Consumption communities refers to the idea that groups of certain people share the consumption of a particular product. The advertisement aspect of ‘consumption communities’ endeavored to persuade (or better yet, encourage) the group of people that the product was best suited for their particular needs. He believed that not only was advertising a way of selling a product, but a way of amalgamating a community in the products they use by the advertisers knowledge of the consumers needs and wants.
Advertisements assisted people dealing with and becoming more accustom to the sudden modernization of society by making strange and possibly outrageous corporations seem more civil (and humane) to decrease the intimidation bought on by the large power of the company. This allowed them to gradually bring in new thrilling products as well as continue to advertise the well known items to keep the target audience comfortable with the well known knowledge of the item, thus ensuring that they were not too over whelmed with the newness of the product.
The ‘informational’ aspect refers to the fact that a consumer will be informed about a certain product and its qualities and differences from other products to distinguish the better properties it has. All information being passed onto the consumer is completely factual. The ‘transformational’ function tries to change the opinion and thoughts and experiences of a consumer of a particular product by the exposure of the advertisement.
The ‘transformational’ function suggest by using the product they will have an increased satisfaction as they believe, psychological that a change will be bought about them for the better. It does so by displaying the product with a sense of happiness, excitement, and traits which consumers lust over, that with the product being sold, will be achieved. This can be done by the association of a joyous experience with a certain product, thereafter whenever the product is seen, the joyous experience will be related to its visuals. This relationship is absent in ‘informational’ advertising.
John Galbraith was concerned about ‘the new affluent society’ because it seemed that the consumers needs were no taken on board however everything relating to the growth and development of industrialized growth was, instead. Galbraith believed that consumers needs and wants were completely disregarded and their intentions were not for the benefit of the consumer. The idea that the industrial side bought about ideas of getting the customer to buy products that were once (and initially) not needed, suggests that the customer’s needs were not taken into account.
