The mall has always been a friend of mine and, over the years, we've gotten closer and closer. After watching the film The Persuaders and reading the article by Jon Pahl, though, my eyes were opened to see the tactics of malls and how advertisements are used to take advantage of shoppers. So as I ventured to the Woodland Mall, I saw the place in a new light.
The first things I noticed while I walked through the mall were the bright Sale signs, drawing people into the stores. These signs practically screamed "Buy Me! Come on, you know you want to and I'm cheap!" In this economy, shoppers feed off of the idea of not having to hurt their wallets. I now see that these signs draw these vulnerable consumers in, telling them that they are saving a whole lot of money, which may not be true.
I also noticed the atmosphere of the mall's stores. The music was always inviting shoppers in and attracting the target audience of the store. Even the carpet matched the atmosphere. In the kid clothing area, the carpet was a playful blue puzzle piece design, while the adult clothing section was toned down but always appealing. It became clear to me as I walked through several stores that the layout was very clever. So, as people make their way to the section where they need to go, they also walk past the things that they desire and are likely to buy more stuff. This trip to the mall was not like others. Let's just say that the mall and I are not that close of friends anymore.
It is so true how the signs really lure you right into the store. Its bad enough how big and bright they are, not to even mention the message they give the shopper. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one influenced by the malls "little tricks". I'll give them credit, they do a nice job at getting our attention. Who are they fooling though? After watching "The Persuaders", we've got them all figured out.
ReplyDeleteFascinating way to frame your observations in terms of a "friendship" with the mall, Jessica!
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