masses from developing a class consciousness and rebel. Berger also explores a post-modernist viewpoint. But regardless of theory, the theorists Berger presents to us all seem to agree upon the same basic principles of consumer which are as follows:

• Consumerism promotes narcissism.
  
•  Personal wants and desire outweighs public needs such as community funding.
•  People are unable to distinguish between needs and desires.
•  Consumers are not interested in the product itself, but what it reveals about our lifestyle and social status.

What is fandom?

Of course, when you first hear the word ‘fandom’ most people instantly conjour up the image of a geeky looking middle-aged man dressed up as a ‘Star Wars’ character fawning over first edition comic books and life sized action figures. It’s safe to assume that those types of fans do exist, however; fandom is not as face-value as it appears. Everybody is a fan of something and this is why I feel that the study of fandom is so important.

During my research into fandom I spent a lot of time on message boards for certain shows, particularly Lost and Pretty Little Liars. Admittedly because I am a fan of both of these shows so would understand the posts, but more importantly to discover how fans interact with each other. Some fans might gain more cultural capital due to their vast knowledge, memorabilia or connections on the message board.

The term ‘shipping’ circulates a lot amongst message boards and this focuses on the relationships between characters in the media narratives. Some ‘shippers’ read against the grain and ship the relationship of characters who do not have a romantic connection within the fan-object for example ‘shippers’ creating a relationship between Harry and Hermione within the Harry Potter series. Shippers can express their desire by writing fan fiction, creating fan art and also filming fan videos. This enables them to 're-write' the media text in order to adhere to their opinions.


Until this research, I had no idea that there was such a term for being emotionally invested in the relationships of fictional characters, and upon recent reflection I’ve realised that I’m a ‘shipper’. I may not write fan fiction or draw fan art but I do scream at my television when Aria and Ezra get into an argument on the TV series ‘Pretty Little Liars’. “Make up and just be together!” I shout at the screen with such passion. I also acted the exact same way during scenes between Kate and Jack in ‘Lost’.

Team Jate and proud!

In Matt Hills ‘Fan Cultures’ he concludes that audience members have multiple fandoms that change and negotiate over time due to personal taste and cultural context. For example what I liked as a teenager isn’t necessarily what I’m a fan of now. He also expresses how some fans simply cannot express why they are a fan of something, due to the intense pleasure they recieve from their fan-object. Fans can also act defensively when asked questions about their fan-object, and can sometimes be unwilling to accept criticism towards it.

Why am I such a big ‘Lost’ fan? I just am, okay! Shut up!

Matt Hills - 'Fan Cultures'

Hills, Matt (2002) Fan Cultures. London: Routledge, pp37-59.

In this extract Hills wishes to outline and explore the limitations and difficulties of using the methodology of ethnography when researching fandom. He openings up the article by expressing that fans are often unable to justify why they are a fan of a particular media text stating that the pleasure some fans receive can be so intense that it cannot be articulated accurately to the research meaning collected data is inaccurate. Fans are also known for answering research questions defensively being unable to accept criticism for their favourite media texts.

Hills suggests that the best way to collect research regarding fandom is through auto-ethnography. However, this method is not free of problems. Many auto-ethnographic studies tend to stop self-analysis at a certain point in their studies due to refusing the challenge privileged discourses. Some studies also dismiss the influence of friends, family and cultural context by discussing auto-ethnography as being 100% personal.

Wise (1990) points out that fandom does no flourish in a hostile environment and needs to be linked to cultural value even if only within a household or a small group of friends. (God knows how many hours I’ve spent in the pub discussing Lost...) This suggests that all fandom negotiates between the internal self and cultural context.

Hills concludes the article by conducting his own auto-ethnography. He concentrates on his multiple fandoms and creates a diagram outlining media texts he is a fan of and how they have varied over time. This helps him create patterns of his fandom for example ‘Britishness’, cult following and masculinity.  

In conclusion, fan studies can become very difficult as theory fails to accurately describe experience. Most academic studies regarding fan culture focuses on extreme fans, rather than the every-day average person’s media consumption and preferences. Auto-ethnography being the best method when implemented correctly but theorists will constantly be aware of how they’re portraying themselves to the reader by subtly saying to the reader “I’m not one of those losers who go to conventions!”

City of culture: Paris

When thinking about ‘cities of culture’, Paris instantly springs to my mind. Like many other romantic fools I have a bit of a love affair with the city and like to get carried away with the ‘idea’ of Paris. For me Paris represents art and creativity, as it has many museums, music festivals, and fashion shows in abundance. (I’d happily give my left arm to go to Paris fashion week just once...) Paris represented all of those things to me before I had even been there due to its overexposure in the media.

