The media has become a crucial factor affecting people’s values and lifestyles, especially Generation Z (Gen Z). Numerous pieces of information come out every second, causing confusion and sometimes offering new perspectives. At the same time, Gen Z is transforming the media ecosystem with its unique patterns of usage and consumption across various channels. As an individual of Gen Z, I thought I could provide an intriguing analysis of the symbiotic relationship between the young generation and media.
This has led me to want to share stories titled “Gen Z and Media” as one of the themes I publish serially. Every second week of the month, let’s discuss what is happening in the internet world and how young people are navigating their lives there. This week, I prepared a story about “overconsumption” as the first episode.
Originally referring to a set of armor and a helmet, the term “Panoplie” is used to indicate the illusionary effect that if someone consumes a particular product, they would become part of the same consumer group that buys products of a similar level. This concept was introduced by the French social philosopher Jean Baudrillard in his book “Consumer Society.”
Nowadays, Gen Z is emerging as a power consumer group. According to Forbes, “While the Millennials represent the largest group of consumers and the Baby Boomers have the largest buying power, Gen Z’s spending power is on the rise.” Naturally, Gen Z’s consumption is increasing as they become adults and have the financial means to afford more than before. However, occasionally, it seems that something has gone awry in their spending habits.
They (we) spend too much. They buy things they don’t need, get stuff they can’t afford, and are eager to have something similar to what they already own. Some people care too much about how others perceive them based on their possessions. This makes them consume goods that they believe are on par with the possessions of the outgroup they yearn for. This is how the Panoplie effect manifests in our society.
SOCIAL MEDIA: THE TRIGGER OF OVERCONSUMPTION
The content known as “What’s in my bag” has been a huge trend on YouTube for many years. It is basically about introducing the items carried in one’s daily purse and recommending products they like and use. With the popularity of such videos, fashion magazine channels like VOGUE started creating content with celebrities. Some items became famous after being mentioned by celebrities, and some were even referred to by the celebrities’ names instead of product names.
I believe this could be one explanation for social media triggering overconsumption. Recommendations keep pouring in, and consumers are captivated by them. People think these items will improve their quality of life, but life isn’t that inconvenient without them.
The Asia Business Daily pointed out the issue that the age group for luxury consumption is shifting forward in Korea. As K-POP stars are ambassadors for high-end brands, the younger generation is tempted to own the same products as the celebrities they admire. From a marketing perspective, this strategy succeeded. However, the tactic has affected not only Gen Z but also the younger generation, the Alpha, born after 2010. The problem is that they can’t afford these brands without their parent’s money or getting a part-time job, but they don’t see it as a big deal.
Moreover, they can easily receive information about new stuff and brands through short-form videos. Pantry restocking, beauty supplies/clothes hauls, and room/house tour content show a tremendous number of products in a short duration, typically 30 seconds to 1 minute.
TikTok even launched “TikTok Shop” in the U.S. this September, transforming the platform into a combination of social media and an online shopping mall. More than 200,000 sellers registered their products on the shop. This is clever peddling for TikTok to establish itself as an e-commerce platform, but it has made it easier for users to access numerous products from videos they are watching without knowing whether the items are helpful or not.
OVER THOUSANDS-DOLLAR PROPOSAL AND EXHIBITIONISM
This June, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) pinched a trend in Korea, proposing that a fancy hotel is a price hurdle for weddings. “A wedding trend that is putting pressure on couples to take part in elaborately – and expensively – staged proposals at posh hotels,” reported WSJ. While this article mainly discusses the pressures influencing the decline of marriages in South Korea, there is another important point that we can derive from it. The younger generation’s culture of hotel proposals has come from exhibitionism in social media.
There are more than 65,000 posts with the hashtag “hotel proposal” in Korean, and countless business accounts for luxury proposals are found on Instagram – flower directing and custom cakes, among others.
This is just a partial of the exhibitionism. Bags and jewelry from luxury brands, expensive course meals, and costly sports such as golf and tennis are some other means to display sophisticated lifestyles on social media.
The new trend, “de-influencing,” was a buzzword for a while, yet there have been negative opinions about it too. De-influencing is a term coined by social media users, which means encourages people not to buy. However, some influencers recommend alternative items instead of the merchandise they are de-influencing. Influencing still occurs daily across all social media.
LET ME JUST BREAK FREE FROM CONSUMPTION
It is a vicious cycle to get satisfaction from displaying a fancy life, feel FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) from others’ happiness, overconsume to avoid falling behind, and then make others unhappy by following the trend and displaying it again.
Young girls who whine to their mothers to get nice shoes that popular singers wear experience peer pressure since other girls are already wearing them. A normal twenty-something who just graduated from university and is seeking a job feels relative deprivation from influencers on social media who appear to be the same age, as they seem to live more organized and well-structured lives compared to themselves.
We can’t solely hold the younger generation responsible for the current state. Gen Z doesn’t have enough time to patiently contemplate what kind of spending pattern genuinely makes them happy. They are walking in a heavy downpour of information and products, not knowing which will remain as their well-spent items.
Businesses must establish a strategy that can tap into the heart of Gen Z’s buying habits. Nevertheless, they shouldn’t ignore how much they are influencing Gen Z, which is a lot. They (we) need time to break free from the routine of scrolling, swiping, and ding-dong for the package delivery.
Kyungmin Min is an international intern from Korea.
