The Samsung Smart TV

MC6003Rebecca Curnock

The Consumption of the

The Aims

• Revisit what is meant by the ‘cultural circuit’.

• Consider the Samsung Smart Television (TV) in relation to consumption.

• Consider what the Samsung Smart TV has to offer consumers.

• Compare the Samsung Smart TV to other manufactures.

• Examine potential drawbacks of the Samsung Smart TV.

The Cultural Circuit

• Although objects are encoded with meaning during their production, the process of production is never fully realised until the moment of consumption (DuGay 1997).

• With this in mind consumption does not reside with the object, but in how the object is used, meanings can be encoded during production, however these meanings can change through the consumption of a device (Curtin & Gaither 2005).

The Samsung Smart TV

• In 2007, Samsung developed the ‘Smart LED TV’, which is now called the ‘Samsung Smart TV’.

• The television has its own ‘smart hub’ where you can navigate through live TV, movies, streaming content, social networks, and apps and the ability to watch films (Samsung 2014b).

• The television supports media convergence as a ‘flow of content across multiple media platforms’ (Jenkins 2006: 282).

• There is technological convergence between all Samsung laptops, mobile phones and tablets.

• Updated versions allow voice and sensory recognition, and even if you have an older version of the Smart TV you can buy a smart evolution kit which you plug into your television which allows you to have the most updated version of the television’s devices (Samsung 2014c).

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(Which? 2014a, Which? 2014b)

So where are we now with consumption in relation to the

Samsung Smart TV?

Theory of Conspicuous ConsumptionVeblen ([1899] 1994)

• Veblen ([1899] 1994 cited in Trigg 2001) explored the theoretical framework of conspicuous consumption, where individuals but things in order to show the other around them to show their wealth.

• According to Veblen there are two ways in which this can be achieved: • Through extensive leisure activities• Through lavish expenditure on consumption and services (Gottdiener 2000).

• So this would suggest that someone who bought a Samsung Smart TV is buying this product to show their status.

• Firstly, it has been argued that Veblen's approach is too restrictive in ‘relying on the "trickle down" of consumption patterns from the top of the social hierarchy’ (Trigg 2001: 104).

• Secondly, it is now suggested that consumers no longer display their wealth conspicuously. Status is conveyed in more sophisticated and subtle ways (Trigg 2001).

• Finally, for those writing in the postmodern tradition, consumer behaviour is no longer shaped by positions of social class but by lifestyles that cut across the social hierarchy (Featherstone 2007).

• It is argued that in a postmodern culture the relationship between the postmodern consumer and the relationship between social classes has vanished (Trigg 2001).

Criticisms of the Theory of Conspicuous ConsumptionVeblen ([1899] 1994)

The Individualisation Argument

• In the case of the Samsung Smart TV, I would argue that consuming this product is more of an individualised choice.

• A study by Chan and Goldthorpe (2007) highlighted three consumption theories:

• The homology argument (similar to Veblen’s argument).

• Omnivore- univore argument which refers to having a wide cultural taste, compared to a niche cultural taste.

• The individualisation argument, in which I believe is the most relatable to the consumption of the Samsung Smart TV.

• The individualisation argument suggests that ‘in the economically advanced societies of the present day, differences in cultural taste and consumption and indeed in lifestyles generally are losing their grounding in social stratification, however this may be understood, and are becoming more a matter of individual ‘self-realisation’.’ (p170).

• Under postmodern influences ‘lifestyles are seen as now lacking any kind of structural grounding or indeed inherent unity.

• Individuals are increasingly able to form their own lifestyles independently of their social locations and, primarily through their patterns of consumption and demonstrations of taste, to ‘construct’ their own selves’. (Chan and Goldthorpe 2007: 170, PricewaterhouseCoopers 2006).

• This is supported by Samsung core values as they highlight they are ‘dedicated to giving’ people a ‘wealth of opportunities to reach their full potential.’ (Samsung 2014d).

The drawbacks of the Samsung Smart TV

Conclusion

• Revisited the cultural circuit.

