Neptune symbolizes the longing for redemption; it represents our deepest psychological yearnings. As such, it is closely connected with glamour, illusion, the nebulous terrain of spirituality, erotic longings, and the desire to escape our loneliness and celebrate our collectivity.

As one might expect of a planet that symbolizes glamour, illusion, and escapism, it is notoriously difficult to pin down and define. Some examples of Neptune in action include the Judeo-Christian creation story (i.e. Garden of Eden; man's expulsion from paradise and his longing to return) and the song "Paradise City" by Guns n' Roses (whom we previously met). Below is a video of the song at the tribute concert to Freddie Mercury (no relation to this author :)).


For marketers, advertisers, designers, and pretty much anyone involved in the communications business, it can be useful to think of Neptune as an indicator of what is fashionable.

Since January 29, 1998, the planet Neptune has been in the sign Aquarius, where it will remain until February 3, 2012 -- upon which it will enter Pisces. There are of course an infinite number of interpretations of Neptune in a Aquarius; one of the most predictable ones would be that glamour and fashion (symbolized by Neptune) becomes associated with Aquarian expressions, such as: rebellion; awakenings and breakthroughs; violating taboos; the use of the mind to conquer nature; egalitarianism; group consciousness and our collective desire for individuality. We met Aquarius before when we talked about the symbolic relationship between the Age of Aquarius and Culture 2.0.

Is glamour -- perhaps more commonly referred to as fashion -- reflecting Aquarian attributes?

I prefer to think about the matter using examples.

• Mashups - Glamourizing copyright violation
• Hip-Hop Lyrics - Rebellion against social norms and culturally conservative values
• Technorati WTF - A company names a release WTF
• Freebase - A company names itself after an illicit substance
• Nipplegate and Celebrity Porn - Glamourizing porn, a cultural taboo
• Reality TV - Virtually all of reality TV reflects group consciousness; the value of each character's unique identity is maximized, yet the focus of the show is not the activity of a single individual but rather the group dynamic
• Unrated DVDs - A large increase in the amount of DVDs issued without ratings, and the public craving for such (as evidenced by sales)
• Everything About Blogs - The seemingly archetypal ranting and rebellious blogger (i.e. "blogger as renegade"); bloggers who openly dis the companies they work for; blog networks that exhibit group consciousness: the network thrives on the diversity and individuality of its participants
• Bush, Blair, 9/11, and 7/7 - Approval ratings for Bush and Blair would suggest there is massive disapproval of national governments. It is now fashionably acceptable to be opposed to and very distrustful of national government, and a desire to reclaim the authority given
• BubbleGeneration: Messy Beats Clean

Key questions for consideration: If we do accept that rebellion is the status quo in terms of fashion, how can people in positions of power -- i.e. government, teachers, parents, managers/supervisors/owners, etc -- work with this constructively? And what are the implications for marketers who are looking to capture attention and tap into the psyche of their audience?

Those who accept archetypal psychology as a legitimate and useful discipline (which I do) may wish to note that archetypes always seek expression. How can we help people express the archetypal image of Neptune in Aquarius constructively -- meaning in a way that helps individuals be creative while also helping society grow? That is the deeper meaning of Aquarius, and thus a potential gateway into the minds of our audience.

For more on Neptune and its manifestations in symbolism, mythology, astrology, and psychology, I highly recommend Neptune and the Astrological Quest for Redemption by Liz Greene. Probably my favorite book of all time (its only rivals are Saturn: A New Look at an Old Devil and The Astrology of Fate, both also by Liz Greene.) I'd say 25% of the book can be understood without any understanding of astrology; the remaining 75% presupposes an understanding of the fundamentals of contemporary Western astrology.