Consumption Trends in Advertising

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

How to find new trends?

• Continuous monitoring: when a trend becomes "massive", signs of decline are already evident.

• I.e. years ‘50 → years' 70s → 90s

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Cool huntingSemiotic-sociological-anthropological study

• Field research (national or international): an ethnographicapproach through a network of field observers, at the incubation

sites of new social and cultural phenomena.

• Desk analysis: magazine analyses, international spots, etc. to be observed at regular intervals.

• Net scouting, ie web universe monitoring (main site observation, search engines, social networks, user comment analysis).

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Where can we find the new trends?

FashionMusic, TV showsAdvertising campaignsTechnologiesDesignArchitectureSportStorytellingStreet lifeFoodArt

Cinema

Today, trends are born primarily from the web:central role of the influencers. Process that isborn “from below”

Cool hunters are out of this process: they are expertsin trends. They do not create a trend but are able tocatch it. The cool hunter must be able to identifyunusual things that create a drawing between them.He/she must have the ability to grasp the signs thatform a trend.

We can find the signs to pick up a rising trendin New York as in a small village

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

“For example, the great Gatsby, which is a big resonance case, goes to themovies. And in stores such as Banana Republic and Gap there is a recall tothe 1920s. It is not a casualty. Or again: four years ago there was a lot ofwaiting for the release of a video game, Assassin's Creed, where theprotagonist is a knight who has a hood with metal details. At the same time,two series, the Borgia and the Tudor, were very successful. All signs that hadto do with the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Renaissanceand which had the power of religious authority. It's no coincidence, in theautumn winter collection now in our showcases, we see velvets, shoulderreinforcements, caps”

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

How to organise your collected data?

cult searching

Activities aimed at systematising the work of the cool hunter to findreal trends to be transmitted to marketers and advertisers.

Nb: importance of teamwork

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Marketing must be connected with the new trends.

It has to relate not only to the market but also to society.

The brand must create relationships, dialogue with the consumer

For a text to be effective it must reflect the new trends, otherwise it may not becontemporary, unable to communicate with the new consumer

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Examples from the food sector

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Organic agricoltural products

Food= Health, Well-being

freshness

nature

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Vegan & vegetarian

Food= Ethics, Environmentalism

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Food= Fusion of styles and traditions

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Food= Multi-sensoriality

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Activity 1: Describe the trends in the following Ads

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero

Activity 2

Search some ads that are examples of the consumption trends described above (spots, print ads, web advertising, posters, etc.)

NB. There may be more trends in one ad! It is a strategy to address more types of consumers

Corso di Semiotics of Advertising and Consumption - Prof. Marianna Boero