Status spheres

December 3, 2007

In today's world, there is an abundance of goods, products and services. What does unbridled consumption do to our sense of status? If the latest gear is available to more people, what do we do to get recognition and make us feel special?

The trendwatching site says it's morphing into so-called "status spheres". It's not that buying more and better stuff than fellow consumers is dead. Far from it. But we are redefining what constitutes status in a consumer society where millions have access to the same premium goods, to the same premium brands.

Trendwatching says that many people with money, instead of collecting luxury goods to gain recognition, are now gravitating to these "status spheres". These are the:

Transient sphere: where people free themselves from the hassles of permanent ownership and possessions and get as much experience from as many different sources as possible. Travel and jobs would be two obvious areas. The status comes from stories and experiences.

Online sphere: which can be anything from the status gained from the number of views for your photos on Flickr, to the number of friends you have on Facebook, to the number of hits for the video you put together for YouTube. Avatars and the latest gadgets would also big in this sphere.

Eco sphere: where you gain recognition for being as green as possible.

Giving sphere: this is about philanthropy and displays of generosity

Participative sphere: very much built around DIY and building new skills.

This has interesting implications for businesses seeking to target new markets. And of course consumers. Which sphere suits you? Any others you see emerging?

 

 

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