Consumer Democracy

This book argues that marketing is inherent in competitive democracy, explaining how we can make the consumer nature of competitive democracy better and more democratic. Margaret Scammell argues that consumer democracy should not be assumed to be inherently antithetical to 'proper' political discourse and debate about the common good. Instead, Scammell argues that we should seek to understand it - to create marketing-literate criticism that can distinguish between democratically good and bad campaigns, and between shallow, cynical packaging and campaigns that at least aspire to be responsive, engender citizen participation, and enable accountability. Further, we can take important lessons from commercial marketing: enjoyment matters; what citizens think and feel matters; and, just as in commercial markets, structure is key - the type of political marketing will be affected by the conditions of competition.

This book explores the links between food and democracy. It addresses how democratic principles can be used to shape our food system and takes a practical ‘how-to’ approach to using democratic processes to regain control of the food we eat. It also highlights what food democracy looks like on the ground and how individuals, communities and societies can be empowered to access, cook and eat healthy food in ways that are sustainable. Food democracy, as a concept, is a social movement based on the idea that people can and should be able to actively participate in shaping the food system rather than being passive spectators. The book is useful for university and advanced TAFE courses that cover topics examining food in health sciences, social sciences and other areas of study. It is also relevant to health practitioners, nutritionists, food advocates, policy makers and others with a keen interest in exploring an alternative to the industrial food system known as “Big Food.”

This book discusses the seminal role played by Edward Bernays, a nephew of Sigmund Freud, in the founding of American-style public relations persuasive communication through manipulation of symbols and his huge (and cynical) impact on the American economic and political scene. It provides a substantiated and convincing explanation for what is happening today in Donald Trumps America. In the form of a history of ideas, the book makes clear that the present Trumpian manipulation of democracy and what it means to be American has a long pre-history and continues to go through different phases, involving the cultivation and institutionalisation of strong bonds between business and politics. The book shows how this is intimately linked with a science, intellectualism and practice informed by a series of binary oppositions in human action and interaction (e.g. rationality and irrationality, reason and emotion, mind and body, brain and heart, insider and outsider, us and them) and how unpredictable human nature really is. It makes a convincing argument that being human depends on how successfully we are able to negotiate such apparently contradictory binaries with the intricacies and dynamism of human agency. It is rich and thought provoking and very timely, given the exclusionary politics of fear, anger, hate and nativism we see unfolding not only in the USA but all over the world.

This book argues that marketing is inherent in competitive democracy, explaining how we can make the consumer nature of competitive democracy better and more democratic. Margaret Scammell argues that consumer democracy should not be assumed to be inherently antithetical to "proper" political discourse and debate about the common good. Instead, Scammell argues that we should seek to understand it - to create marketing-literate criticism that can distinguish between democratically good and bad campaigns, and between shallow, cynical packaging and campaigns that at least aspire to be responsive, engender citizen participation, and enable accountability. Further, we can take important lessons from commercial marketing: enjoyment matters; what citizens think and feel matters; and, just as in commercial markets, structure is key - the type of political marketing will be affected by the conditions of competition.

As Elizabeth Warren memorably wrote, “It is impossible to buy a toaster that has a one-in-five chance of bursting into flames and burning down your house. But it is possible to refinance an existing home with a mortgage that has the same one-in-five chance of putting the family out on the street.” More than a century after the government embraced credit to fuel the American economy, consumer financial protections in the increasingly complex financial system still place the onus on individuals to sift through fine print for assurance that they are not vulnerable to predatory lending and other pitfalls of consumer financing and growing debt. In Democracy Declined, Mallory E. SoRelle argues that the failure of federal policy makers to curb risky practices can be explained by the evolution of consumer finance policies aimed at encouraging easy credit in part by foregoing more stringent regulation. Furthermore, SoRelle explains how angry borrowers’ experiences with these policies teach them to focus their attention primarily on banks and lenders instead of demanding that lawmakers address predatory behavior. As a result, advocacy groups have been mostly unsuccessful in mobilizing borrowers in support of stronger consumer financial protections. The absence of safeguards on consumer financing is particularly dangerous because the consequences extend well beyond harm to individuals—they threaten the stability of entire economies. SoRelle identifies pathways to mitigate these potentially disastrous consequences through greater public participation.

Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 2008 in the subject Communications - Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Social Media, grade: none, Dr. M.G.R. University, course: Ph. D, language: English, abstract: The current trend has been changing and it is becoming quite difficult to become and sustain as leader in the market. Mostly it is there in the hands of consumers to choose and make market leaders in that particular industry. The consumers are becoming very choosy and take a hell lot of things into consideration before buying a product from the market. The retailing sector is booming now and even the consumers are also seeking more information while purchasing. The malls and big shopping centers are becoming crowded and people are willing to do the window shopping before purchasing. There are several other behavioral issues relating to the consumer buying behavior. Infact, it is increasingly becoming difficult to turn consumers into customers. Previously the aim of marketing is to meet and satisfy target customer's needs and wants. But now it is much more beyond that. It is customer delighting now. At the same time, the marketers also facing tough competition and they need to face many challenges yet. Understanding consumer behavior and "knowing customers" are never simple. Establishing brand loyalty is increasingly becoming difficult. The customers at any time can go for other brands for any reason. This paper highlights various issues or aspects that a consumer takes care during purchasing activity. This paper deals with how consumers are choosing their brands and how intensive they are during pre purchase system. This paper was also based on the research work done.

Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 2008 in the subject Communications - Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Social Media, grade: none, Dr. M.G.R. University, course: Ph. D, language: English, abstract: The current trend has been changing and it is becoming quite difficult to become and sustain as leader in the market. Mostly it is there in the hands of consumers to choose and make market leaders in that particular industry. The consumers are becoming very choosy and take a hell lot of things into consideration before buying a product from the market. The retailing sector is booming now and even the consumers are also seeking more information while purchasing. The malls and big shopping centers are becoming crowded and people are willing to do the window shopping before purchasing. There are several other behavioral issues relating to the consumer buying behavior. Infact, it is increasingly becoming difficult to turn consumers into customers. Previously the aim of marketing is to meet and satisfy target customer’s needs and wants. But now it is much more beyond that. It is customer delighting now. At the same time, the marketers also facing tough competition and they need to face many challenges yet. Understanding consumer behavior and “knowing customers” are never simple. Establishing brand loyalty is increasingly becoming difficult. The customers at any time can go for other brands for any reason. This paper highlights various issues or aspects that a consumer takes care during purchasing activity. This paper deals with how consumers are choosing their brands and how intensive they are during pre purchase system. This paper was also based on the research work done.

Leading brand designer Marc Gobé builds on his highly successful Emotional Branding strategy with Citizen Brand, a powerful new concept designed to help companies earn the trust of today's consumers. Gobé argues that corporations need a new vision to survive in the present "emotional economy," challenging them to develop more passionate, human, and socially responsible brand strategies. He shows how to transform Consumers to People, Products to Experiences, Honesty to Trust, Quality to Preference, Identity to Personality, and Service to Relationship.