February 08, 2007

Smoke Screens of the Modern Age

For the last few weeks, I have observed, on my way back home, the development of a new hair salon from its initial construction. As someone who clips his own hair, this new enterprise should really be of no interest, but my curiosity was piqued. How would this new business aim to attract customers in Tokyo, a city of thousands upon thousands of barbers, salons and beauty parlours that can be found on almost every street?

Today was the big opening. Gentleman, who I presumed were the owners, dressed in fine suits and chatting on their mobiles, stood outside. The salon, which had been the home to hairy bottom-bearing builders for the past month and a half, was now home to new clientèle, waiting to get their hair snipped, blown, dyed and permed. Certainly, if I had hair myself, I may even have found myself drawn by the hypnotic power of the modern-looking design of the shop. Indeed, the six plasma TVs in the shop window, that unrelentingly played scenes from a movie about skiing, was certainly tempting. However, it occurred to me that I was getting duped by the razzmatazz. Do six beautiful TVs really mean that I would get a better cut than if I went to a salon that does not have these TVs? The answer, of course, is no.

The nature of the modern consumer world we now inhabit, is entirely about image. Certainly, those six flashing screens, mirrored marble walls and neon lights have absolutely no bearing on the skill of the employees within. Whilst the superficial dressing may well entice initial customers, the hairdressers' ability would be the final indicator on whether they returned or not.

Everywhere you look today, we are bombarded by imagery to invoke certain emotions about a product being offered. The reality is that we are being tricked into believing that one product is better than another through manipulation of colour, smell and design. Brand managers are playing a game of smoke and mirrors, convincing us through dressing that one product is better than another, even though the product may in fact be the same. This brings to mind my stalwart friend at university, Tesco's Value Beans, which looked and smelled the same as Heinz, but cost 20 pence less. I could live with a less glamorously designed tin, as long as the contents managed to fill my stomach.

Medicines, drinks, news channels, clothes, restaurants, cars... the list goes on and on, all using design to manipulate us into thinking that the product is something we need. We are told that some products can even make us "cool", whatever that adjective actually means. I have always been baffled at the promise that drinking a red can of fizzy fruit and vegetable extract can somehow make me become a "cooler dude" than I already am. Or, that a pair of denim pants embroidered with a familiar brand name are any more helpful in enhancing my life than that of another cheaper company. It's all smoke and mirrors.

Sadly, we now live in a world where the game of politics has, more so than ever, become a game of image and deception; where policy must be packaged to become palatable and even fashionable, however despicable it may be. The build up to the Iraq war, with all the spin and falsehoods that led us there, is perhaps the saddest example.

We have become Alice in a Wonderland, trying desperately to discern what is genuine, good and necessary. Many of us can't help but to follow the trends and brands that pummel our minds incessantly. And like the zombies in George A. Romero's Dawn Of The Dead, some of us spend countless hours wandering banally through malls in search of products we have been told we need.

There are some though, who have awakened to the bombardment and are asking, 'Why?'

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, it's always an interesting things to observe. "Health", being the big one. "Eating this 'could' help save your heart". "Could", meaning - "Are you going to take that risk?". Never mind that there is no evidence it helps.People are scrambling to save themselves these days and will take the gamble of spending lots on expensive cereals. Another one is the "whitening" gleaming sparkle put on the boxes of toothpaste that don't have any ingredients in them that will whiten teeth any better than a 25p "value" toothpaste in a plain red and white box. People pay about £2.50 for these "special" ones now. Suckers. Oh, and lets not forget "scientific names" on beauty products - "With added centrum B5+Omega system X" is guaranteed to fool you that it will make you 20 years younger. "Penta Peptides" is my favourite one. Penta WHAT? AH, so THAT is how Saddam Hussein was hiding his chemical weapons stash. Apparently, it is the best anti aging ingredient around. Really? HI-Def Super Boost + Omega 3 Blah!! Last year, the Ribena company was taken to court over a "Tooth Kind" label that was put on their drinks, in response to allegations that they were full of sugar. Somebody asked - "What is kinder about this particular version"? Nothing could be found. "Less fat". 1% less than the 98%. Diet oranges. Organic mars bars. Oh,before we go. Got to spend a fortune on a thumb sized bottle of "friendly bacteria" for your stomach, in the form of pink yoghurt. Without it,you're BOUND to fall victim to Gardia within days of drinking British tap water!!! :D Buy buy BUY. Now, before it's too late and you age and lose your beauty or have heart problems along with too much sun exposure aging your skin with "free radicals" or your cholesterol count goes so high that your blood pressure goes through the roof, you slip and fall and then can make use of the "injury claims" lawyers who are going to give you ALL the money you win from the case, with NO strings attached!! Terms and conditions apply, prices can go up aswell as down!! BUY BUY BUY!!!

Kim Ayres said...

I'm fascinated by the fact that we are given the hard sell for all the worst kinds of foods - burgers, sweets, everything laden with sugar, salt and fat - all the time.

Then, when we put on weight we are despised by society for being fat and seemingly having no willpower.

We are then given the hard sell for all the weight-watchers and other diet products that rarely work because they never address WHY we were over eating in the first place.

It's easy to become jaded and cynical

Unknown said...

Hi Alexander & Kim!

Sorry for the late reply, but I have been very busy lately.

I think the three of us share exactly the same cynicism about the modern world we have unwillingly become imprisoned. Of course, it's not all bad, but I crave honesty at a time when there is so little.

Alexander - How was Russia?

 
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