Written Analysis 3 - Week 4

Heroes, Celebrities and Organic Food

A hero is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities.  President Obama could be viewed as a hero in the movement to eat healthy, including the  adoption of organic products. When superpowers support these types of movements, it is much easier for the general public to believe and adopt for themselves. We want to be like heroes, so we’re more likely to emulate them and do what they do. Heroes influence in many ways, but unfortunately, as fads wear off, so do the heroes, even the President of the United States.

Celebrities also have a big influence on the general consumer. They may even hold a higher status than heroes for some people.  In the world of organic products, celebrities are coming out of the woodwork and endorsing products, making commercials and even writing books about eating organic and using organic products. Melina Kanakaredes, an actress on CSI New York, is in an add for an organic food store, and talks about not eating food served in plastic wrappers and carrying her own reusable bags to grocery store. Christian Slater, in an add for Eddie Bauer, the environmentally conscious clothing manufacturer, also supports shopping at stores that carry organic foods. Seeing celebrities supporting something as ordinary as where they grocery shop creates a kind of connection that the ordinary consumer is easily drawn to.

References

Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hero.

OrganicAuthority.com (October 25, 2006). Retrieved from http://www.organicauthority.com/reviews/reviews/hollywood-goes-organic.html