Project Pan: The End to Overconsumption?

Throughout Winter break I became infatuated with video essays, most specifically, video essays about overconsumption and a new trend called “Project Pan.” In the beginning of 2020, restocking videos took the internet by storm for their satisfying sounds, aesthetically pleasing colors, and the fact that the items always fit perfectly into their new pleasing containers as if they were a part of a game of Tetris or Block Blast. While there have been trends rotating throughout the internet and sites like TikTok and Instagram, aesthetically pleasing ASMR restocking videos have stuck around since

What exactly is “Overconsumption” in this context?

Overconsumption is typically used in the context of consuming food, drugs, or alcohol. However, for our purposes, overconsumption is the act of buying into items just because, over buying, over stocking, or because they are just a trend on social media. Google ‘ASMR Restocking Videos,’ watch ten of those videos and tell me if you can justify buying $50 hand sanitizers just because they “smell good” and they “fit perfectly” into your bag, tell me that you would reasonably be able to purchase clear plastic bottles to transfer your gallon of juice into because “they’re aesthetically pleasing.”

TikTok’s Influence on Overconsumption

Stanley Cups

TikTok has had a hold on consumers for years, influencing children to beg their parents to buy the new “in” thing. Reusable bottles have been on the rise as humans are becoming more aware of their impact on the world. I remember it starting with HydroFlasks just before COVID during the summer of 2019. For years, we’ve promoted the benefit of reusable bottles, yet the rise of Stanley Cups and Stanley collectors has practically eliminated the benefit of the reusable bottles. Many people on TikTok have a large collection of over 10 or more of these cups because of their limited editions, colors, and sizes, they each have only one individual purpose rather than only having one cup for multiple purposes.

TIKTOK LINK
A Stanley Collector on TikTok even does a series of videos called “Stanley of the Day,” where she chooses what Stanley she is going to use today and she matches it to her clothes, her mood, or even to what she is doing that day. After that she even “packs” it, showing her drawers of cup “boots,” matching a straw to the top, changing the top, adding a specific straw cover, and even more.

Hygiene Hauls?

This has been on the rise, especially since Project Pan became big. I love good smelling products, they make me feel amazing and clean, but the internet has started to take this too far. The rise of the “Hygiene Haul” is honestly incredibly sad. Every week, influencers on sites like TikTok and Instagram have started to promote the constant purchasing of new routines daily. They will go to multiple stores to curate the “best” routines for any specific scent that you would like to smell like. They use products that overload your sense of smell, and promote the overuse of poorly made products, not to mention, after all of that, the amount of product you use leaves your skin feeling and looking worse than before.

Project Pan: Is This The “End?”

From what I’ve seen, Project Pan isn’t a new concept, that is the trend name. Stemming from “hitting pan” in a makeup product, Project Pan is a “trend” or a “challenge” for those easily influenced by overconsumption to finish the hygiene, skin, and makeup products before allowing themselves to purchase more. Project Pan is the way many people typically live. As the economy is worsening, people are realizing that over purchasing is not a sustainable way of life. With the rise of conscious consumption, influencers are “changing their ways” left and right. To do as their job says, influence audiences, they created “Project Pan” as a way to show they are “mindful” of their consumption. It is common for influencers who take part to do reviews and updates on their progress monthly or as they finish products. However, doing updates is not their only goal, much of it is to also rate the products they used and then either flaunt a discount code or rave about the product so they gain traction.

Overall, Project Pan IS great. While I did a lot of knocking it down, I see it as a way for people to work on themselves. Not only are they acknowledging that they spent their money on this product, but they are also reducing the waste that they create. Many products cannot be donated or recycled once they are used. Project Pan allows for people to get the use out of their product and their money. Let’s just hope that this is not just a trend…

• college
• deinfluencing
• influencing
• lifestyle
• socialmedia
• tiktok