Gaya Hidup Generasi Millenial (Studi Kasus Pengunjung Cafe Live Music Holywings di Kota Medan)

Abstract

In this modern era, the growth of hangout places or cafes is very flourishing and growing everywhere, one of which is in the city of Medan. Along with the development of innovation, the cafe has also undergone many changes, starting with facilities, designs and concepts such as the concept of live music, live DJ, and also providing food, contemporary and alcoholic drinks so that the value of the cafe is more high end and exclusive. This is done in order to attract the attention of consumers who come, especially millennials, as their place to have fun, hang out, and spend their free time. This activity is a millennial habit carried out for the sake of satisfaction so that it has an impact on his consumptive lifestyle. Millennial characteristics, which tend to be impulsive and sensitive to new innovations, support the tendency for a consumptive lifestyle. So that a visit to a cafe is not out of necessity but desire. This shows that a visit to a cafe is no longer based on use value but on the value of signs on the cafe so that consumption activities and cafe functions experience a shift. This research uses Jean Baurdillard's theory of consumption with qualitative methods and a case study approach. The case study was conducted at Holywings cafe in Medan City which is located on Jl. A. Rivai No. 4, Madras Hulu, Medan Polonia District, Medan City, North Sumatra. Informants in this study were visitors to Holywings cafe, aged 17-37 years. The technique of collecting data was carried out by observation, in-depth interviews, documentation and literature study. The results of research studies show that millennials who are at the Holywings cafe can spend their time in the cafe for hours until late at night and spend money to hang out at the Holywings cafe such as consuming contemporary food and expensive alcoholic drinks. The exclusive value of Holywings also has an impact on the fashion they wear when visiting, such as clothes, bags and watches with expensive brands. It can be concluded that Holywings is used as a means of representation to create social status through the values contained in the cafe. Through this, millennials often expose their presence on social media while visiting and also make it for public consumption. Another understanding can be said that consumption activities are no longer based on the use of use values but on the value of signs and pseudo and virtual realities which are considered more real.

Pada zaman modern ini, pertumbuhan tempat nongkrong atau cafe sangat marak dan berkembang dimana-mana salah satunya di Kota Medan. Seiring berkembangnya inovasi, cafe juga banyak mengalami perubahan mulai fasilitas, design dan konsep seperti konsep live music, live DJ, dan juga menyediakan makanan, minuman kekinian dan juga beralkohol sehingga membuat nilai cafe tersebut lebih high end dan ekslusif. Hal tersebut diupayakan agar menarik perhatian konsumen yang datang terutama milenial sebagai wadah mereka untuk bersenang-senang, nongkrong, dan menghabiskan waktu luang. Aktifitas tersebut merupakan kebiasaan milenial yang dilakukan demi kepuasan sehingga berdampak pada gaya hidup konsumtifnya. Karakteristik milenial yang cenderung berlaku impulsif dan peka terhadap inovasi-inovasi baru menjadi pendukung kecendrungan gaya hidup konsumtif. Sehingga berkunjung ke cafe bukanlah karena kebutuhan namun justru keinginan. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa berkunjung ke cafe tidak lagi berdasarkan nilai guna melainkan nilai tanda pada cafe sehingga kegiatan konsumsi dan fungsi cafe mengalami pergeseran. Penelitian ini menggunakan teori konsumsi Jean Baurdillard dengan metode kualitatif dan pendekatan studi kasus. Studi kasus dilakukan di cafe Holywings Kota Medan yang terletak di Jl. A. Rivai No. 4, Madras Hulu, Kec Medan Polonia, Kota Medan, Sumatera Utara. Informan pada penelitian ini adalah pengunjung cafe Holywings yang berumur 17-37 tahun. Teknik pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan observasi, wawancara mendalam, dokumentasi dan studi kepustakaan. Hasil studi penelitian menunjukkan milenial yang berada di cafe Holywings dapat menghabiskan waktunya di cafe sampai berjam-jam hingga larut malam serta mengeluarkan uangnya demi nongkrong di cafe Holywings seperti mengkonsumsi makanan kekinian dan minuman kekinian beralkohol yang mahal. Nilai ekslusif pada Holywings juga berdampak pada fashion yang mereka kenakan saat berkunjung seperti baju, tas dan jam tangan dengan brand mahal pula. Hal tersebut dapat disimpulkan bahwa Holywings dijadikan wadah representasi untuk mewujudkan status sosial melalui nilai-nilai yang terdapat pada cafe tersebut. Melalui hal itu juga tidak jarang milenial mengekspos keberadaan mereka di media sosial saat berkunjung dan juga menjadikannya sebagai konsumsi publik. Pengertian lain dapat dikatakan bahwa kegiatan konsumsi tidak lagi berdasarkan pada pemanfaatan nilai guna melainkan kepada nilai tanda serta realitas semu dan virtual yang dianggap lebih nyata.