Assignment Task
Introduction
The documentary “Addicted to Drip” by Channel 4 explores the phenomenon of drip and drop culture, which is the practice of dressing in expensive, high-end clothing and accessories. The documentary examines the factors that have contributed to the rise of drip culture, such as the influence of social media and the rise of online shopping. It also explores the potential negative consequences of drip culture, such as debt, body image issues, and materialism. The disciplinary fields and area studies in media and communication that converge towards the topic of drip and drop include:
• Consumer culture studies: This field examines the ways in which people consume goods and services, and the role that media and advertising play in shaping consumer behavior.
• Fashion studies: This field examines the history, theory, and practice of fashion. It also examines the social, cultural, and economic factors that influence fashion trends.
• Social media studies: This field examines the social, cultural, and political implications of social media. It also examines the ways in which social media is used to communicate, build relationships, and share information.
• Marketing studies: This field examines the process of creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.
The process of thinking I followed to identify links leading to a more focused research topic was to first identify the key concepts that were discussed in the documentary. These concepts included drip culture, social media, consumerism, and materialism. I then looked for disciplinary fields and area studies that would be relevant to these concepts. I found that consumer culture studies, fashion studies, social media studies, and marketing studies all have something to offer in terms of understanding drip and drop culture.
I believe that a more focused research topic could be to examine the role of social media in the rise of drip and drop culture. This would involve exploring the ways in which social media is used to promote and sell expensive clothing and accessories, as well as the ways in which social media is used to create and maintain a sense of community among people who are interested in drip culture. I believe that this research topic would be of interest to scholars in the fields of consumer culture studies, fashion studies, and social media studies. It would also be of interest to practitioners in the marketing field, as it would provide insights into how social media can be used to promote and sell products.
Question
1. How does social media contribute to the rise of drip and drop culture? Hypothesis: Social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok promote drip and drop culture by:
- Visually appealing content that highlights expensive clothing and accessories
- Influencers who promote high-end brands and products
- Algorithms that recommend content based on users’ interests.
2. What are the potential negative consequences of drip and drop culture? Hypothesis: Drip and drop culture can have negative consequences such as:
- Debt: People who are trying to keep up with the latest trends may end up spending more money than they can afford.
- Body image issues: People who feel pressured to dress in expensive clothing may develop body image issues.
- Materialism: People who are focused on acquiring expensive clothing may become materialistic and lose sight of other values.