On Saturday August 1, Kelly Ripa and husband Mark Consuelos are celebrating the art and glamour of shopping.
According to the Los Angeles Times, shopping is a "national pastime, a form of therapy, a means of self-expression." But the Times also says that "for 1 in 20 Americans, shopping is something darker."
"A study published in the October 2006 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry found that at some point in the lives of an estimated 5.8% of the U.S. population, shopping will become a source of shame, a cry for help, the cause of job losses and broken relationships, a road to financial ruin. They are "compulsive buyers" -- troubled by intrusive impulses to shop, prone to lose track of time while doing so, plagued by post-purchase remorse, guilt and financial woes and sometimes given up on by loved ones."
QVC is smart to connect shopping (and the proceeds) to a good cause-- but they're also making it look glamorous and sexy, with Ms. Ripa sitting powerfully atop her mountain of "bargains" while her husband stands by and hopes this is a phase (you can click on the picture above to biggify the image). The Times also says that some excessive shoppers "get a shot of energy and a sense of purpose" when they shop. Here's the marketing copy from the QVC campaign:
"It's easy to go a little overboard during Super Saturday Live on QVC. Hot designer clothes, jewelry, accessories, and beauty products are half-off the manufacturers suggested list prices. Plus, net proceeds benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. So shop without excuses, but for plenty of good reasons."
Let's discuss. Do you think QVC has gone overboard in glamorizing excessive shopping? Are you smart enough to know when to stop? Is this business as usual and buyer beware?
Image courtesy Contact Music and Cause Marketing
