As I took the book out of the library and then left it to sit on my desk for a couple of weeks, I thought I'd better start reading The Culture Code by Clotaire Rapaille before I had to return it on Saturday.

I first saw this book in a local bookstore and thought it might be an interesting read. However, the more I get into the book, the more disturbed I became. The author, it seems has developed a kind of psychological method to control the buying patterns of Americans as well as any other cultural group.

Not being American, however, I found it an interesting view into the culture to the south of our border. There definitely are some parallels in what he says about that country and that of Canada. What the book touches on is that every person associates a product with some sort of time in their life - an emotional imprint if you will - and that imprint is more important in appealing to the subconscious of a consumer than it is just to ask them what they desire in a product.

It makes sense, really, that this would work. One example he cites is that when trying to market coffee in Japan at one point, Nestle was having difficulties entering the market there because people drank tea and not coffee. In Rapaille's psychologically-developed approach, he didn't ask test groups what they wanted in a product, he kind of broke them down to a relaxed state and asked them what they remembered, if anything, about coffee. At the end of the session, it was determined that there wasn't a prevalent "imprint" about the product. So, instead of working to convince the adult consumers, Nestle developed non-caffeinated, coffee flavour desserts for children. After all, it would be easier to start a new generation on coffee than to convert the adults.

While I find this book interesting, as I mentioned before, it is also disturbing. If companies are using this type of research to sell to us on the subconscious, they are surely using it to sell us stuff that we don't need. What does it matter to them that consumers go into debt to buy their products? Not much because once they get the money, they are laughing.

The one thing that I found the most disheartening was to learn that what this guy discovered about Americans (and probably the rest of us in English North America) is that quality is often outranked by other things such as quantity or emotional appeal. Often we seem like a bunch of back river hicks compared to many other places in the world. Take for example the PT Cruiser which lacks engineering excellence yet appeals to it's American audience because of it's nostaligic effect. That's a far cry from getting a car that is essentially safer and more efficient which is what you'd get from Japan or Europe.

I agree with what he says about America being an adolescent society where seduction and sex are relatively taboo or that we are an "on the go" society that seems to be lacking some of the passion and family connection that are prevalent in other cultures. There's a lot that I agree with as far as his observations go. However, there is that element that also frightens me. The one where we are controlled by some psychological research that just fuels the fire for the wasteful and environmentally degrading behaviour that we seem to be moving towards.

Despite that, I would recommend reading this book to anyone. Not because I think that what he is doing is right but for an interesting observation at this North American culture that we live in. It's always interesting to look at your reflection in some other culture's mirror. (I do however recomment to refrain from buying the book because having everyone out there lining this guys pocket just pads his bank account and makes more money for the publisher... your local library should have a copy.)

If you've read it, feel free to leave a comment. And if you are thinking about it, let me know what you think when you are finished.