Ending Type: Cultural
Cultural ending: Consumers experience cultural endings of their products, services, or digital products when they perceive them to be out of fashion or culturally unacceptable.
This could be a service that was previously considered fantastic, but now feels wrong due to social perceptions or a particular look or feel. It could be a product that has a physical style or colour palette that has become less attractive. The problem might be a deeper, socially unpalatable point of view about race, gender, or the behaviour of company directors. A whole range of inappropriate points of view can bring an end to product, service, or digital products.
Usually cultural change is historically slow, steeped in generational differences in attitude. In recent decades such change has moved faster as a result of digital communication amongst other things. Many argue that social media has fuelled this acceleration. Some examples of cultural endings can be quite clear and strongly felt. Other examples like fashion or style are more nuanced and subjective.
Uncanny valley
A more human gauge of tolerance is demonstrated in the ‘uncanny valley’. First proposed by the robotics professor Masahiro Mori. He suggested ‘As the appearance of a robot is made more human, some observers’ emotional response to the robot becomes increasingly positive and empathetic, until it reaches a point beyond which the response quickly becomes strong revulsion'.
In the last few months people on Twitter having been experiencing a cultural type of ending. Some would say that cracks have been building for years as Twitter became an increasingly vocal place for people to spread hate. These cracks opened further with the acquisition of the platform by Elon Musk. His ego centric persona and erratic leadership style have led many to feel the platform has culturally shifted. Changing the brand too far for some people and businesses. In essence a cultural ending has taken place on Twitter for many.
Understanding the different types of ending helps businesses and product developers appreciate the experience a consumer is going through. In turn this helps a business create better off-boardings and endings from the their product.
Find out more about Ending Types in the Endineering book.
Or on the Endineering course.
