A Cog in the Writing Machine
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Ethical Emotionals Logically Shop at Hot Topic
When I look at Hot Topic, I think of the alternative lifestyles of our culture. This is pretty logical because of the neon red, sharp letters spelling out Hot Topic and the metal grating arch entrance you have to walk through to get in to the store. I don't think of skipping through a field of daffodils or watching The Hills when I see this store. I logically think that people who prefer a "darker" attitude shop at this store. A claim that seems to be undisputed when looking around the malls these many stores are housed in. Walking in, your ideas and thoughts are affirmed with the interior design of the store which compliments the exterior nicely.
And your emotions are definitely played upon whenever you walk in to the store. The music is loud (whether it's Rob Pattinson or Korn, it's loud), the walls are faux dark red bricks, and the shelving/hangers for everything are black. The clothes are hardly ever white and if they are they have bright graphics all over them. Most of the retail is either darkly colored or a gross reminder of the 80's color pallete. The sales attendants look fresh off the cover of TattooZine or some pop/punk album. All of this gets you in to a different mood. It's edgier to be in there, or at least you feel edgier. This isn't Abercrombie and Fitch or Victoria's Secret. This lingerie has skull and crossbones on it or it's zippered, for that more hardcore relationship. I definitely feel a little bit more of a bamf when I walk in to the store. Logically I understand that this is hardly unique in any form or fashion and most of this stuff is mainstream, chinsy stuff that anyone could walk in and buy but still there is this sense of being a little bit more hardcore whenever I go to pick up my black fingernail polish or lipstick.
And when it comes to Ethical, that's an interesting point. Things in Hot Topic are made to push the envelope of society. Wearing whatever the heck someone wants to wear whether or not it's been accepted by the Average Joe the Plumber. So if you're thinking in terms of staying within that given status quo of society, it isn't too ethical. Because who all trusts a person dressed in all black, with blackened nails and lips? Who has many piercings and tattoos? But for the average person, this store is full of understanding. No one judges you when you're in Hot Topic. Those are the sweetest retail attendants I have ever met. I know the store back home treated my mother with the utmost respect whenever she goes to buy me gifts and my mother is the kind of woman who shops at Chico's. So...not exactly the same store. But they can be trusted with your self esteem, your tastes, your ideas...of course we're all going to argue over the point of whether Barbie is that great of an icon for girls and should be popularized again but we're going to be honest about it. No glances down the nose at anyone who walks in.
I believe the ethical and emotional appeals are strong resonaters and I think I will have to continue looking at the Logical reasons from Hot Topic.
<3,
Audrey B
And your emotions are definitely played upon whenever you walk in to the store. The music is loud (whether it's Rob Pattinson or Korn, it's loud), the walls are faux dark red bricks, and the shelving/hangers for everything are black. The clothes are hardly ever white and if they are they have bright graphics all over them. Most of the retail is either darkly colored or a gross reminder of the 80's color pallete. The sales attendants look fresh off the cover of TattooZine or some pop/punk album. All of this gets you in to a different mood. It's edgier to be in there, or at least you feel edgier. This isn't Abercrombie and Fitch or Victoria's Secret. This lingerie has skull and crossbones on it or it's zippered, for that more hardcore relationship. I definitely feel a little bit more of a bamf when I walk in to the store. Logically I understand that this is hardly unique in any form or fashion and most of this stuff is mainstream, chinsy stuff that anyone could walk in and buy but still there is this sense of being a little bit more hardcore whenever I go to pick up my black fingernail polish or lipstick.
And when it comes to Ethical, that's an interesting point. Things in Hot Topic are made to push the envelope of society. Wearing whatever the heck someone wants to wear whether or not it's been accepted by the Average Joe the Plumber. So if you're thinking in terms of staying within that given status quo of society, it isn't too ethical. Because who all trusts a person dressed in all black, with blackened nails and lips? Who has many piercings and tattoos? But for the average person, this store is full of understanding. No one judges you when you're in Hot Topic. Those are the sweetest retail attendants I have ever met. I know the store back home treated my mother with the utmost respect whenever she goes to buy me gifts and my mother is the kind of woman who shops at Chico's. So...not exactly the same store. But they can be trusted with your self esteem, your tastes, your ideas...of course we're all going to argue over the point of whether Barbie is that great of an icon for girls and should be popularized again but we're going to be honest about it. No glances down the nose at anyone who walks in.
I believe the ethical and emotional appeals are strong resonaters and I think I will have to continue looking at the Logical reasons from Hot Topic.
<3,
Audrey B
posted by Audrey B at 4:15 PM
3 Comments:
Audrey,
I like your page, it is very well decorated! I think you did a great job of verbalizing (or typing) your thoughts and feelings on the subgenres of ethos, pathos, and logos concerning Hot Topic. I think that maybe something that would help you come up with the logic behind the store would be to look at it as a business. I know it's difficult when a place you really like is really, underneath, simply a 'cog' in the marketing machine, but try looking at Hot Topic as a place for business, only in the logos sense, of course. Perhaps the reason they put it into malls is to provide a place for those kids who do not shop at the other stores to feel at home? Just some thoughts that came to mind...
Good luck with the remainder of your portfolio!
-Nick
I think you've really taken a good look at the true meaning you feel is behind Hot Topic. Maybe for logos you can look at the store from both sides of the consumers perspectives, for example from a usual Hot Topic shopper's view and then from someone like your mother's view. I agree with your point that the employees are some of the most helpful and friendly people I have met in the mall but I disagree when you say that they do not "glance down the nose at anyone who walks in." I believe the usual customers as well as the employees have a standard they set for what they believe their customers to look like just as a Abercrombie and Fitch employees and shoppers have a standard idea of their customers as well. Try looking at every angle of the business that Hot Topic is. I think you've really come up with some great ideas and your analyzes of your public space are helpful to those of us who are running low on creative thinking. GREAT JOB AUDREY!
I really think you and I have a lot of things in common with or spaces...your's is just one extreme and mine is the other. I'm doing Victoria's Secret and I loved reading your blog because it gave me another way to look at a store with an extreme. After reading yours I went back to Victoria Secret and took notice of what the employees were wearing and I found it very interesting that they were all black business suits. So thanks so much for helping me, is what I really should be saying!
-Ashley T.
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