The way people portray their aspirations, their affiliations and themselves is represented by the multi-faceted identities they create for themselves, identities that are a combination of various lifestyle influences.

In the past identity was predominantly conferred by society onto individuals, but today the fragmentation of social structures has resulted in people creating an identity for themselves. However, the different elements that inspire and inform people have resulted in the fragmentation of identities and therefore people are not settling on one identity, they are creating a composite of identities to enable them to navigate the demands of the modern world. As a result niche products and services have had to be created. One size no longer fits all.

Me, Me, Me

Today, people are not defined by one life role. Identities are composed from a variety of different influences and responsibilities that inform and dictate their lives.

Identity is a dynamic concept and ultimately no decision is final. It is possible to be multiple things to multiple people, for example, a colleague, lover, son, friend and father all at the same time. People are now equipped with a toolkit that they can use to create different identities. These can be appropriated to suit various situations or groups. This lifestyle resource is constantly adapting and changing as different interests and influences resonate in people’s lives.

Technological advances have meant that identity is no longer confined to the physical world. The internet offers a rich playground for experimentation, including blogging private thoughts under a pseudonym and participating in a MMORPGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games). In the virtual world the only identity constraint is the perimeters of the imagination.

Global Fuel

The world is shrinking; globalisation has enabled worldwide access to media messages that inform and inspire identity choices.

People from Argentina to Zimbabwe have access to the same online media influences. Celebrities have become global role models informing and inspiring what we buy and wear. This has resulted in consumers across the world looking different but the same.

In order to retain unique identities people are taking a renewed interest in their indigenous cultures and traditions. It is the combination of these local and global influences that creates unique identities and provides a sense of stability in an uncertain world.

Branded

In a world full of possibility and choice, brands have become a way of carving out identities.

Brands provide people with frameworks within which to define their identities. In this current age of hyper-consumerism, children are adept at recognising brands from a young age and judging people by the way they dress and what they buy.

People convey their aspirations and affiliations through the brands they buy and the products and services they invest in. Brands bought by a group of people work to signify group identities and to provide a sense of belonging. These brands can be called ‘affinity brands’.

Multifaceted Me

While people are no longer defined by their careers, their special skills and interests often provide anchor points for their identities.

Identity is not confined to aesthetics. Increasingly people are being characterised by their skill sets; it is these special skills that define them within their social networks as knowledge is traded among friends, family and increasingly over the internet via networking websites. These areas of expertise can include being skilled at DJ-ing, photography, setting-up blogs, introducing people to products or even putting together flat-pack furniture.