The November 2009 edition of US-Airways Magazine made its way into my home recently. Not an uncommon occurrence, as anyone who knows me well knows US-Airways careers run deep in my family. (I tried to keep the tradition alive by applying for several copywriter jobs at HQ in Tempe, AZ, but I never heard back…) Anyway, I was practically raised at 30,000 feet, and checking LCC (US’ stock-ticker symbol) is a multiple-times-daily ritual in our household.
But November’s issue contained the prologue to Lee Eisenberg’s latest literary creation, Shoptimism. Talk about advertising that works: I read the prologue preview. I contacted the Buffalo / Erie County Library. I conquered all 307 pages of this tome. (By using the library I saved money too, and not just on my car insurance!)
In all seriousness, Shoptimism is an in-depth study of the psychographical, subliminal tenets that both inspire the American consumer and encourage her to spend more. The book is separated into two parts, the first giving more treatment to how retailers and marketers build brands, create store ambiance, and study every move of consumers in order to reach them more effectively. The later half describes much of what goes on in the mind of the consumer, and how shopping produces different emotions in different people. That said, the second half continues to tie in plenty about the “Sell” side, as Eisenberg calls retailers, marketers, etc.
Being employed in retail, each day at work has been a case study in this book for me. Everything from the crappy muzak piped in, to the dazzling graphics on end caps, to the chrome fixtures suddenly made a little more sense as I read Shoptimism.
Also, having my bachelor of science in marketing communications, at many times it was like reading one of my college textbooks all over again, albeit with a little more kitsch and a whole lot of cute metaphors. Eisenberg isn’t afraid to drop the occasional four-letterer, and everything from golf balls, to the Oscar Meyer Weiner, to Winston cigarettes gets used as reference to male genitalia. Venusians, the Buy side, the Sell side and other strange titles for the consumer-driven economy are bandied about all through this book.
That said, for the most part I enjoy his writing style, even if it at times it gets a bit complex. Eisenberg spent what I would guess amounted to years researching for this book. He took a short-term job at Target—submersion journalism on the frontlines of retail. He traveled all over the country to interview various experts in marketing, psychology, and related fields. He often cites numerous scientific studies and leaves the reader amazed at how he ever kept so many facts straight. And having been a previous Lands End executive, Eisenberg lends credibility to his behind-the-scenes forays into marketing. Portions of this book call for slow reading and even re-reading to fully grasp the meaning behind the words.
While perhaps a little over-the-top in parts for the everyday reader, Shoptimism is an enlightening journey into the minds of stores, brand builders, marketers, and the shoppers who flock to them. It makes you wonder if our cheap, crappy, made-in-China-goods -driven economy is really such a great thing. I’d definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for some informative, technical reading. Visit the author’s website and blog, your local library, or just pilfer a copy of US-Airway’s November 09 issue for a preview.
Up next: I’ll share some of my insights into the Buffaloian (and Canadian) shopper, as I’ve observed since becoming Shoes Department supervisor at Kohl’s.
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