204,724. That number represents the most reblogs a picture of mine has ever gotten on Tumblr. You could combine every picture I’ve ever posted on the internet and wouldn’t even scratch the surface of the amount of exposure this one picture got. You must be wondering what this picture was of, because what was so important that over 200,000 people wanted it on their blog? It was a picture of a Starbucks cup. This may sound silly—that a low-quality picture of a cup of coffee resonated with so many people, but it’s not about the coffee nor is it about the cup. It is however, about the logo on the cup. Drinking Starbucks is artsy and cool and makes you cultured, or at least that’s the aesthetic that surrounds the brand. People shared this picture because of what they think the brand says about themselves. With each time this picture is shared the line between consumer and advertiser is gradually blurred. Advertising has been redefined in recent years. Ads were plastered solely to televisions and magazines for decades but now the internet has changed our roles as consumers. Whether it be an advertisement that keeps popping up on Facebook or seeing your favorite celebrity with a product, our generation is more susceptible to buy such things and then go on to share our purchases making advertising impossible to escape. Social Media has promoted conspicuous consumption and even advertising as part of the consumer’s role by creating platforms to share what we buy on a larger scale.
A marketer's job has changed vastly within even the past decade. Hank Wasiak has been an expert of the advertising industry for over 50 years and claims to have seen such a change in the industry. Stating that where there was once four P’s to focus on; Product, Price, Place, and Promotion, social media has created a fifth one, which is people. This is because with Social Media platforms such as Facebook, twitter, Instagram, etc. companies have the opportunity to access to their consumers lives. From major milestones to what you did with your friends on any given night, companies can see this and use it to their advantage. Access to such information allows businesses to create more personalized campaigns and advertisements. If I look up reviews for certain makeup products or even buy makeup online surely I see ads for such products and makeup brands plastered to the sides of my newsfeed next time I logged into Facebook. Initially I would feel very uneasy about such a thing not realizing the deep and intricate connection of the web and how advertisers are using it.
The success of the changes in advertising has paved the way for millennials consuming habits and behavior that are sure to eventually become the norm. The Millennials are a generation that has truly been shaped by technology and the internet. There are many factors that begin to be developed as far back as the 1950’s but have been amplified by social media and greatly affect millennials as consumers. Of these factors is the idea of keeping up a certain image for those around you. Buying certain things because of the way one will be presented to society, also known as conspicuous consumption. In 2014 a study was conducted in Thailand which revealed a direct positive correlation between intensity of social media and conspicuous consumption. (Thoumrungroje 2014)
Another reason millennials find themselves at the hand of modern advertisers is because of the intense investment that we as a whole have put into celebrity culture. A prime example of such influence can be found through a star such as Kylie Jenner. Social media has been a major factor in Jenner’s beginnings of business success, if it wasn't for her social media presence keeping her fans up on her latest lip kit would become a lot harder. MaryLeigh Bliss, who is the chief content officer at youth research firm YPulse was questioned about why Jenner’s success has been different than that of her sisters. She stated, “The Kardashian sisters are all famous, obviously, but Kylie is the social media native. Giving fans that access through such a huge variety of social media platforms is really easy and natural for her." Product placement has made it’s way from the silver screen to our touch screens. With goods being placed intricately on a celebrity's profile; taking advantage of the prestige and influence that they hold.
Advertising is something that is completely different today than it was even just 20 years ago. Today’s methods and consumer spending habit have definitely been rooted in past cycles but Social Media has completely revolutionized such things and turned the world of advertising upside down. Bringing a new generation, millennials, into the mix and changing the way they interact as consumers. If the internet and social networking has had such a vast effect on this huge industry it makes one wonder which industry is next in following suit.
