grounded consumer

Source: The Context Research Group” Grounding The American Dream: A Cultural Study on the future of Consumerism in a Changing Economy

Consumerism in a Changing Economy:The Emergence of the Grounded Consumer

Reshaping The American DreamThe Economic Crisis has eroded the core of our consumerism driven culture. As the old AmericanDream crumbles a new dream has taken shape. This dream is more grounded in practicality,community, and knowledge not the accumulation of “stuff.” At the center of the formation of the newAmerican Dream is a new consumer identity.

.

The Grounded Consumer:A better, smarter, more connected consumer.

The Grounded Consumer…

The Grounded Consumer fully understands their means and lives within them.

Knows Thy Means


The Grounded Consumer embraces a WE economy balancing personal financial success withvalues of sociality, community, and well-being.

Embraces a WE Economy


The Grounded Consumer fills their lives with more than just “Stuff”.

Lives an unSTUFFED Life Life


The Grounded Consumer does not sit on their new learning and skills but puts it all into action.

Walks the Talk

The Grounded Consumer embraces a WE economy balancing personal financial success with values of sociality,community, and well-being.


The Grounded Consumer fully understands their means and lives within them;

But, how are consumers reaching this high level of consumer enlightenment?

Embraces a WE Economy

Lives an unSTUFFED Life

Knows Thy Means

The Grounded Consumer fills their lives with more than just Stuff

The Grounded Consumer does not sit on their new learning and skills but puts it all into action.

Walks the Talk

Though the economic crisis has altered our reality seemingly overnight it takes time to to unlearn pastspending habits and ideals about consuming--throughout America people are at different stages ofdealing with the economy from a consumer standpoint. The stages make up a pattern-- a 5 stageprocess which leads to a“ Grounded Consumer”.

Becoming a Grounded Consumer is A Process

. .

Stage 5Stage 3How did I get here? My life is not a loan.

Stage 2

unSTUFFing My Life: Building a new

Toolkit

Stage 4Walking the Talk:

Putting New Skills Into Action

New Value Equation: Moving from a ME to a WE economy

The Realization:Goodbye Homo

economicus

Stage 1

The second stage involves consumers moving to a deeper level ofunderstanding for their situation as they ask themselves the criticalquestion, How did I get here? Key to this stage is an understanding forcredit, debt, and what constitutes one’s means.

Stage 1


economicus

Stage One is the light bulb moment, the critical juncture when they come to understand how thelarger economy intersects with their personal economy and what they will need to do to start makingchanges. Homo economicus that side of a person that is consumed by consumerism and to whomconsumers must say good-bye.

Becoming a Grounded Consumer

The second stage involves consumers moving to a deeper level of understanding for their situation asthey ask themselves the critical question, How did I get here? Key to this stage is an understanding forcredit, debt, and what constitutes one’s means.

How did I get here? My life is not a loan.

Stage 2


Stage 1


economicus

The second stage involves consumers moving to a deeper level ofunderstanding for their situation as they ask themselves the criticalquestion, How did I get here? Key to this stage is an understanding forcredit, debt, and what constitutes one’s means.

New Value Equation:Moving from a MEto a WE economy

Stage 3

The third stage involves a movement toward emphasizing a new kind of value equation, one thatmoves from putting “ME” first to putting “WE” first. In this equation, the best financial and lifedecisions truly balance rational, emotional, and social needs


Stage 2



economicus

Stage 1

By the fourth stage consumers get very practical and tangible as they literally start to clean theSTUFF out of their lives. unSTUFFing is not just a one time deal either, but part of a new toolkit ofskills that consumers can rely upon during and after the crisis to keep their lives on track.

..


Toolkit

Stage 4

New Value Equation: Moving from a ME

to a WE economy

Stage 3How did I get here? My life is not a loan.

Stage 2


Stage 1

The Realization: Goodbye Homo

economicus

.

.

The final stage is about the change to becoming a Grounded Consumer. This new consumercannot afford to just say one thing and do another. What this economic downturn has taughtconsumers is that they must understand their situation intimately and practice what they preachif they want to avoid another “downturn.”

Stage 5

New Value Equation: Moving from a ME to a WE economy

Stage 3How did I get here? My life is not a loan.

Stage 2


Toolkit

Stage 4Walking the Talk:

Putting New Skills Into Action


The Realization: Goodbye Homo

economicus

Stage 1

A fundamental change in the way in which people consume andthink about purchases requires a shift in the way we market tothem. Talk is cheap. Consumers want more than just a “We knowtimes are tough” message. They desire brands that show anunderstanding through action and added value.

Speaking To The Grounded Consumer

FREE is still the strongest word in marketing, but not if your just offering more stuff. Look to greater experiences or unique serviceofferings. Are there ways to reconfigure your product offering so you can offer a valued experience or service for free? Even if itsomething you already do, make customers feel like they are getting more from their purchase, which will help them remain loyal toyou.

Ideas That Speak To The Grounded ConsumerBundle something for free.

Create ways to help businesses and people feel responsible with their money. You could create a device on your website to helppeople track toward a savings goal for a large purchase, rather than just putting it on a credit card. Provide more transparent reportingand descriptions of what the investment buys. People will have a different attitude about risk, so it’s important to make them feelcomfortable with it again through responsibility.

Support delayed gratification.

Grounded Consumers will be looking to make purchases that support the head (rational), heart (social), andhand (community). By raising awareness of your charitable outreach and green efforts , you give them another reason to feel goodabout giving you their patronage.

They might be digital or they might be tangible. But as we evolve to a “We” economy, sharing and participating together will becomepriorities. Communal gardening and social marketing will be more similar than one might initially think. And the top community of all?The family.

Talk about your good.

Create community networks.

Increase face-to-face.It will help customers feel more confident as they venture into new waters. If you can’t afford more sales visits or a larger staff,consider video chat or live chat via IM. And help people understand how some purchases really do make an impact on their lives.Those are still very worthwhile, and face-to-face conversations help make that point.

Embraces a WE Economy Lives an unSTUFFED LifeKnows Thy Means Walks the Talk

The Grounded Consumer:A better, smarter, more connected consumer.

. .

Stage 5

.

Stage 3


Stage 2


Toolkit

Stage 4

Walking the Talk: Putting New

Skills Into Action

New Value Equation: Moving from a ME

to WE economy


economicus

Stage 1

The failing economy is shifting how we think and feel about spending.Consumers are going through of series of changes leading to a new

consumer identity.

Ideas for speaking to the Grounded Consumer

Bundle something for free. Support delayed gratification. Talk about your good. Create community networks. Increase face to face

OVERVIEW

grounded consumer

Technology