comments
The Sovereign Consumer
Politics, economics, culture, technology, health, environment, religion, sexuality – We are living in a tsunami of change. Top-down power is giving way to bottom-up power. Individuals over institutions. Dialogue over monologue. Transparency over privacy. Sharing over hording. Regeneration over landfill. Love over hate.
Some believe it’s an enlightened period that leads to collective, empathetic goodness. Some predict it’s just another nail in mankinds coffin.
Others, like me, aren’t so sure. But that’s no excuse to not to try and make sense of it all – especially in a professional marketing capacity. Because, afterall, marketing is about knowing the consumer. Being able to stay in-step and one-step ahead so that needs are met and value is delivered.
In an effort to develop empathy for the average consumer, a collaborator of mine (Mo Morales) and I took a deep dive into the human experience. Not a quantified study, but a wide-eyed, open-minded quest. Our conclusions brought us to the Sovereign Consumer. This person is:
Extremely Cynical – does not trust the media and increasingly less trustful of brands
Technology Enabled – wired, fired up and aware of his ability to influence friends and the world around him through networked devices and applications
Needs Community – seeks influencers from whom to learn and peers with whom to share – all in the name of staying perpetually relevant
Owns Self-Determination – determines factors (e.g. value, loyalty) on his own terms
Promotes New Social Contract - growing expectation for institutions to embrace ethical and responsible practices in the pursuit of profit
Commercially Engaged – continues to define himself by brands he selects and rejects
Privacy Disabled – fears loss of personal control of incoming messaging and outgoing information
Needs Anti-Community – defines himself by who he is not
Suffers Status Anxiety – constantly aware of his place in society, ability to ascend, as well as how far he can fall
Ethically Ambivalent – selective application of personal values
It’s just the take of a couple dudes – we don’t claim the above to be science nor the archetype to be complete. Though we do claim to be honest with our thoughts. What’s your take?
- Keith Gerr
Interesting perspective and good food for thought, thanks. I’d also put myself in the “not so sure” bucket. I’d also note that authentic marketing looks to create real intersections of value exchange, but we still live in a world where there are a good many shady practices and people who want to take short-cuts…I suppose that supports the “extremely cynical” point.
I’m wondering how this persona that you’ve defined would change when regional (state to state, big city to small town, etc), cultural (ethnic and religious), socio-economic, and international lenses are applied.
Your persona definitely sounds like someone who might live in Portland, Oregon, Austin, Texas or SoHo. I wonder how, if at all, it would change if that person was from a different locale.
Well articulated description of a number of people/personalities I experience online and at some marketing conferences and in technology-focused meeting spots. Well done from that perspective. If your business is targeting this particular consumer, you will be very well served by taking heed of these details you describe.
I agree with Aaron’s comment as well. Outside of my techy, social media, new marketing crowds, I see less of this. That said, I do think these types are the new “cool kids” and are growing in numbers. Which makes me a bit sad.
The jury is still out for me, too, on the whole “collective” love messaging going on right now (as you know from my recent blog post and our conversation). I’m just not sure that all this gathering in various places and having virtual conversations (when they really are true conversations, which is less often than anyone is talking about) is actually making us more loving and compassionate human beings.
All that said, I’m a fan of social media. I like to read blogs and I occasionally get around to blogging myself. I tweet at times and read many more. I just think that so many of us are gun-shy. We are afraid to say the wrong thing. We are afraid to be wrong and publicly humiliated by the Sovereign Consumer who assuages their Status Anxiety by transferring The New Social Contract onto the average blog commenter/keynote speaker/other-person-trying-to-join-a-public-conversation using Ethically Ambivalent practices. After all, they are certainly NOT a member of that community of thought (whatever it may be.)
I’m just lookin’ for more love out there. Maybe this is just part of the pendulum swing. Hope we find our way to realizing the ideals beinespoused in the new “We” society.
Thanks for a very cool and well-thought out blog post.