Aspirational aspects of self develop early in childhood, when kids imagine the fantastical lifestyles of different archetypal occupations: the astronaut, the cowboy, the soldier, the firefighter, the actress, the construction worker. These aspirations become reinforced throughout childhood, sometimes through direct observation but most often through the consumption of media. As children mature and pursue their interests and later careers, their aspirational aspects of self often remain rooted in the fantastical, the unattainable. The aspirational self is an aspect of identity that is leveraged by the modern advertising machine. A key component of this is the concept of “keeping up with the Joneses,” a message that remains at the heart of marketing strategy across media platforms today, permeating all forms of audio and visual information. Many vendors do not advertise products with the intent to fulfill a specific need; instead, companies use influential individuals with a vast audience to sell an entire lifestyle, in which each product is the window dressing on the idealized view of day-to-day existence. Corporations employ teams of specialists to maximize their reach across all platforms and ensure that their products have a place in the lifestyle snapshot of as many influencers as possible, and no industry is immune.
In the tactical industry, this approach typically manifests as over-filtered photos of a rough-looking man in color-coordinated nylon, green light from night vision goggles illuminating his bearded cheeks, and a Cerakoted rifle with all manner of accoutrements held at the ready. While most readers of this article might laugh at such an image, all are consumers of the marketing machine that posits this action figure as the idealized version of self, to which the end user should aspire Similar to the carefree climbers in the REI catalog or the seductive models in the pages of Victoria’s Secret, these aspirational images send a clear message to the consumer: you can be this, if only you adorn yourself with the same clothing and accessories, available now for 10% off with free shipping. Aspirational aspects of self are powerful behavioral drivers, and they can be positive or negative depending on how they are leveraged.
While aspirations on their own can create the desire for and pursuit of self-actualization and the achievement of personal potential in the context of a given endeavor, those aspirations are also exploited by advertisers who appeal to that same childlike aspect of self who fancies himself the rugged adventurer or champion racecar driver for the sole purpose of selling products and increasing their bottom line. The advertising machine hijacks and twists the aspiration, shifting the focus to the oftentimes meaningless material tools of the experience, rather than the practice and experience itself. If the consumer is aware of this reality and consciously chooses to buy into the advertising façade for the primary purposes of fun or enjoyment, there is minimal harm. However, there is also the tragedy of a missed opportunity for self-actualization and the experiential pursuit of realizing a fantastic aspiration.
The uncomfortable part of harnessing aspiration to drive growth requires more than an investment of simple capital. Real growth requires sweat equity and dedicated effort, which also carries the possibility of failure. The risk inherent in the pursuit of intangible self-improvement is a double-edged sword that attracts some and repels others. The trust put in a mentor, the discomfort of a new endeavor, the ego-bruising humility of admitting ignorance, and the constant specter of potentially coming up short despite a best effort are all parts of a psychological barrier to entry that can make a simple commercial transaction seem preferable by comparison. All of the uncomfortable aspects of personal development have no place in an aspirational ideal, and thus go unmentioned in advertising that preys on that concept. By focusing on material accumulation, advertising can avoid more than a passing, insincere reference to the habitual effort required to achieve a goal or aspiration.
To avoid the pitfalls associated with aspirational marketing, one must perform frequent, holistic self-assessments. Are purchases supporting requirements driven by lifestyle? Are purchases made to support a lifestyle that is aspirational in nature? Are materials dictating needs? Are new items part of an accumulation chain, with one purchase leading directly to another, and so on? In Spring Cleaning, the discussion centered around the stripping away of the nonessential, which while a valuable introspective exercise, it pales in comparison to the practice of managing the aspirational aspects of self and resisting the temptation to accumulate the nonessential in the first place. Pursue the experience, not the trinket.