How Consumers Consume: A Typology -- Holt

1
How Consumers Consume A Typology -- Holt

• Main Thesis -- act of consuming is varied and
  effortful action determined by more than the
  product
• Intent of Article
• Describe the ways people consume
• Examine consumption in detail
• Defines consuming as type of social action in
  which people make use of consumption objects in a
  variety of ways

2
How Consumers Consume A Typology -- Holt

• Structure of Consumption
• Object actions deals with direct engagement of
  consumers with objects (e.g., trial, usage, etc.)
• Interpersonal actions -- interactions with others
  in which objects are focal resources (e.g., use a
  dinner out to meet clients, have a friend over to
  view a new DVD)
• Purpose of Action
• Autotelic -- actions are ends in themselves
  (consume a hamburger)
• Instrumental -- actions are a means to a
  different end (by a new suit to help spawn a new
  career use a dinner to impress a client)

3
How Consumers Consume A Typology -- Holt

• Four types of consumption
• Consuming as experience -- subjective, emotional
  reactions to consumption objects
• Consuming as integration -- consumers acquire
  manipulate object meanings
• Consuming as classification -- consumed objects
  are used to classify consumers
• Consuming as play -- how consumption objects are
  used to play

4
How Consumers Consume A Typology -- Holt

• Consuming as Experience
• Consumption is defined by the experience if
  consuming
• Accounting -- assignment of specific meaning to
  the objects during consumption (often relies on
  some history with the object e.g., going to a
  game at Lambeau Field with my kids is better
  than going alone)
• Evaluating -- passing of judgment of what
  consumers encounter during consumption (based on
  expectations consumption evaluation is very
  positive if the Packers win)
• Appreciating -- emotional aesthetic responses
  to the experience of consumption (may be sensory
  -- it was awesome to hear Dylan sing All Along
  the Watchtower)

5
How Consumers Consume A Typology -- Holt

• Consuming as Integration
• Integrating the consumption into the consumers
  self-identity (purchased brand is adjusted to
  make it fit me customizing a car)
• Consumers often must breakdown the distance
  between themselves and the object
• Assimilation -- how we participate (real Cub fans
  were Cub caps at the games)
• Producing -- ensuring active participation (real
  fans keep score and save the scorecard)
• Personalizing -- individualize the experience
  (hanging a sign buying a cap at Fenway)

6
How Consumers Consume A Typology -- Holt

• Consumption as Play
• Use of consumption (objects) as source to
  interact with others
• Communing -- share the experience with the
  consumption object (i.e., taking a client to your
  box at Lambeau to sew up the deal)
• Socializing -- use experiences with the
  consumption object to entertain others (i.e.,
  seeing My Fair Lady at the Arie Crown Theater
  impress my date)

7
How Consumers Consume A Typology -- Holt

• Consumption as Classification
• Use of consumption objects to classify oneself
  in relation to others
• Classifying through objects -- use the meaning of
  the object to classify oneself (e.g., real
  golfers hit Pings (i3s not the old Ping
  Zings) hackers hit Northwestern)
• Classifying through actions -- how one interacts
  with the object defines the individuals relative
  standing (e.g., real golfers do not waste time
  looking for lost balls)

8
How Consumers Consume A Typology -- Holt

• Discussion Questions
• If the NHL discovered that consumers mainly
  attended hockey games for the experience (i.e.,
  used consumption as experience), how would you
  promote the league? How about consumption as
  play?
• Can Crest (or any other more mundane product)
  use this this type of information to help develop
  strategy?