Source: "Curiosity Killed the Consumer_ Blog"
Prosumption, if not already gathered, is a combination of
production and consumption. The prosumption model, coined by Ritzer &
Jurgenson (2010), saw the importance of both production and consumption
as one concept together. It saw how the individual has shifted to becoming more
empowered in their consumption. Rather than blindly consume something that has
been produced, we consume something and produce our own meaning from it and
share it with others. In the words of Davis (2011, p.3), “we are what
we buy, and we buy because of who we are. It requires only a very small stretch
to apply this to the prosumption of identity”.
Additionally, we can interpret this in terms of brands, we buy a
certain brand because it resonates with who we are, for example we buy the
newest Samsung S4, because we like to have the latest things, in turn producing
our identity as a tech savvy individual.
In my case, identity prosumption can
be easily related to my job as fashion retail assistant.
As a fashion retail employee, I must consume the product,
which is purchasing the brands clothing items. Considering that my uniform
involves wearing that specific brand, I make sure to buy various items. As a
result, I consume that specific brand because I identify with working there, by
consuming the clothes I produce my identity as an employee. In turn when I purchase or try on clothes in my store and grow a liking towards,
I then share it with friends and especially customers, thus producing the
clothing experience for others. In some way, this is what we call a brand
ambassador.
Source: The Epoch Times
I am a consumer, but also the producer of advertising and marketing
for my workplace. I do this because it is my job, but I go further because I am
a Prosumer, given that I enjoy what I’m consuming, and willing to produce the
same thing for others.
It is no surprise that with the growing development of the
Internet and social media platforms, our power to share opinions and produce
content has become second nature. It is an age in which we don’t have to blindly
consume from whatever is produced for us, we have the power to interpret,
dissect, and produce different meanings or experiences (Davis & Jurgenson,
2011).
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Curiosity Killed The Consumer, Viewed 20th August 2013, <http://curiositykilledtheconsumer.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/do-you-prosume-how-the-do-it-yourself-trend-changes-the-relation-between-producer-and-consumer/>
Davis, J 2011, “Prosuming Identity: The Production and Consumption of Transableism on Transabled.org”, American Behavioral Scientist,
Epoch Times, Viewed 20th August 2013, <http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/business/the-marketing-corner-does-social-coupon-work-it-depends-45721.html>
Jenny Davis & Nathan Jurgenson, 12th September 2011, "Prosuming Identity Online", Cyborgology, viewed 23rd August 2013, <http://thesocietypages.org/cyborgology/2011/09/12/prosuming-identity-online/>
Ritzer, G Jurgenson, N 2010, "Production, Consumption, Prosumption: The Nature of Capitalism in the Age of the Digital 'Prosumer', Journal of Consumer Culture, vol. 10, no `, pp. 13-36
