Representation: consumerism.

The commodity I bought was ‘RIMMEL London 60 seconds vinyl shine nail polish - 484 rapid ruby’
‘I shop therefore I am’ - baudrillard


Baudrillard ‘ I shop because I am in awe of the symbolism of objects’
Before even choosing the actual nail varnish colour I looked for the brand, In Baudrillard’s theories he sees consumerism as not only being about actually buying actual commodities/objects but also consuming signs visually. ‘Systems of signs’ includes consuming brands and logos, so even before consuming the commodity I consumed the logo and the brand.

Yet a problem with the saturation of signs due to capitalism will lead to the signs becoming meaningless, the over production of signs leads to the sign becoming invisible.
WHY? I chose RIMMEL over any other brand of nail varnish because it is a popular and a well known brand, RIMMEL London is a product I have bought before so I have brand loyalty due to the first time buying a product from this range/brand and I was satisfied with it creating brand loyalty.
I opted for this choice rather than another brand (with a cheaper price) due to knowing that I would get what I paid for with RIMMEL, also the advertisement of it drying in 60 seconds appealed to me.

Desire Vs Need.
Nail varnish is a beauty product, used to make me feel and look better about myself. Commodities and consumption is a big part in making consumers feel better about themselves :
* I will get that job if my nails are that colour.
* That boy will be attracted to me if my nails are that colour.
It also makes sense why somebody would pick a desire over a need for emotional pleasure. Freud studied unconscious sexual desires. Everything we do is so that we are attractive to the opposite sex.
‘Consumption offers promise of (sexual) satisfaction’ (Bocock, 1993)

Advertising
RIMMEL is advertised on billboards, television adverts, and in magazines.
Television adverts: The adverts advertise the nail varnish with Kate Moss wearing it, looking glamorous. RIMMEL has tag lines such as:
* Break the rules
* with a look as individual as you are
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y72iMG8egpM&feature=related

The scenes in the adverts are juxtaposed with a song and a voice over talking about the product.

Magazine adverts:
Companies have already chosen their audience by putting advertisements into women’s magazines (e,g cosmo), by doing this it is already reaching the target and correct audience.
In magazine adverts you see Kate wearing the product, looking perfect with the tag line, product and the RIMMEL logo.

These advertisements helped me chose RIMMEL as a brand to buy because the advertisements appealed to me due to them being celebrity endorsed, as well as giving me enough information about the product. Both of the adverts were catchy and easy to remember as well as being clear and easy to identify what the advertisement was advertising.

Celebrity endorsed
Kate Moss is the face of RIMMEL London and she played a big part in why I chose the object. She is a style icon and is a billboard to ‘what is cool’
* I want to be like Kate Moss
* everything Kate stands for is symbolised in this brand, with the tag line: get the London look.
With the tag line emphasising what you are trying and aiming to create by buying this commodity. Kate is also a face of ‘cool London’ and Kate co notates what is ‘cool’ which is showcased to us via the media. So by buying a RIMMEL product you get to be apart of the whole Kate Moss cool London movement.

Social location
I got the nail varnish from ‘SUPERDRUG’ on Albany road, Roath. Albany road is a residential area which has shops to cater for all needs, desires, ages and sexes. It is only a fifteen minute walk from Cardiff’s shopping centre yet it is enough to provide for one’s needs and desires.

SUPERDRUG
Superdrug is a well known beauty store, with brand loyalty I come to Superdrug for all my cosmetic purchases.