Todd Sumamno
As long as consumer products have existed, the manufacturers of those products have done their best to imbue the items with a sense of fashion, style and exclusivity. If people believe that a product is fashionable and want to show it off to their friends, it’s almost certain to be a success. The fact that some types of products have become fashionable is perfectly natural because they’re things that are worn – athletic shoes and mens camo watch are two types of products that fall into this category. Those things, however, are only the beginning. In fact, almost any type of consumer product can become a fashion statement if the maker does a good enough job of marketing it.
Have you ever bought a product at least in part because you really wanted to be seen with it? Here are just a few of the consumer products that have become major fashion statements over the past few years.
Wireless Earbuds
Are you old enough to remember when the original iPod was announced back in 2001? If you are, then you probably also remember the white earbuds that became almost ubiquitous soon after. Before long, everyone seemed to be walking around with earbuds stuck in their ears.
The thing about the iPod, though, was that it had no purpose except to play music. People didn’t leave the earbuds in their ears all of the time because others would assume that they were listening to music and weren’t open to conversation.
That all changed, however, with the introduction of wireless earbuds. Yet another trend started by Apple, wireless earbuds allow you to remain connected to your phone at all times without filtering out the events happening around you. Many people have taken to wearing them everywhere, making them emblematic of the modern always-connected lifestyle.
Vaping Devices
Among those who have used vaping to help themselves quit smoking, vaping devices have always been a fashion statement to a certain extent because they symbolize the fact that the user has given up tobacco and started off on a new path. People have always enjoying showing their vaping devices to their friends. That’s partially because some of those people are smokers who might switch to vaping themselves and partially because vaping often becomes something of a hobby for those who do it. People who enjoy a hobby always like to share their latest finds.
Over the past several years, manufacturers have attempted to please the hobbyist segment of the vaping community by releasing increasingly colorful and eye-catching products. That has culminated in the development of sleek vaping devices like Elf Bar. With today’s vaping products, the fact that you’re no longer a cigarette smoker is only half of the fun. The other half is making sure that you look great while not smoking.
To capture consumers’ attention, today’s vaping products have reached a whole new level in terms of color and material choices. Some devices, for example, use materials like mixed resins and stabilized wood to create unique color patterns and ensure that no two devices are exactly alike. Other devices use glossy clear plastic coatings to catch the sunlight. Still other devices use exotic materials like leather or have hardened exterior surfaces to resist water, dust and shock.
It’s reached a point where, for many people, it’s no longer enough to own just one vape – people want to own devices that match their moods or coordinate with their outfits. Manufacturers have done their best to ensure that there are plenty of selections available for every conceivable taste.
Kitchen Appliances
Are you the person who likes to entertain at home? If you are, you’re well aware of the marketing pressure that consumers face in this area. There’s intense pressure to make sure that you have the right kitchen accessories to show off to your friends, and there’s no shortage of new items hitting the market every year. From automatic cocktail mixers to coffee makers that grind your beans on demand before brewing them, it seems like there’s at least one great new kitchen gadget every year that promises to make your life easier.
The biggest reason why kitchen appliances have really stepped into the fashion world, though, is the fact that they’re now available in an enormous array of trendy colors. Take a look at what you see on a major site like Amazon, for instance, when you search for something as mundane as a stand mixer. They’re not just available in the old standby colors like white, black and chrome – they’re also available in much trendier colors like candy apple red and powder blue. If you buy the rest of your kitchen appliances from the same maker, you can outfit your entire kitchen with matching accessories. If you’ve felt compelled to redo your kitchen from top to bottom over the past year or two, the marketing efforts of kitchen appliance makers have a lot to do with that.
Electric Vehicles
Virtue signaling is a real thing. Many people have a natural desire to buy products reflective of their views on things like politics, labor relations and environmental stewardship. Companies are aware of that desire and do their best to make the public aware of the virtues they espouse.
Electric vehicles have become some of the world’s most desirable and hard-to-find products over the past couple of years, and virtue signaling has a great deal to do with that. We all know that the environment is facing an imminent catastrophe. Everyone wants to do what’s right for the preservation of the planet if they can, and there’s also a bit of a desire to show everyone around you that you’re trying to do the right thing.
Even more than that, though, electric vehicles have become fashion statements because many of them are grotesquely overpriced for what they offer – and people buy them anyway. Owning an electric vehicle satisfies your desire to show others you’re successful enough to own something that’s perpetually sold out and incredibly difficult to find.
Brittany
