The Consumer

The consumer is the final user of the end product. The definition for the consumer is, 'The one who pays, to consume the goods and services produced'. The consumer is getting harder and harder to provide for as they become more particular in their needs. Social media and the internet is a great way to convince the consumer into thinking they need something, rather than them just wanting it. As a designer I need to remember that my job is to create something that the consumer will 'need' rather than something that 'I want'. The idea is to make the consumer believe that they need whatever you create, which is where clever advertising and marketing comes into the picture. With the advancements of technology, has come the advancement of advertising and marketing, it's everywhere. Around 30% of total television viewing time is taken up by Advertising Commercials, rather than the program you intend to be watching.

In today's design world you need to be very up to date with consumer needs, or even better, a few steps ahead. You will need to understand what they are looking for in something so you can create what they are looking for. For example if you know the consumer is looking for a fun household appliance, you will look at your competition and think how can I make this appliance look more fun to the consumer. The consumer is looking for fun, so if you give them fun then they are going to buy and consume it. Target audiences are getting more and more diverse, there is many different target audiences now. It was just primarily gender and age ranges for target audience, but in today's world it is also based on different groups within society.

The consumer is basically the end part of a chain. For example if you were printing a poster to advertise a film there would be a particular chain to get to the end point (The Consumer). It would start with the client who commissions a design house to create the poster. The design house would then contact one of their designers/illustrators to create the work. The work would then be checked over and sent off for printing. Then finally the poster would be displayed for the consumer to digest. As a designer I am just one part of the chain, but without the designer, the chain would not be complete and the consumer would never be reached.

As a consumer myself I am part of the younger male student demographic. I will be targeted as a student through shops such as 'Topman', 'Footasylum' and 'Schuh' offering student discount. They are catering for my demographic by understanding the money constraints we face, therefore they offer further discounts on their products. I often use my student discount to purchase things, which has probably saved me hundreds of pounds.