Short answer
Designers should consider how their products and services can be positioned not just as functional items, but as tools that enable individuals to fulfill perceived civic or economic duties, thereby enhancing their sense of patriotism or contribution.
- Field
- Innovation & Markets
- Source
- Digital Scholarship - UNLV (University of Nevada Reno) (2020)
- Method
- Critical Discourse Analysis
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Presidential inaugural speeches since World War II have consistently linked civic duty and patriotism to consumption and economic participation, framing it as a patriotic imperative. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2020 study published in Digital Scholarship - UNLV (University of Nevada Reno). Using Critical discourse analysis, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers should consider how their products and services can be positioned not just as functional items, but as tools that enable individuals to fulfill perceived civic or economic duties, thereby enhancing their sense of patriotism or contribution.
Presidential Rhetoric Frames Consumption as Civic Duty to Drive Economic Growth
Presidential inaugural speeches since World War II have consistently linked civic duty and patriotism to consumption and economic participation, framing it as a patriotic imperative.
Digital Scholarship - UNLV (University of Nevada Reno) · 2020
Key Findings
- 01Early post-WWII speeches (1930s-1950s) emphasized collectivism, with civic duty framed as collective effort and strong work ethic for national betterment.
- 02Mid-century speeches (1960s-1970s) blended collectivism and individualism, linking civic duty to pursuing the American Dream and economic stability, with an emphasis on self-reliance.
- 03Later speeches (1980s-mid-2000s) prioritized individualism, framing civic duty as the individual's responsibility to work for resources to consume and contribute to community resources.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers should consider how their products and services can be positioned not just as functional items, but as tools that enable individuals to fulfill perceived civic or economic duties, thereby enhancing their sense of patriotism or contribution.
How to apply
When developing marketing messages or product narratives, consider how to subtly or overtly connect the act of purchasing or using the product to a sense of personal responsibility, economic contribution, or national pride.
Project actions
- 01Consider how your design project's marketing or user experience can tap into broader societal values.
- 02Research the historical context of your target market's values to inform your design choices.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a longitudinal analysis of a specific form of political discourse.
- +Utilizes a rigorous qualitative method (Critical Discourse Analysis).
Limitations
This research focuses on a specific type of political discourse and may not fully capture the nuances of how economic values are communicated or perceived by all citizens.
Reliability & validity
The reliability of Critical Discourse Analysis can be enhanced through inter-coder reliability checks if multiple analysts are involved. Validity is strengthened by the systematic application of analytical frameworks to a defined corpus of texts.
Think critically
To what extent does this framing of consumption as civic duty genuinely reflect citizens' motivations, or is it primarily a tool for political and economic agenda-setting?
Design Principles
"Frame product utility within the context of societal values and perceived civic responsibilities."
Understanding how political rhetoric shapes societal values around consumption can inform marketing strategies and product development. Designers and businesses can leverage this insight to align their offerings with perceived societal expectations of contribution and progress.
What This Means for Your Design
Presidents have used speeches to tell Americans that working hard and buying things is a patriotic duty that helps the country.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to justify how your design's marketing strategy appeals to consumers' sense of duty or economic participation.
- 2.Analyze how historical political rhetoric might influence current consumer behavior relevant to your design.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research highlights how influential political rhetoric has historically framed consumption and economic activity as integral to civic duty and patriotism. This suggests that design projects aiming for broad market appeal might benefit from aligning their product's value proposition with consumers' perceived responsibilities and contributions to the economy or community, thereby tapping into deeply ingrained societal narratives.
Source
Digital Scholarship - UNLV (University of Nevada Reno)
Working as Civic and Patriotic Duty for Consumption: A Critical Discourse Analysis of American Presidential Inaugural Speeches Since World War II
journal · 2020
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about presidential rhetoric frames consumption as civic duty to drive economic growth?
- Designers should consider how their products and services can be positioned not just as functional items, but as tools that enable individuals to fulfill perceived civic or economic duties, thereby enhancing their sense of patriotism or contribution. Evidence: Digital Scholarship - UNLV (University of Nevada Reno) (2020).
- Why does "Presidential Rhetoric Frames Consumption as Civic Duty to Drive Economic Growth" matter for design?
- Understanding how political rhetoric shapes societal values around consumption can inform marketing strategies and product development. Designers and businesses can leverage this insight to align their offerings with perceived societal expectations of contribution and progress.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers should consider how their products and services can be positioned not just as functional items, but as tools that enable individuals to fulfill perceived civic or economic duties, thereby enhancing their sense of patriotism or contribution.
- What were the main findings?
- Early post-WWII speeches (1930s-1950s) emphasized collectivism, with civic duty framed as collective effort and strong work ethic for national betterment.. Mid-century speeches (1960s-1970s) blended collectivism and individualism, linking civic duty to pursuing the American Dream and economic stability, with an emphasis on self-reliance.. Later speeches (1980s-mid-2000s) prioritized individualism, framing civic duty as the individual's responsibility to work for resources to consume and contribute to community resources.
- What research method was used?
- Critical Discourse Analysis.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2020 journal from Digital Scholarship - UNLV (University of Nevada Reno).
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When developing marketing messages or product narratives, consider how to subtly or overtly connect the act of purchasing or using the product to a sense of personal responsibility, economic contribution, or national pride.
- What are the limitations?
- The analysis is limited to US Presidential inaugural speeches and may not reflect broader societal views or the impact of other forms of political communication.