"Let's have some resilient fun" shows some important topics in a more relaxed and joyful way. After all, humour is quoted as a desirable characteristic of resilient individuals like us!
How Adventurous Shopping Can Be?
Last autumn, a leading Polish retailer re-launched a successful advertising campaign aimed at kids:
"Turn shopping into an amazing adventure full of magic."
I began to wonder—where are we going, people? Are we truly shifting as a society toward magical, adventurous shopping experiences?
Perhaps for adults, we could add an adventurous TV evening with a beer in hand or expand the theme even further—why not a “magical hour in the shopping mall” with popcorn and coke?
Social Implications
Polish retailer compliments this amazing adventure with smart shopping instructions for kids. It includes smart programming of the mind. E.g. you should prepare your shopping list before but: "There is one exception to shopping with a list, when a favourite product has a super low price." If there is a good deal you can eat more kid, no problem.
And all of this comes with a sauce of fantastic products packed with sugar, milk, and fat—just what we need to successfully compete with the US, where 42% of adults had a BMI above 30 in 2022 and are on track to surpass half of the adult population in a few years.
As you can see on the chart below, Poland has recently reached a significant milestone, successfully challenging the UK in this important race!
It all sounds persuasive, doesn’t it? The narrative suggests we’re not strong enough as individuals, and it’s somehow all our fault. But maybe not.
Cruel Optimism
JIn Stolen Focus, Johann Hari cites scholar Lauren Berlant’s term “cruel optimism”—the act of offering individuals simple, upbeat solutions to complex societal problems. For example, telling people that a strict diet and exercise regimen will solve obesity ignores deeper socioeconomic and environmental factors. This optimism is “cruel” because it places the full burden of change on individuals, setting them up for failure while ignoring causes like “adventurous shopping,” ubiquitous unhealthy products, or broader economic issues.
Today’s economy is still fueled by volume. We do not yet have a viable growth alternative that would shift business models toward resilience and sustainability. So, it’s convenient for retailers to insist, “These are your individual choices,” while they maneuver kids into seeing consumption as an adventure. Social media platforms may say, “Limit your screen time,” even as they deploy every trick to keep you scrolling. We’re all prisoners of this volume-driven model: if we don’t eat more, our friends in FMCG or retail might lose their jobs, stocks could fall, or the pension funds investing in these companies might take a hit. This circle of interdependence can make us all fail together.
A Circular Alternative
Circular economy concepts attempt to break this cycle by emphasizing practical, down-to-earth methods to reduce production and waste. They replace volume-driven practices with models focusing on consumer value over the sheer quantity of goods sold.
In a truly circular company, the goal is to minimize resource usage and encourage reuse instead of constant buying.
They don’t hide behind glossy sustainability reports. Instead, they realign incentives away from volume toward lasting consumer value.
An Brief Example: Imagine a sportswear brand that offers a trade-in program for old running shoes. Instead of pushing new models every season, they repair and refurbish older pairs, then resell them at lower prices. This extends product life and reduces waste—core principles of a circular model. When a business model depends solely on units sold, no matter how nice the sustainability language, it cannot truly be circular. On, Nike, Lululemon are already on the ball.
Conclusion and Next Steps
I will pause here and write more about resilient economic concepts in a future article. For now, it’s worth recognizing how marketing manipulates both kids and adults, urging us to consume more as if it’s an adventure.
But real resilience lies in questioning these tactics and exploring truly sustainable solutions like the circular economy—where the magic isn’t in consumption, but in creating a better future.
Disclaimer: This post is satirical. Any resemblance to actual management techniques is purely coincidental and frankly, a bit concerning.
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References and Notes
Hari, J. (2022). Stolen focus: Why you can't pay attention—and how to think deeply again. Crown.
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