Affected

CHAPTER 2 Customer drivers: Emotion, affect and the hedonic pursuit

Humans have always sought pleasure. We’ve gained enjoyment over the years from nature: from bathing in gentle waters, the seduction of sunset, and the refreshment of a cool breeze. We have actively sought pleasure by creating activities and pastimes to stretch our mental and physical capabilities or to express our creativity. Cave dwellers wrestled to test their strength and expressed themselves through painting on the walls of their dwellings. Today, we add another source of pleasure to this list: the products and services with which we surround ourselves.

‘Hedonics’ is the study of the pursuit of pleasure, and in this book, it’s the examination of how an individual actively pursues pleasure by responding to certain objects and experiences. In short, people are passionate about their belongings.

Shopping, as a social activity, is an inherently hedonic pursuit. A need for hedonic design logically follows: design that delivers the sought-after hedonic experience of consumption — a pleasurable product purchase and usage experience.

Shopping has been driven into the digital age (as seen in the Kate Spade example, Figure 1.11, see p17.) Therefore, this chapter explores the concept of hedonics through the digital consumer. The goal? To create digital affect. This chapter will expand your understanding of emotions to explore how products and experiences can create meaning and reflect our values.

EMOTIONS 101