There’s a milk – and a political party – for everyone

In this world, deciding on your political allegiance is like buying a product that reflects on you and your personal brand.

The era of mass markets is over; we now tailor products to meet niche needs. And nowhere is this better illustrated than with milk. Picture: istock

It’s a feature of modern life. As Western society has become wealthier, consumers have been in a position to indulge their preferences and peccadilloes. There’s the convenience of online shopping, the frictionlessness of tap-and-go payments, the unblinking ubiquity of smartphones. It’s all so very convenient and modern.

Today’s consumers are courted by things pitched to niche markets – just look at all the gluten-free, lactose-free and nut-free products in supermarkets. The era of mass markets (at least in the West) is over; we now tailor products to meet niche needs. And nowhere is this better illustrated than with milk. In my local supermarket there are full cream, low-fat and no-fat milks. There is cow milk, goat milk, oat milk, almond milk and rice milk. Plus a range of organic milks. Where is all this splinterfication headed? And what is driving consumers to seek out niche products?

In my local supermarket there are full cream, low-fat and no-fat milks. There is cow milk, goat milk, oat milk, almond milk and rice milk. Picture: istock

I understand that some people have dietary needs that must be addressed. But the sheer scale of the splintering effect suggests there are wider forces shaping consumer behaviour. Perhaps a growing portion of the community is dissatisfied with the ordinary, and forever seeking out something special, looking for products that “speak to me”, that connect to “who I am as a person”.

Do you, for example, buy products that speak to your truth, that adorn, embellish and project your brand? This is more than the idea from a generation ago when prestige merged with the mass market to create a “masstige” market, best exemplified by a well-known clothing brand with a polo logo.

And if there is a trend towards products that are nuanced, that symbolise rejection of the mass market, that happily (and for a premium) affirm one’s belief in being special, then why would this concept be restricted to milk? Could it extend to, say, the evolution of political parties? Since the end of WWII Australian politics has been largely shaped by two major parties. (This was the tail end of a workers-versus-bosses tussle that had prevailed from the time of European settlement.) But in recent years a range of niche parties have evolved to meet the needs of specific markets. They include the Greens, of course, and more recently the Teals, as well as all sorts of maverick independents.

Here is my milk argument: niche parties carve out quite sizeable demographic cohorts. They develop policies and/or project ideas that reflect the values and the aspirations of their target market. In this world, deciding on your political allegiance is like buying a product that reflects on you and your brand. Whereas in the past, political allegiance was largely determined by occupation and by property ownership.

The distinguishing feature of the milk argument is that, based on trends from other industries like fast-moving consumer goods, modern consumers want to connect with a product tailored to their needs. And the logic is understandable. In a dynamic community where we’re bombarded with options and advice, we are especially receptive to ideas, advice and support that we think are directed just to us, that speak to our truth.

If this logic works for milk, then maybe it’ll work for politicians too!

[e-mail]