São Paulo, August 27, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Brazilians' dreams of consumption have become more realistic.Their priorities are longer to buy this year's latest automobile model, but to pay outstanding bills, to manage their domestic accounts in the short term. This was the finding of a study just conducted by the Marketing Agency consulting firm in four large Brazilian cities.

"The population is acquiring more realistic goals," affirmed Rafael Sampaio, vice president of the Brazilian Publicity Association, at a seminar entitled "Consumer Dreams during a period of Change," held this morning at the American Chamber of Commerce. According to Sampaio, this change reflects a reaction to economic problems that have occurred in recent years. "Consumption has not diminished, but consumers have changed their buying habits in terms of traditional brands," he explained.

Sampaio said that consumers are no longer tied to brand names, but to the overall set of services that accompany the product. He remarked that "This doesn't mean the end of selling dreams. But the fact is that people are trying to adjust their aspirations to their daily necessities," he added

According to Sampaio, the survey, which included 1300 members of the middle class in the cities of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, and Recife, indicates that consumers are insisting on greater honesty by sellers of products and services and that, on their list of consumer dreams, right behind the payment of bills comes the need for education and culture to do a better job in managing expenses. (DAS)