Who we are or who we WANT to be drives every decision we make. Whether it’s the aesthetic style you physically show or the way you make decisions.,. what food to have; does it look pleasing on the eye, will it suit your social media feed?
This is where the concept of self comes in. This is defined as the ‘the way a consumer views themselves’, typically, consumers will feel more drawn to brands that reinforce their vision of themselves and how they want to be seen (Cockaday 2019).
A great example of a brand that I think has targeted a demographic by using self-concept is Dove. With their #MyBeautyMySay campaign (Dove 2016), an empowering advert with the motivation to capture the interest of women and their actual self to make them feel like they can be their ideal self by challenging traditional beauty standards and encouraging consumers to be confident in their authentic selves.
Identifying ‘self-concept’ involves understanding the different ways we see ourselves. There are several types, including actual-self, ideal-self, ideal social-self, social-self, situational-self, and extended-self (Schiffman 2012).
This can also be shortened down by having two sides to self-concept; private-self, which reflects our personal views, and a public-self, which is how we think others see us. (Francisco and Moura 2020).
Now applying this to marketing campaign research, getting to know the various sides of a person’s identity allows us to bond with consumers more meaningfully and build campaigns around interests and behaviours that will attract them (or their desired self).
When products resonate with someone’s ideal self-image, marketers can grasp an understanding into the customers dreams and wants, driving them to buy things that represent who they aspire to be.
Referencing and sources:
COCKADAY, G., 2019. How Crucial Is A Consumer’s Self-Concept In Advertising? [viewed 19 February 2025]. Available from: https://news.clickon.co/how-crucial-is-a-consumers-self-concept-in-advertising
Dove, 2016. Dove | Beauty on your own terms #MyBeautyMySay
FRANCISCO, Prof.Dr. and T. MOURA, 2020. Self-Concept: The Beauty Of How Complex Human Behavior Is – LiveInnovation.org [viewed 19 February 2025]. Available from: https://liveinnovation.org/self-concept-the-beauty-of-how-complex-human-behavior-is/
SCHIFFMAN, L.G., 2013. Consumer Behaviour E Book. Pearson Higher Ed
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