In the final part of this module, let's take a quick look at how consumers modify their faces and bodies to achieve a variety of social goals, and perhaps identify some opportunities for you to participate in this process. We know that the modification of appearance is a work in progress. And it goes without saying that many industries are involved in this process, ranging from medical tourism where people go to other countries to get plastic surgery to of course the cosmetics industry. Let's review some of the major reasons why consumers both today and throughout history have chosen to decorate and in some cases to mutilate their bodies. One is to separate group members from non member So for example, the Chinook a Native American tribe press the head of a newborn between two boards for a year, which permanently altered its shape. In our society, teens go out of their way to adopt distinctive hair and clothing styles that will separate them from adults.

So it's common in many cultures around the world, for boys who are coming of age, to somehow alter their appearance to signify that they're in the process of making a transition from boyhood to adulthood. In our society, we asked people to wear rings that also indicate, for example, whether they're married or single. Another function is to place the person in a gender category as we've been discussing in this Module. The cheek Korean Native Americans of South America, insert a ring of beads in a boy's lip to enlarge it. Western women wear lipstick to enhance their femininity. At the turn of the 20th century, small lips were fashionable because they represented women's submissive role at that time.

Today, big red lips are provocative and perhaps indicate a more aggressive sexuality. For example, the doggies Native Americans of North America were feather ornaments that indicate how many men they have killed in battle. In our society. Some people wear glasses with clear lenses, even though they don't have eye problems to enhance their perceived status. Yet Another reason is to indicate desired social conduct the soil of South America We're ear ornaments to emphasize the importance their culture places on listening and obedience. In Western society, some gay men may wear an earring in the left or right ear to signal what role submissive or dominant they prefer in a relationship.

And finally, another motivation is to provide a sense of security. Consumers often were lucky charms, amulets, or Rabbit's feet to protect them from the evil eye. Today, some modern women wear a muggers whistle around their necks for a similar reason. The takeaway here is that consumers have accepted tattoos and other forms of body ornamentation as fairly mainstream expressions. In fact, there are many opportunities to enlist your loyal customers as walking billboards for your brand, even if it's just in the form of a temporary tattoo