Commodity, as an item that meets the needs of consumers, has both material attributes and cultural attributes. The addition of this cultural attribute can enhance the value performance of commodities, so that commodities can exist as a material exchange and as a spiritual and cultural exchange, subtly changing consumers’ values, thoughts and behaviors. Therefore, it can also be said that commodity culture is a manifestation of commodity value. Mastering commodity culture can broaden the copywriter’s understanding of commodity value, enable them to write more spiritually appealing copywriting, deepen the impression of commodities in the minds of consumers, and then form a unique cultural imprint, increase the connection between consumers and commodities, and finally form a good brand effect and a loyal consumer group.
Commodity culture has always existed in the process of commodity exchange. With the improvement of consumer spending power, consumers pay more attention to spiritual cultural enjoyment in addition to practical requirements for commodities. Different commodities will have different commodity cultures due to different geographical environments, social customs, cultural environments, etc.; the same type of commodities may also have different styles due to different production locations, production processes, etc. Therefore, different commodity cultures are easy to form differences between commodities, make differences between commodities, and then affect consumers’ consumption decisions.
The factors that the formation of commodity culture mainly depends on
1. Regional cultural environment
The regional cultural environment refers to the cultural environment of commodity production and consumption, which is often formed by the historical traditions and cultural traditions of the place where the commodity is located. Among them, local customs and habits are the most significant factors of regional culture. They are the long-standing and unique cultural customs formed after a long period of accumulation and transmission. They are the most representative cultural communication content of commodities. Historical allusions, cultural traditions, folk culture, and customary inheritance are all very representative regional cultural factors.
For example, local specialty commodities such as Beijing roast duck, Tianjin Goubuli steamed buns, Jingdezhen porcelain, Quyang stone carvings, Fenyang Xinghua Village Fenjiu, Shaoxing rice wine, Songhua preserved eggs, Yibin Wuliangye, Anyue bamboo mats, etc., all have very deep cultural accumulations behind them, and have very prominent advantages among similar commodities, which can better convey the value of commodities and meet consumers’ spiritual pursuits.
2. Product popularity
Product popularity refers to the degree to which a product is accepted and used by the majority of consumers in the consumer market. If most consumers become interested in a certain product at the same time within a certain period and scope, making the product the object of consumption for many consumers in a short period of time, then this product can be regarded as a popular product. Popular products reflect the social phenomena and consumer demand in a certain period to a certain extent, and can reflect the cultural pursuits of consumers. For example, when writing copy for clothing products, words with “popular” meanings such as fashionable, versatile, popular, classic, and hot selling are often used.
After being familiar with the product culture, copywriters can package and optimize the product culture, write copy with cultural flavor and emotional atmosphere, make it consistent with the needs of consumers, thereby establishing a deep connection between the product and the consumer, and forming consumers’ brand preferences. Advertising copy, product description copy, brand stories, etc. are typical copywriting that relies on product culture to meet the spiritual needs of consumers.