Discover the new mod-tradi consumer

Prof Uditha Liyange

We have a new Mod-tradi, postmodern consumer emerging in particular segments of our market space. Do we know her?

The seemingly opposing socio-cultural forces of traditionalization and modernization have to be clearly recognized in our attempt to profile the emerging Sri Lankan-consumer.

The force of traditionalization gathered momentum in the post-1956 period, while the impetus of modernization was felt particularly in the post-1977 period.

Escaping the attention of many, the two forces of traditionalization and modernization have been converging, over the recent past, giving rise to the post-modern consumer.

The chief implication for marketees in this regard is to find focal areas of fusion, and avoid an attempt to either hark back to the past for its own sake, or become overly modernist, and thus address only a small and alienated group of consumers, at best.

Discerning the fine line of fusion between the traditional and the modern impulses of the consumer is the challenge that the Sri Lankan marketer encounters. He also needs to identify the disparate socio-cultural and urban-rural groups that are variously impacted by post - modernist tendencies, which the marketer can ignore at his peril. Indeed, postmodernism appears to be a megatrend that has begun to unfold itself across the Sri Lankan market place at varying levels of intensity.

The Compact Oxford English Dictionary defines postmodernism, “as a style and concept in the arts, characterized by distrust of theories and ideologies and by drawing of the attention to conventions.

Webster’s Dictionary defines it as “... movements in reaction to modernism that are typically characterized by a return to traditional material and forms (as in architecture), while not totally abandoning elements of the modern form.”

In architecture, for example, in Sri Lanka, one witnesses the growing tendency among the SEC A groupings, in particular to use cement floors and old, traditional benches and such furniture, typical of a pre-modern era.

Interestingly, the lower SEC groups are attempting to upgrade from cement floors to glossy floor tiles, while the upper SEC groups in a rather strange way are attempting to upgrade through a return to, say, cement floors in the design and construction of their houses.

However, there is of course no attempt to jettison the modern equipment and paraphernalia that provide the conveniences and comforts of modern living.

The coming together, indeed the confluence of the forces of traditionalization and modernity brings forth a third distinct, “stand alone” Force of postmodernism and with it, the emergence of the postmodern consumer.

The force of postmodernism is a synthesis of the forces of traditionalization and modernity discussed earlier, but, importantly, it transcends both, and has an identity and force of its own.

The religious pirith nool thick and showy is a symbol of traditionalization and the pair of faded jeans is an expression of modernity

Drivers: The emergence of postmodernism is a reaction to modernism, as was first witnessed in architecture. It was a reaction to blandness, hostility and utopianism. Definitive postmodern architecture such as the work of Michael Graves rejected the notion of “pure form” or “perfect” architectonic detail; instead, conspicuously drawing from all methods, materials, forms and colours available to architects.

The emphasis on personal, subjective preferences and variety over the objective, ultimate truths and principles is characteristic of postmodernism. (Wikepedia, Postmodernism)

Similar drivers as those described above, bring forth a behavioural consumption pattern that has the features of both tradition and modernity.

Indeed, it is a fusion, a confluence of forces and the postmodern consumer can and must be seen as distinct from the traditional and modern consumer.

The key driver here is the avoidance of the possibility of being uprooted and alienated from the deep-going near social programs and processes on the one hand, and the avoidance of being stuck in the past and old fashioned, on the other. This struggle to embrace the “new”, but not abandon the “old”, altogether, provides the consumer with the psycho-social energy to spawn a combination of the two, not one sitting next to the other, but an active inter-play of the two - to produce a single core.

Expressions: Dress code of men, the traditional national dress-type top or shirt, and the western trouser are followed by many polititicians. It is not uncommon among the business community too. The expensive sarong and shirt combine is an acceptable form of dress in many elite social gatherings.

The increasing preference for cotton and linen as opposed to the silky, synthetic clothing is also commonplace among the upper economic classes. It is increasingly followed by other groups.

The traditional saree is now reserved for special and formal occasions and many females, especially of the upper socio-economic classes, now wear, instead, trousers and blouses, the latter being an improvisation of the western form. Many professional women now are also attired in a near unisex trouser-blazer outfit.

A vivid metaphor that characterizes and portrays the postmodern Mod-tradi consumer is a youth clad in a faded pair of jeans and a branded T-shirt, and the adornment of the conspicuous pirith nool.

The religious pirith nool thick and showy is a symbol of traditionalization and the pair of faded jeans is an expression of modernity.

Both co-exist and are congruent in the eyes of the post-modern consumer. Paradoxically, the pirith nool now plays the projective “Me” role, and the faded jeans is no longer an imposition on the reflective “I”, the private self. There is a fusion of the two symbols and they co-exist in harmony!

Musical preferences are another manifestation of the force of postmodernism. The local Superstar television events have captured the imagination of a nation and appeals to a wide audience across all SEC groupings.

These mega TV events are unmistakably modelled on the American Idol, but their localization is equally unmistakable. Interestingly, the judges at the events, unlike their American counterparts are wont to shower praise on the young and talented participants.

Criticism is spared and an attempt to introduce a critical judge in one event to make the counterpoint, as it were, seemed contrived and rehearsed. The local feminine cultural ethos as opposed to the masculine American cultural values is another indication of an apparently western and modern behavioural orientation (ME) but a traditional attitudinal orientation (I).

The new “IME” consumer vividly plays its role on the stage of the Superstar.

Interestingly, the stage and backdrop of the Superstar TV events are modern in their design and layout. But the songs that are typically sung by the participants belong to an era that many of the participants themselves were not a part of.

This significant phenomenon can be evocatively described as the “reincarnation of Jothipala through the Superstar TV reality shows.” The songs of Jothipala, Milton Perera, Milton Mallawarachchi, and Amaradeva were those hot favourites of many participants (traditionalization) fused with a rendering that is typically modern.

The postmodern audience had no difficulty in appreciating the duality that is presented as one unified whole.

The popularity of Bathiya and Santhush can also be largely attributed to the creative fusion of the traditional and modernist musical trends. The modern rendering of the traditional rhythms are a case in point in this regard.

Food habits of the postmodern consumer have a traditional base. The polsambol and the kiri hodi are very much a part of our regular menu, across SEC groupings. However, sausages at home and regular visits to the likes of McDonalds are not uncommon. This fusion is perhaps best expressed in the McDonald’s Macbath, (rice). Language and its use in particular contexts is another manifestation of the confluence of the traditional and modernist tendencies. “Singlish” and Tamilish” expressions often creep into every day conversation of especially the youth, across multiple SEC groupings.

This tendency is reflected in many interactive TV and radio programs, where English words and phrases are liberally interspersed with the vernacular.

In casual conversations among many youth who may well express themselves in the English language in formal officials settings opt to speak in the blended “Singlish or Tamilish” format.

The ease with which they do so is again indicative of the postmodernist IME and the mod-tradi consumer referred to earlier. Importantly, brands that have meaningfully fused the modern and traditional appeals to form a harmonious and holistic offering seem to fare well in the market place.

Importantly, when the delicate balance between that which is traditional and modern is not struck, one could witness obsolete, old- fashioned expressions or, at the other end, an attempt at vulgarization - an aberration of postmodernism.

The musical and dance forms, for instance which erode and distort the traditional foundations is a marked contrast to the postmodernist incorporation of western forms and their fitting fusion with traditional forms. These attempts to remove and debase the traditional roots is clearly seen as an aberration of the mod-tradi, postmodern impulses.

Recognizing the underpinnings of postmodernism and how they shape the way consumers think and act, is indeed, key to the success of any organization that has customers to deal with. And who doesn’t?