As consumers, we aim to search for the latest trends and best deals, and can’t help but try to believe we buy whithin our own personal style. However, not everyone seems to think this way. According to Damien Cave, the more we buy the less we stay true to ourselves and differentiate from the rest.

In this article, the author states how consumerism is destroying us as productive individuals, aiming for our authenticity and individualism. He claims “shopping has become a whole day event, a way to spend time (in line) rather than reading, having conversations or expanding culture.” He specifically refers to Old Navy and Ikea and how buying in such stores steals our identity from us by tricking us into buying bad quality yet “trendy” products.

However, I disagree with Cave, as most consumers are completely aware of Old Navy’s or Ikea’s low quality products, yet decide to shop there after all. Ikea, for example, is not just selling the product; it is also selling efficacy, convenience, and availability. As Cave states, brands are “selling you an idea or lifestyle” which I don’t believe is a negative thing. That is what many consumers are looking for, they don’t care about being authentic or outshining the rest of consumers. The fact that people are getting what they need in just ONE place saves them a lot of time and effort.

“On Sale at Old Navy: Cool Clothes for Identical Zombies” by Damien Cave

“Today’s universities and colleges abound with marketing efforts, logos, publicity, top-heavy management, and corporate sponsored buildings and professorships; thus, it is reasonable that some students might see the university as yet another entity vying for them as customers instead of as an academic institution recruiting them as scholars.”

Currently students feel like they deserve more than they worked for. But do they? Education is a right, but succeeding in it is a privilege that is up to no one but the students. Academic entitlement is developing as a huge problem as students really believe that by just paying tuition they are entitled to good marks that will later on help them succeed in life. Universities and colleges are amazing institutions that provide all tools and guidance for student, but it is up to each one of them to correctly use them for their own benefit and success.

As stated in the article, “entitlement defeats achievement by denying the significance of learning to the learner.” The whole purpose of learning has been devaluated and now the only goal is to get good marks no matter what the students learn or absorb from their education throughout the journey.  As much as education has progressed, will it ever be valuated accordingly to its importance?

“Students as Consumers of Knowledge: Are They Buying What We’re Selling? By Jill A. Single-Jackson, Dennis L. Jackson and Jeff Reinhardt

“Hi I am a Mac” is all Apple has to say in order to differentiate its product against hundreds of different PCs. Mac has grown to be so successfully differentiated that all laptop/computers are now divided into only 2 categories, Mac and PCs (which consists of hundreds of different brands).

The Apple “I’m a Mac” campaign is a Mac/PC debate between two actors in which the Mac is represented by a cool, well-dressed outgoing and young actor, while the PC is represented by an older, outdated and uptight actor. Through casual wording and the interaction of two stereotipical men, Mac portrays a differentiated strategy between its Mac products and PCs. It targets a younger, cooler audience which makes its audience want to be and identify themselves with the actor representing the Mac.

“I am a Mac” ended up being one of the most successful ad campaigns for Apple and as a result had a 42% market share growth in its first year according to Softpedia. Through this ad, Apple informes its target audience about the product in a witty, and entertaining way that manages to spread around the world within days as a result of amazing marketing strategies and induced word of mouth techinques. It caught a lot of people’s attention and soon everyone was talking about it. In a simple, yet smart way Mac was able lay out the benefits of its product and appeal to its audience’s interests and needs.