Why are glossies (Elle, Vogue) selling only aspirations & inspirations?

Fashion and lifestyle magazines that are called glossies are in the most cases presenting inspirational and aspirational products on their pages to their readers because in most cases the readers are not affluent enough to be able to buy the new Prada handbag or Miu Miu shoes. The reader is getting inspired by the magazine but can grow fond of a particular product or brand and it will become aspirational to her/him (for eg. women fantasizing about Jimmy Choos or Louboutins and will save money for a long time to get a pair of shoes from these brands although they are not investing this sort of money in the rest of their wardrobe).
Módní a lifestylové časopisy s typickými lesklými stránkami obvykle  svým čtenářům servírují inspirující a aspirační produkty, protože většina jejich čtenářů nenídostatečně zámožná, aby si hned běžela koupit novou kabelku Praha nebo boty od Miu Miu. Čtenář se obsahem časopisu inspiruje, ale může se stát fanouškem nějakého konkrétního produktu či značky a tehdy se pro něj stávají aspirační (např. ženy, které sní o botách of Jimmy Choo nebo Louboutin a dlouho šetří, aby si je mohly koupit, ačkoliv do zbytku svého šatníku tolik neinvestují).

 
Fashion and lifestyle magazines are offering also a different kind of aspirational „product“ – models who are thin, have perfect skin and hair and are presenting not only clothes but also lifestyle. The readers of such magazines then aspire to have the same look and lifestyle as the models they know from the pages of their favourite magazine. Take fashion and lifestyle blogs (and nowadays their Instagram profiles) – their authenticity is retreating in favour of manufactured lifestyle pictures similar to the ones that can be found on the pages of glossies.
Módní a lifestylové časopisy taktéž nabízejí i jiný druh aspiračního „produktu“ – štíhlé modelky s perfektní pletí a vlasy, které prezentují nejen oblečení, ale i životní styl. Čtenáři těchto časopisů často aspirují na vzhled a životní styl modelek z jejich oblíbeného časopisu. Podívejte se na módní a lifestylové blogy (a v současnosti hlavně Instagramové profily) -  ztrácejí svou autenticitu, protože se podřizují vizuálnímu diktátu, který lze najít právě na stránkách časopisů.


It is undeniable that there is a way the lifestyle photos should look like to look more appealing. After looking at a few IG profiles with huge following you will get the idea and if new bloggers want to succeed too they will usually try to replicate the proven formula. Only a few will hold tight to their voice and try the proven formula but from a new angle (which will get copied once again if proven successful). This is how the aspirational lifestyle is trickling down from the brands to the glossies through the independent blogs to us the consumers, the audience.
Nelze popřít, že lifestylové fotky mají určitý typický vzhled, které je dělá líbivější. Stačí se podívat na IG profily s velkou sledovaností a všimnete si toho. Když chce nový blogger uspět, zkopíruje již několikrát osvědčený styl. Tímto se aspirační lifestyle šíří od značek skrz časopisy a dále nezávislé blogy až ke konzumentovi, k publiku.


Aspirational products are those many people wish to have but cannot because they are usually out of the price range. These people who aspire to have such a product are not the real target customers because many of them will probably never buy it although they think that they will someday in the future and this is what makes them aspirational audience. They do not feel only inspired by the product, they really thrive to own it. It is good for the brand and the sales when the aspirational audience is not higher than 30 %.
Po aspiračních produktech množí touží, ale obvykle jsou mimo jejich finanční možnosti. Aspirační konzumenti však nejsou pro značku skutečnou cílovou skupinou, pravděpodobně si nikdy nebudou moci produkt dovolit, i když si myslí opak – jsou pouze aspiračním publikem. Tito konzumenti se necítí produktem pouze inspirováni, ale skutečně po něm touží. Pro značku a její prodejnost je dobré, když její aspirační publikum nepřekročí 30% hranici.


While researching for this article I found a great soundbite:
„make it aspirational, not inspirational“.
Our aspirations are an important part of our identity, aspirations show where we are heading. Inspiration is a stimulation that lasts only for a brief moment, on the contrary aspiration is something more durable. Applied to a product – those that are aspirational make us dream about having them, we want them and not something else. Inspirational product is not a product you really want but it inspires you to buy some other product (probably the same type of product but for a better price). What about you? Are products in the glossies inspirational or aspirational for you? And why?
Když jsem hledala informace pro tento článek, zaujala mě tato hláška:
„udělejte to aspirační, nikoliv inspirační“.
Naše aspirace jsou důležitou součástí naší osobnosti, aspirace ukazují, kam směřujeme. Inspirace je jen chvilková stimulace, naopak aspirace je dlouhodobější. Když to vztáhneme na produkt – o vlastnictví aspiračních produktů sníme, chceme je a neuspokojí nás jejich napodobenina. Inspirující produkty vlastně přímo nechceme, ale inspirují nás ke koupi jiného produktu (který je pravděpodobně podobný, ale za příznivější cenu). Jak jste na tom vy? Jsou pro vás produkty v časopisech inspirující nebo aspirační? A proč?

Comments

  1. Nice blog !

    http://www.fruityandpassion.com/2017/02/casual-look-with-chic-bag.html

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  2. Tohle je podnětné, díky.

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    1. Jen takové zamyšlení, díky za přečtení :)

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  3. Neither. I don't lust after them because I know it's unattainable for me. I look at them as pretty pictures

    https://retrocasual.wordpress.com

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    1. Yes! I look at the pictures because they usually please me aesthetically. I look for the inspiration too but am not aspiring to buy any of the brand products. Well I would not mind to find a brand handbag in a vintage store (no such luck happened to me yet :D) but I am well aware that this is out of my financial reach so I am not even putting away money to buy it someday in the future. I rather buy some travel experience :)

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  4. I personally am tired of the so-called "perfect" model with the "perfect" life. Authenticity with a touch of inspiration is more my game ;)

    Gennifer Rose | www.GenniferRose.com

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    1. I agree. In some shoots the perfection looks so artificial that it almost scares me.

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  5. Such an interesting thing to think about. The selling of a somewhat unattainable life all for the purpose of making a ton of money but convincing people they need to buy something so they can have this amazing life as well. I agree with Gennifer- authenticity and a little inspo.

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    1. This is the magic of marketing or IDK. People probably think that with all the visual perfection their life will be somewhat happier maybe. Some are unable to see past the polished facade so they will buy whatever product that is recommended to them by the PR team.

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Thank you for your input, I will get back to you as soon as possible! :3