Reflecting on Consumption

For my intervention in Kamppi I have been thinking about a project that could reflect on consumption. The shopping center is a place where people are encouraged to shop and consume. These encouragements are communicated visually through signs and ads that fill up the center, as well as via the PA system, with the Kamppi radio, playing ads every now and then.

I have a preconceived understanding that we don't always give deep thought to why we buy certain things, but rather act on some kind of impulse or desire that makes us drawn to purchasing. I would like to explore and maybe highlight these desires and impulses somehow. 

One way I have been thinking about how to do this, is by conducting research before a finished project is presented. The research would consist of talking to costumers in the Kamppi mall, asking about what they have bought and why. Perhaps it would be possible to see some connections to purchases that might be completely different on the contrary. Are there some underlying motivations that drive our consumption? It may sound a bit banal, but could it be to gain something, like happiness, attention, status or love? The data gathered could be analyzed to try to investigate these questions. 

After conducting this research I would like to present the data and the result of the analysis in the mall. This would be where the more artistic part of the project comes in. I have a few ideas on how this could be done. 

One idea is to have a stand or booth somewhere in the mall. At the booth, someone would give out shopping bags labelled with the findings of the consumers, boiled down to one, two or three words (like LOVE, HAPPINESS, PLEASURE, ATTENTION, COOLNESS etc.). 

Another way of presenting the results of the research might be to have several performers walk around the mall, carrying around a huge number of bags and boxes that are labeled the same as the bags above. I don't know if they might be visible in the crowd, but hopefully there could be a way of styling the bags and perhaps also the performers so that people would have to take notice. 

The third idea is playing a recording of the results over the PA system in the mall. For example having a sensual voice (preferably similar sounding to the one that usually is announcing all the ads in the mall) that reads these findings or answers.

I'm thinking it would be great, if possible, to incorporate some sort of comedic aspect to this project. Exactly how I don't know yet. There might also be better ways of presenting the data. The ideas above do need some more development, but these are my ideas so far.