I’m going to focus specifically on Paris in films. As a lot of other cities of culture (London, New York etc.) when films are set in Paris, Paris becomes a main character, even appearing in the title in a lot of films for example ‘Midnight in Paris’, ‘Paris, Je T’aime’ and ‘April in Paris’. I feel that a lot of film makers decided to include ‘Paris’ within the title so audiences will instantly know what the film will be about as Paris represents romance and creativity.

­

In terms of the skyline, Paris is recognisable and iconic due to certain landmarks, of course The Eiffel tower, but also the Arc de Triomphe and Notre Dame. These landmarks are always shown when films are set in Paris. As stated before, Paris represents romance and due to this a lot of romantic films are set in Paris such as 'Moulin Rouge' and 'Amelie'. These films represent Parisian life as being theatrical and whimsical. However, a lot of action films are also set in Paris, such as The Bourne Identity. 

Due to Paris being such an iconic city gaining a lot of media attention, landmarks and the culture of Parisian life becomes well-known amongst people who have never visited. This can cause problems as tourists gain certain expectations when visiting and may be disappointed by the reality of the city, rather than the image it creates for itself.

Paul Long and David Parker - 'The Mistakes of the Past?'

Paul Long and David Parker (2004) ‘The Mistakes of the Past’? Visual Narratives of Urban Decline and Regeneration’ in Visual Culture in Britain,Vol.5, No.1, pp. 37-58

Long and Parker wish to explore the imagery of Birmingham within this article, by exploring the post-war architecture and the redevelopment of the city. During the 1990’s onwards Birmingham has demolished and rebuilt in order to correct the “mistakes of it’s past” i.e. no charming and uncharacteristic buildings. 

Having grown up in the Black Country which is an area just outside of Birmingham, this article struck a chord with me. When I was younger I used to become so excited to hop on the train and head to Birmingham. The journey only took 20 minutes, but for 3-year old Amanda it felt like I was heading on an adventure to a different part of the world.

As both Parker and Long were born and raised Brummies I can relate to the fact that the redevelopment and demolishing of the landscape they grew up with and connect with would be most distressing. As much as I’d like to think it isn’t so, a large part of your culture is rooted to where you grew up. 

Long and Parker explain how during the post-war period Birmingham tried to create a modern landscape and embraced redevelopment enthusiastically. Birmingham can be defined by four key landmarks that were created during this time: Bullring Shopping Centre, Rotunda, Post Office Tower and the Central Library.

However development plans didn’t go according to place when constructing these four landmarks, which left the buildings almost unfinished. Birmingham received a lot of critique and got described by Lonely Planet travel guides as being a ‘concrete maze’ and even Price Charles chimed in by accusing Birmingham of “ripping out its Victorian heart.”

Birmingham is now trying to reinvent itself and correct these mistakes of the past. However, Parker and Long put forward the idea that Birmingham will repeat its mistakes due to political and economic issues.

Harry Pothead? (Apologies for bad pun.)

Whilst I was doing research into spoof trailers the thing I found most fascinating was how media texts can be twisted and manipulated in order to provide an entirely different meaning. With that in mind I have decided to choice a spoof trailer and analise it’s features and ultimately discover why I find them so fascinating. 

‘Hogwarts Express’ is one I have decided to focus upon as it is fairly new (uploaded 14^th March 2012) but also because I am familiar with both the film franchises in question; The only film footage used in the trailer is that from the ‘Harry Potter’ films but as the video name suggests, the trailers purpose is to mimic ‘Pineapple Express’.  It successfully does this by referencing the films plot throughout the trailer and also copying the red font and headline style at the end of the trailer which can be found on the 'Pineapple Express' film poster.

The plot of ‘Pineapple Express’ focuses on three ‘stoners’ who have accidently witnessed a murder, however the film remains within the genre of comedy, despite its crime and thriller elements. This is mimicked through the ‘Harry Potter’ footage by manipulating film footage to create the illusion of Harry taking drugs and witnessing a murder. The music used in the background is very upbeat and playful which cements the trailer in belonging to the comedy genre.

This is further reinforced by characters being shown acting in comedic ways throughout the trailer, for example Hagrid enthusiastically exclaiming “I once had a fish!” whilst sitting next to a wine bottle suggesting that he is both drunk and high. The upbeat tone of the trainer connotes that we are meant to laugh at these parts and find them amusing.

I feel that spoof trailers say a lot about conventions within society. I think one of the main reasons I find them so interesting is that all it takes is an upbeat backing track and a few shots of some plants that are meant to symbolise drugs and the ‘Harry Potter’ films suddenly transforms from being a children’s adventure story and into a stoner comedy that Seth Rogen would be proud of.