Gossip Girl is def one of my ALL-TIME favorite tv shows. I read the books as a pre-teen and was fascinated with the seemingly glamorous lives of these high-schoolers. Shopping at Bendel's or Barney's after school and purchasing thousands of dollars worth of designer clothing is every girl's dream. And when the show came out, it satisfied my craving and more. Each actor is cast perfectly for each character and now I can't even think of anyone playing the conniving Chuck more perfectly than Ed Westwick...or anyone better suited for the deceitful and love-torn Blair Waldorf better than Leighton Meester. The one character that truly intrigues me is Nate Archibald played by the stunningly handsome Chace Crawford. He is always surprising audiences with his good moral character and sincere intentions. I wanted to share with everyone a paper I wrote for my Social Appearances in Marketing class. I try to explain that market segmentation is at work as a fashion mechanism in the show specifically pertaining to Nate Archibald. I was going to re-work it here, but I think it is just too good to leave anything out! Enjoy!
The TV show, Gossip Girl, starring an ensemble cast is the perfect example of how market segmentation can showcase different types of personalities within one social environment. Creating segmentation from a group of teenagers attending the same high school with mutual friends gives marketers the chance to appeal to all people watching the show. Chace Crawford’s character, Nate Archibald, exemplifies the ‘graphic body’ commonly associated with the superhero Superman. Superman was known for his contoured blue and red suit with large ‘S’ logo displayed prominently across his chest. While Nate’s image is not as clearly noted, he does have a distinct style that seemingly, at first glance, encapsulates his entire identity.
Nate Archibald is the epitome of preppy. His daily wardrobe consists of crisp Oxford shirts, form-fitting v-neck sweaters, and flat-front khakis. This “preppy” image lends itself to many stereotypes that signify who Nate should be according to the social constructs of the upper class. Born into a family of wealth and status in the Upper East Side of New York City, Nate’s appearance is an important reflection of that position in society. A person that dresses in the preppy style is typically considered to have intelligence, wealth, high social status, impeccable manners and etiquette. His entire identity should be summed up in those five qualities; however, the perception by others that Nate has those traits come with implications.
This graphic body that personifies him contrastingly de-personifies him. Any person in the world can dress in the same manner Nate does. His style is not limited to people of the upper class. Stores such as Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister provide an array of polos, button-downs, and khaki pants that are essential to the preppy look and accessible to the common consumer. Each brand also adorns many of its clothing items with a logo or symbol that identifies the brand. By wearing clothing that is easily identified, it is taking away from a person’s individuality. The person wearing that clothing is noticed not for their style, but for the image of the brand he or she is wearing.
The stereotypes of the preppy image come with more ramifications than depersonalization and loss of individuality. Nate has to decipher if “preppy” is his real self or if it is his ideal self. As the season progresses, Nate encounters many difficult family situations. His father is accused of embezzlement, subsequently leading Mr. Archibald to run away from New York and his family. Because of this, Nate begins to question who he is. Nate was raised to believe that the aforementioned qualities of “preppiness” were innate to his person. But he becomes very wary that those qualities do not add up to him as a whole. His prep image was something he was raised to be, yet his unhappiness leads him to understand that it is his ideal self. That image is what he feels he should maintain since it is what his parents want him to be; it is “ideal.” As the show continues, Nate is trying to find his real self. Does his real self belong in the socially elite world of the Upper East Side or does his real self belong to an independent, young man that can make his own decisions? The graphic body is a dangerous superhero body to be connected with since the outward visual perception may not be what is actually inside.
Nate is the quintessential character for marketers to base their product offerings. Many teenagers who are watching the show are going through the same issues as Nate. While most probably are not dealing with fathers who have committed felony crimes, teens are trying to find who they are. They are trying to find their “real self.” Marketers can capitalize on Nate’s moments of indecisiveness by promoting items and services that can help young people achieve what Nate has and gain insights into their own lives in the same ways that Nate does.
Nate’s situation can also be applied in a global perspective. In every culture, people go through the same physical, bodily changes. Babies grow into toddlers into small children into teenagers into adults; and with those changes also come emotional changes. The morphing of the mind from a child-like innocence to an adult vision of the real world makes Nate appealing to viewers of the show around the world. Each viewer is going through or has gone through this transformation. He or she can sympathize with Nate or disagree with Nate’s actions, but ultimately the viewer is identifying with the character’s search for his real self; the self that can fully describe and personify him.
Nate Archibald is the epitome of preppy. His daily wardrobe consists of crisp Oxford shirts, form-fitting v-neck sweaters, and flat-front khakis. This “preppy” image lends itself to many stereotypes that signify who Nate should be according to the social constructs of the upper class. Born into a family of wealth and status in the Upper East Side of New York City, Nate’s appearance is an important reflection of that position in society. A person that dresses in the preppy style is typically considered to have intelligence, wealth, high social status, impeccable manners and etiquette. His entire identity should be summed up in those five qualities; however, the perception by others that Nate has those traits come with implications.
This graphic body that personifies him contrastingly de-personifies him. Any person in the world can dress in the same manner Nate does. His style is not limited to people of the upper class. Stores such as Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister provide an array of polos, button-downs, and khaki pants that are essential to the preppy look and accessible to the common consumer. Each brand also adorns many of its clothing items with a logo or symbol that identifies the brand. By wearing clothing that is easily identified, it is taking away from a person’s individuality. The person wearing that clothing is noticed not for their style, but for the image of the brand he or she is wearing.
The stereotypes of the preppy image come with more ramifications than depersonalization and loss of individuality. Nate has to decipher if “preppy” is his real self or if it is his ideal self. As the season progresses, Nate encounters many difficult family situations. His father is accused of embezzlement, subsequently leading Mr. Archibald to run away from New York and his family. Because of this, Nate begins to question who he is. Nate was raised to believe that the aforementioned qualities of “preppiness” were innate to his person. But he becomes very wary that those qualities do not add up to him as a whole. His prep image was something he was raised to be, yet his unhappiness leads him to understand that it is his ideal self. That image is what he feels he should maintain since it is what his parents want him to be; it is “ideal.” As the show continues, Nate is trying to find his real self. Does his real self belong in the socially elite world of the Upper East Side or does his real self belong to an independent, young man that can make his own decisions? The graphic body is a dangerous superhero body to be connected with since the outward visual perception may not be what is actually inside.
Nate is the quintessential character for marketers to base their product offerings. Many teenagers who are watching the show are going through the same issues as Nate. While most probably are not dealing with fathers who have committed felony crimes, teens are trying to find who they are. They are trying to find their “real self.” Marketers can capitalize on Nate’s moments of indecisiveness by promoting items and services that can help young people achieve what Nate has and gain insights into their own lives in the same ways that Nate does.
Nate’s situation can also be applied in a global perspective. In every culture, people go through the same physical, bodily changes. Babies grow into toddlers into small children into teenagers into adults; and with those changes also come emotional changes. The morphing of the mind from a child-like innocence to an adult vision of the real world makes Nate appealing to viewers of the show around the world. Each viewer is going through or has gone through this transformation. He or she can sympathize with Nate or disagree with Nate’s actions, but ultimately the viewer is identifying with the character’s search for his real self; the self that can fully describe and personify him.
Hi...send you a Tweet but then I saw you're not on Twitter all day like SOME people ::ahem...shifty eyes::
ReplyDeleteI'm also in Chicago and write a GG fashion blog. Would you be interested in being a staff writer? Here are the details: http://bit.ly/3a3qWB