hyperconsumerism

Thoughts on Consumed: Rethinking Business In An Era Of Mindful Spending

A seminal book about changing consumer perceptions and attitudes will be released to the public on July 12. Titled Consumed: Rethinking Business In the Era Of Mindful Spending by Andrew Benett and Ann O'Reilly, it takes the reader on a unique process journey through the history of how consumers came to this post- consumptive stress disordered moment, and what the trend implications are for businesses and consumers in the future.

In a recent interview, Andrew Benett, one of the co-authors, said, " It is much more difficult to change a behavior than to change an attitude, but it is obvious we are seeing a revolutionary attitudinal sea change in the consumer. We are moving from hyper-consumerism of past years to more mindful consumer attitudes at the present, and probably in the future."

Much of the book discusses the results of a new consumer study, created by EURO RSCG Worldwide, and fielded by Market Probe International in October-November 2009. Seven markets were studied, Brazil (n=700), China (n=700), France (n=700), Japan (n=700), the Netherlands (n=700), the United Kingdom (n=700), and the United States (n=1,500). The research was based on an attitude assessment questionnaire, and depicts an historic shift in consumer values and attitudes, as the sample populations showed themselves recalibrating what it means to be a consumer in this hyper-consumptive global village.

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Tags: Andrew Benett, consumer spending, consumerism, Euro RSCG, hyperconsumerism, mindful consumption, mindfulness, survey research