Where do the boundaries come into play when accelerating cycles of desire?

The act of consumption is significantly changing from the material to the digital; offering very different experiences for the consumer. Digital virtual consumption (DVC) is creating new spaces of identity, embodiment and community (Shields, 2008) which PROs should utilise when publicising and promoting online campaigns. There is an increasing role for PR in DVC as trust and reputation are essential requisites for online websites particularly those which rely on market place ratings and buyer profiles.


Ubiquitous connectivity has enabled the acceleration of the cycles of desire to occur at a rapid pace as consumers engage in a composite of practices such as browsing, monitoring, temporary ownership of virtual representations and material ownership through purchasing (Denegri-Knott, 2010). This has led to time-space compression and in todays ‘have it now’ culture; the quick acquisition of desired goods accelerates the cycle of desire as elusive items are easily found and inexpensive. The opportunity for PR is therefore to ensure the product or service is accessible and promoted extensively; tactics such as SEO, social media and direct messaging frame consumer wants making them more achievable.


Everyone daydreams; conjuring up an idealised lifestyle. It poses excitement, hope, the impetus to strive towards a better self; it is the locus of pleasure seeking in consumption (Denegri-Knott, 2010). DVC provides the relationship between the ideal confinements of the psychological daydreaming activities and material consumption by introducing an interim liminoid position (Shields, 2002; Shields, 2000; Turner, 1988) which duplicitously fuels desires and provides a platform for its actualisation. This results in the consumer becoming more active in the consumption process; this level of interactivity provides an opportunity for PROs to create narratives which give meaning to decision-making using the online environment. Interactivity enables cultural and social exchanges to take place which are the key to credibility. It is the displaced, idealised meanings which ensure consumers consistently want more products (McCracken, 1988). 


Analysing key publics is therefore essential in targeting a campaign more effectively, enabling them to fulfil their wants or to position a product or service as a source for re-igniting desire once satiation occurs. But, does a good narrative balance against the risk? This highlights the importance for PROs to build communication on trust as online privacy arises as a sensitive issue. Disregarding the value of privacy by manipulating personal autonomy and failing to protect customer data could lead to reputational damage of a client. Trust strengthens relationships.

Let’s take All Saints for example, they implement various online strategies in an attempt to ignite desire and accelerate the consumption process:


- Targeted Ads - These appear alongside web pages and are created through monitoring online behaviour and browsing history. However it raises the issue of privacy; PROs need to ensure they achieve optimum levels of privacy where desired levels equate to actual levels when dealing with customers and they are not being invasive in their targeting.


- Email - Direct messages provide information on current promotional codes, sales, new fashion pieces and events. This sets up a cycle of revelation, stimulating the hope to want tangible products on which to attach a daydream (Denegri-Knott, 2010). It further presents the opportunity to re-ignite desire by exposing complementary pieces such as jewellery, shoes, jackets etc. It is an epistemic object of consumption.

- Social media - Facebook and Twitter used as a promotional tool; PR activities (Basement live sessions with musical artists), promote new fashion pieces and interaction with customers.


- Website - Using the shopping basket – Temporary ownership of virtual representations of the desired goods. This accelerates the cycle of desire as consumers are able to place desirable items into the basket and transgress the boundaries of moral valuations dictating what is to be sanctioned as an appropriate purchase (Belk et al, 2003 cited Denegri-Knott, 2010).

However where do the boundaries come into play when accelerating cycles of desire? This leads us into the issue as to how ethical PROs should be in framing these wants which inexorably create false needs. It further questions the extent to which PROs should overstep the boundaries of privacy in targeting publics. With no regulation or legislation in place to effectively deal with digital communications, consumers must accept ‘the reality...online life is a trade’ (Aleks Krotoski, 2010) and that PROs will utilise these online spaces to their advantage to exploit the cycles of desire.