• Explored the consumption of the Samsung Smart Television, and what it has to offer to consumers.

• This has been possible by:

• Looking at other manufactures that produce similar televisions, and drawing upon theoretical frameworks such as conspicuous consumption, and (Velben [1899] 1994 cited in Trigg 2001) and a post modern culture of consumption, which focuses more upon the individual and the lifestyle that they lead.

• Finally, I have addressed the drawbacks of the television and possible solutions to these problems.

• I have made a good pitch for you all to go out and buy a Samsung Smart TV, as I did and certainly haven’t looked back!

References

Ang3L5pawn. (2013). How do I update the Adobe Flash Player version on my new Samsung Smart TV. [Online] Available at: http://forums.adobe.com/message/4821010#4821010. Last accessed 16/02/14. Chan, T and Goldthorpe, J. (2007). Social stratification and cultural consumption: The visual arts in England. Science Direct, Vol. 35, p168-190. Curtin, P.A and Gaither, T. K. (2005). Privileging Identity, Difference and Power: The Circuit of Culture As a Basis for Public Relations Theory. Journal of Public Relations Research, Vol. 17 (2p), p91-115. Du Gay, P . (1997). Introduction. In: ‘Production of Culture/Cultures of Production.’ London: SAGE Publications Limited, p1-11. Gottdiener, M. (2000). Approaches to Consumption: Classical and Contemporary perspectives. In: New Forms of Consumption: Consumers, Culture, and Commodification. Oxford: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers Inc, p3-32.

Graphicool1. (2012). 3 Questions regarding a Samsung Smart TV. [Online] Available at: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/forums/1/tech-helproom/4182524/3-questions-regarding-a-samsung-smart-tv/. Last accessed 16/02/14. Jenkins, H. (2006). Introduction: "Worship at the altar of convergence". In: . Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. London/New York: New York University Press. p1-24.Lax, S. (2009). Computing, Communication and Convergence. In: Media and Communications Technologies: A Critical Introduction . United Kingdom: Palgrave Macmillan, p148-178. lucas7920. (2013). Samsung forum: Samsung Smart TV update problems. [Online] Available at: http://forums.cnet.com/7723-13973_102-600275/samsung-smart-tv-update-problems/. Last accessed 16/02/14. Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC). (2006). The Rise of Lifestyle Media: Achieving Success in the Digital Convergence Era*. [Online] Available at: http://www.pwc.com/en_US/us/technology-innovation-center/assets/lifestylemedia-gx.pdf. Last accessed 16/02/14. Samsung. (2014a). About Samsung. [Online] Available at: http://www.samsung.com/us/aboutsamsung/corporateprofile/history06.html. Last accessed 17/02/14.

Samsung. (2014b). How Samsung Smart TV brings you more. [Online Video] Available at: http://www.samsung.com.au/tv/smart-tv/. Last accessed 08/01/13. Samsung. (2014c). SEK-1000 Evolution Kit. [Online] Available at: http://www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/tv-audio-video/television/tv-accessories/SEK-1000/XC?subsubtype=evolution-kit. Last accessed 17/02/14. Samsung. (2014d). Values and Philosophy. [Online] Available at: http://www.samsung.com/uk/aboutsamsung/samsung/valuesphilosophy_03.html. Last accessed 17/02/14. Trigg, A. (2001). Veblen, Bourdieu, and Conspicuous Consumption. Journal of Economic Issues. Vol. 35, No. 1, p99-115. Which? (2014a). How to buy the best Smart TV . [Online] Available at: http://www.which.co.uk/technology/tv-and-dvd/reviews-ns/how-to-buy-the-best-smart-tv/what-is-a-smart-tv/. Last accessed 23/01/14. Which? (2014b). How to buy the best Smart TV: Samsung Smart TV. [Online] Available at: http://www.which.co.uk/technology/tv-and-dvd/guides/samsung-smart-tv/samsung-smart-tv-performance/ Last accessed 23/01/14.