[Last modified: October, 9 2024 01:11 AM]
For my pilot ethnographic project, I plan to explore the impact of storytelling on consumption behavior and its psychology behind modern society.
My interest in this topic stems from the rapid rise in popularity of Jellycat last year, driven by store employees personifying each toy, and giving each one a unique wrapping ritual before purchase. Storytelling has transformed what was once just a product into an experience, embedding the product into a larger narrative, purchasing more than just a transaction. It makes consumers feel that they are participating and becoming involved in the story. This creates a deeper connection between consumers and the brand. This creates a deeper connection between consumers and the brand. Moreover, I am also curious about the psychology behind consumer behavior and what the main reasons are that drive people to pursue this experience.
Research Question:
To explore this topic, I would discuss the following questions further.
- How do stories associated with products affect consumers’ emotions and make people feel attached to them?
- How does design play an important role in conveying the story to consumers?
- How does storytelling in consumer experiences reshape the way people treat and share the product?
- How do shared stories and narratives attract buyers?
- What kinds of storytelling are more successful today, and why is that the case?
- Why do consumers buy for the sake of stories?
- How do consumers gain satisfaction from this? Do they gain genuine long-term satisfaction from it?
- What happens to the product at the end of its life? Does it create any sense of indifference compared to other products?
Methods:
Interviews: I will conduct in-depth interviews with individuals to explore their personal experiences related to purchasing products associated with storytelling. This will allow me to gather qualitative insights into how these narratives influence their decision-making and emotional connections to the products.
Participatory Interventions: I will select specific locations for observation, and observing the interactions and experiences related to storytelling in real-time. Additionally, I will explore online platforms and social media to analyze and compare different storytelling techniques used by brands.
Potential Findings:
- Arnold, Japutra., Yuksel, Ekinci., Lyndon, Simkin. (2022). Discovering the dark side of brand attachment: Impulsive buying, obsessive-compulsive buying and trash talking. Journal of business research, 145, 442-453. Available from: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.03.020
- Frank, Lindberg. (2022). Struggle of the story: towards a sociocultural model of story world tension in communal consumption. Journal of marketing management, 39(5-6), 498-519. Available from: 10.1080/0267257x.2022.2108487
- Beris, Artan, Özoran. (2019). Manifesto storytelling: a new method of organizations. 15(1), 277-308. Available from: 10.17550/AKADEMIKINCELEMELER.595074