Assignment 1: Products and Emotions

I've chosen to talk about shirts as my topic for Products and Emotions. Of course the most basic purpose of a shirt is to cover the body, but these days people wear shirts for peripheral reasons as well, such as comfort and style. Some people buy and wear shirts because they are attractive or beautiful - something that grabbed their attention and appealed to them at first sight. Others may choose to simply wear a shirt to school, the office, a social gathering, and so on; this category of users likely seek a reliable and durable shirt that serves its purpose and lasts a long time, even if it isn't the most outlandish shirt. Moreover, some choose to use shirts (and other clothing) to express their status in society or portray their self-image. For example, investment bankers or top executives often wear very expensive, well-made "banker shirts" to display an image to their clients. These three areas are defined as visceral, behavioural, and reflective users, respectively.




Visceral Shirt Design:


The above shirt grabs attention straight away. It is a bold, red shirt with loud, black beads decorating it. This type of shirt would likely be worn to a club, bar, rodeo, or somewhere in which lots of people are trying to get attention. It is more interesting looking than ordinary shirts, and it stands out as well. Such shirts range in cost anywhere around $10-50 USD on average, depending on the brand and material. I could see it appealing to impulse shoppers that want to satisfy their immediate needs and buy something that looks pretty. This type of shirt is often tight (to draw attention) and not particularly comfortable. Also, because of details like the black beads, they may only be hand washable or dry cleanable - major inconveniences. These negatives are a result of the "good looks."




Behavioural Shirt Design:



The above is an ordinary dress shirt. It can be worn in the office, at school, to a club, to any ceremony, and so on. Really, this type of shirt can be worn under nearly any circumstances (besides sports). It can do the job for years before it needs to be replaced. This type of shirt - similar to the visceral shirt - can be purchased for anywhere around $10-50 USD. Some are more expensive if tailored or are a particularly expensive brand, but the range is a reasonable average. These types of shirts are generally very comfortable and usable, and they can be washed regularly.




Reflective Shirt Design:


Finally, the above tuxedo shirt represents a reflective design because wearing it symbolizes a very high class and status. For example, it would be worn at a ball, gala, art auction, and so on - events that are typically associated with the upper class. With a higher class comes a higher price. This type of shirt is usually in the range of $40-100 USD, often due to expensive material used. As a result, these shirts usually must be dry cleaned, which takes away from the usability of the product.