The kids are all right.

Not too long ago I read a disturbing research result in which a surprisingly high percentage of teens and young adults defined themselves (yes, their very identities)  by the brands they consumed. Personally, I found this intel tough to grasp. Normally, that age group is renowned for asserting independence and forging its own identity, often a unique identity, so just absorbing a brand to define oneself seems to contradict the expected, not to mention psychologically dangerous.

So I was kind of excited to read this by columnist Matt Rolland in the Wildcat Online. It’s an opinion piece, and a nicely structured one I think, that ultimately extrapolates to this:

“When we accept the nonsensical associations in our consumption lives, we run the risk of making similar illogical associations in more important decisions, like politics and moral values.”

Obviously, what you take away from it depends on where you’re coming from. A marketer might think, Blast! they’re on to us. A parent might think, sharp kid!

That’s where I came out. Plus I enjoyed the author’s subtle nod to Ed Grimley with the hairstyle. Sorry, that’s just the hair jealousy talking, I must say.

[tags] marketing, ed_grimley, wildcat_online, Matt Rolland[/tags]