Woodland mallpost

“There, under a skylight and high ceiling, were trees – indoors, with a small foundation and reflecting pool – where I enjoyed playing while my parents sat and rested on nearby benches, in a scene of blissful consumer contentment.” (Pahl, “The Shopping Mall as ‘Stairway to Heaven,’ Leading Nowhere”). As Jon Pahl has described in his article, the description above illustrates what is frequently called a mega-church or shopping mall. This weekend, I had a chance to revisit the Woodland mall, a shopping complex with more than a hundred shops, but with the purpose other than shopping. I paid closer attention to the mall’s structure and its persuasive and religious qualities.

In The Persuaders, the audience is being warned of the advertisements and persuasions that the market try to allure. In fact, the documentary described of how the market psychologically familiarizes us to its product and inspires our desires. The mall welcomed us with a large and spacious parking lot, which was enterable from various directions. Decorated with the trees and bits of flowers, the parking area seemed not only aesthetic but naturalistic. As humans beings originate from the nature, I felt familiar to its surrounding environment. The outer structure of the mall was designed to invite consumers from all four directions (north, south, east, west) with clear glass doors. From high ceiling with transparent glass, bright lights, nature (green trees), and to glittering floors, the mall welcomed and impinged an impression that I am valuable person. The green nature allowed me to feel connected to the nature and thus think that I belong to the mall too. Just with its attractive and elegant interior design, the mall not only established a psychological mood for shopping but sense of belonging with hope for luxurious life. Walking around the whole mall, I realized that the shops fulfilled most aspects of people’s desires and needs (exp. Clothe, shoes, food, accessories, electronics, bookstore, and etc…). Although some shops were designed in unique style, most of the shops had transparent large windows and doors. Mannequins and posters, which were spotlighted with even brighter lighting, stood through the windows. Posters of fashionable models seemed to convey a society’s standard of beauty. These persuasive qualities encourage and force (in a way) consumers to purchase the products. However, I noticed something else in this trip to mall after watching The Persuaders. In the movie, it describes about consumers’ emotional connectedness and brand royalty to specific brands. According to the movie, consumers create sense of belonging in the society by identifying themselves with certain brand and product. The luxurious shops in the mall, in fact, seemed to contain their unique styles and character. Apple store, for instance, had many visitors in the shop. Most of the people enjoyed with the latest technology that the Apple Company has invented. The Apple Store offered its consumers shared identity with its unique characteristics and design. In additions, it enhanced Apple manias loyalty by ensuring membership and emphasizing that they are creative than other majority of people. Other stores such as the Banana Republic, the North Face, and the Express are all examples of expensive stores but with different styles.

Although I could not buy anything from the mall, I realized that the mall is certainly a church, which competes for consumers’ loyalty to its religion. As other churches do, the mall consists of all people coming together (“rich and poor, old and young, black and white”), making it a “democratic, unifying, and universal place. (Pahl)” The mall includes symbols to fulfill its existences. Ever green trees, which are so frequently used in religions, are placed all over the mall to represent that lives are eternal and abundant. Advertising slogans signifies “you” and unity with the product. By unknowingly establishing certain expectations and symbolism, the mall functions as one of the largest religion in America.  

Glittering windows

Welcoming signs to the religion

Desires conquer mind