The self

‘This merry moment’ is an advertisement video on their YouTube channel which explores a situational factor, as Christmas holyday, to affect the consumer purchase decision.

In 1998, following the internet boom, Anthropologie started making steps to an online shopping experience and established a direct-to-consumer business by opening a

web store (URBN, 2020).

Since then, the brand has used social media to reach a connection with their target.

Unlike other brands, Anthropology doesn’t use print advertisement in magazines or tv commercials, to focus on the delivery of products with quality and excellent store experience. They have taking advantage of the understanding they have of their loyal target market to continuously sell their products by being aware of their lifestyles, their preferences, and needs.

The target here is focused on young and mature independent women, with high/middle income and different race backgrounds balancing their professional working life with important relationships with their families and friends, framing into the regular brand target demographics.

The video shows the celebration of a happy holiday in different places in the world, showcasing a mix of products that goes from casual clothes, pyjamas, party dresses, accessories, kitchen and dining utensils, and gifts cards. Associating the magic of this specific time to their unique craftsmanship products and singular brand.

The brand adopted a relational marketing oriented on the relationship towards the brand, product benefits, high customer retention and commitment. They wanted to use a big cultural marketing impact on the way viewers perceive this message of good social and family relationships, concentrating on the joyful Christmas’s time as inspiration so consumers pay attention and enjoy the experience (Solomon, 2020).

The self

According to Solomon, the self-concept influence strongly consumer behaviour because it’s a reflection of people’s attitudes towards themselves and those will help to guide a purchase decision. The self is composed of factors like idea, feelings that make up an individual and these factors can be responsible of how we respond to communications and how we live, thus why and how we buy (Sethna and Blythe, 2020).

‘’Gender identity is an important component of a consumer’s self-concept’’ (Solomon, 2020) Anthropologie tends to be based on ‘’womanhood’’ and passes a message of a confident, professional, cultured, trendy women emphasizing the uniqueness of the self like most brands in western culture (Anthropologie, 2020).

Their marketing makes the audience conform to the culture’s expectations of how they should act, bringing a sense of beauty, optimism, reassurance from others to see the happy perfect family and social relationships.

Regarding to the campaign, consumer behaviour can be influenced by the components of the self by:

The self-image, which is modified over time by other people opinions, costumers chose the products thinking of serving their actual self;

The looking glass self, which inaccurately we think of how other people are seeing us, lead them to buy the products to help feel good in other people eyes; reaching to

the ideal self, which make us wish to be that person we idealize and purchase to fulfil that needs.

Meaning, loyal customers won’t want to threaten their active, cool image and new customer will want to adjust the differences.

(Solomon, 2020; Sethna and Blythe, 2020)

Figure 3. Womanhood initiative