Little Shop of Cuteness

Little Shop of Cuteness

Let me start by saying that I find the Checkers “all about the price” ad on television beyond annoying, somewhere on the same level as hearing nails on a chalkboard and listening to Rihanna’s Work Work Work.  Besides the poor grammar (technically prices can’t be little, they can be low) the ad has completely ruined Meghan Trainor’s All About The Bass for me.  But let’s be honest once it's in your head, it ain't going anywhere.

Annoying ad aside, I have willingly and enthusiastically succumbed to the Checkers Little Shop promotion.  I think it is a brilliant concept that has me filling my trolley at Checkers instead of visiting their competitors.  I have also found myself adding items that I don’t really need in order to push my total over the next R150 increment, guaranteeing another Little Shop packet, watching the total with bated breath and wondering how many last-minute packs of gum I need to get from R399 to R450. 

Recently my purchases qualified for four packets but when I got home I discovered I’d only received three.  The feeling of disappointment was overwhelming.  I felt cheated.  I felt irritable.  I couldn’t sleep.  So I contacted Checkers via Twitter and was beyond impressed by the prompt and efficient customer service I received.  I was invited to collect an additional little grocery packet from the store.  Which I did three days later.  Yes, perhaps a little embarrassing but I am not above compromising my dignity to get what is rightfully mine.  It’s not like I’m offering sexual favours in exchange for Little Shop favours…or could I? Just kidding.

Part of the reason that promotions such as this one appeal to me is because I am a little OCD…okay, a lot OCD.  I like things to be categorised and alphabetised and collecting something creates a form of structure, checking boxes and systematically completing a project.  There is also a competitive element to it: 29 items to collect so let the race to collect all 29 begin!  And you are racing against a deadline because the promotion is not going to continue indefinitely.  To my distress, some stores have already run out of stock. 

However, besides the urge to collect and organise, there’s also a psychology behind the attraction to miniature versions of things such as the mini groceries. According to mental health expert Kelley Kitely, in an interview with Rachel Jacoby on Style.Mic, the desire for control is a contributing factor in the appeal of minis because they “can give you a sense of control when we're able to fit an entire scene into what feels like, the palm of our hands”. In the same article, miniature artist Thomas Doyle suggests that "the creation of small worlds gives us the illusion of control. In a world that grows ever faster and more chaotic, in a world in which we are bombarded with imagery, artworks in small scales allow us a place of retreat, where time has stopped.” So is part of the appeal of the Little Shop a sense of control over groceries, which can sometimes be regarded as burdensome because grocery shopping can be overwhelming and chaotic, especially at the end of the month? 

There is also the undeniable cute factor.  Small versions of large objects appeal to us because of their adorable appearances, causing us to go “ahhh!” when we examine the intricate details in the palms of our hands.  Their size makes them unrealistic but their detail makes them just realistic enough, stretching our imaginations and stimulating creativity, which is probably why these minis might be useful accessories in play therapy. 

So what am I going to do with all 29 little groceries once I have them (and I will have them)?  Honestly, probably nothing.  But I am enjoying the fun process of collecting and swapping and admiring these ridiculously cute miniatures so does there need to be a point?