A ritual "is a set of multiple, symbolic behaviors that occurs in a fixed sequence and is repeated periodically" (Solomon, p. 533). For me, the first thought that comes to mind when thinking about rituals is exotic tribes and very religious people. Usually in a dark area, lit by a lot of candles and people in costumes chanting. However, consumers engage in rituals daily and these rituals tend to shape some of our consumption activities.
One example is one's "daily 'mental health' trip to Starbucks" (Solomon, p. 533). For me, my ritual is my nighttime skincare routine. This is known as grooming rituals. This ritual allows me to wind down from my crazy and busy days. Grooming rituals "cleanse us of impurities" (Solomon, p. 533). My nighttime skincare routine allows me to physically and mentally wash away all the stressful stuff from that day.
I didn't really realize this was a ritual until reading more into this subject. These rituals tend to "reaffirm the value their culture places on personal beauty and the quest for eternal youth" (Solomon, p. 536). I don't feel that I enjoy or perform my nighttime skincare routine because my culture places a high value on beauty. I do it for myself as a way to relax and cleanse myself from a long day. If I'm unable to do this ritual one night I feel different and my skin isn't the same.
The brands I use are also very important to my ritual. Without these products my ritual just wouldn't be the same. I'm very loyal to the products I use. However, I do like to try new things but I always compare them to my current products and don't change them unless they are amazing and better than my other ones.
So these rituals really influence my consumption activities and contribute to who I am :)
No comments:
Post a Comment