Thesis advisor: Juliet B. Schor / Thesis advisor: Danielle Hedegard / To date, consumption and culture scholars have not considered the impact of occupations that require workers to perform the desire for an elite, moneyed lifestyle through conspicuous consumption. I use participant observation and interviews among a lifestyle brand's producers and consumers to address this fissure. The analysis considers the lifestyle clothing brand Island Outfitters as it is created for and employed by the young male finance community aspiring to the top 1% of wage earners on Wall Street. I document how this brand is both created and consumed cynically by the cultural intermediaries responsible for its formation and the status-savvy consumers who perform loyalty to its goals of affluence. The argument is set in a homogenous high-status American occupational group within which many of the preconditions that motivate conspicuous consumption in a traditionally Veblenian sense still exist. The lived experiences of these workers are far more nuanced than this utilitarian goal suggests, yet informants express their complicity with the profit prescriptive by employing recognizable aesthetic scripts that are read for whiteness, conservatism, and wealth. Because it is too problematic for these young men to embody the goals of global finance in their everyday decisions, they texturize their professional identities with textiles. / Thesis (MA) — Boston College, 2012. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Sociology.

With the increased number of natural disasters that have plagued the world in recent years, benefits and charities have become forefront in the media and in people’s minds. The most publicized of these charities are ones that invoke the names and the use of celebrities. I intend to discuss how works of charity and philanthropy can be conceptualized as consumption of cultural capital, and how these works can be interpreted in some cases as merely an expedient way to gain social capital or higher social standing within society. Even though this use of munificence has been traditionally frowned upon, I will use Thorstein Veblen, David Riesman, and other social theorists to argue that such misuse is universal and trans-historical. It is important to question the historical and current motivations behind philanthropic or charitable participation, especially by those who can be labeled the socially powerful, because their actions are emulated by the rest of society. Understanding the motivations behind giving is becoming progressively more important for two reasons. First, contemporary society is becoming increasingly more celebrity oriented where recognition is due to conspicuous social status, as opposed to what you have done. Due to this fixation on fame, celebrities influence many aspects of society, including people’s very behavior. The second reason motivations should be explored and questioned is that the incentives behind giving have not previously been explored in-depth, and therefore charity can not be adequately understood. The amalgamation of these two subjects into one topic is in itself important. By doing such, I bring a new perspective to the discourse on celebrity and of giving. This question also needs to be asked since understanding who these people are, and historically were, and why they give to charity, is to understand what charity is, and has evolved into. If givers’ motivations are not properly examined, giving may become just another empty gesture in a multitude of empty gestures, as they are depicted by Jean Baudrillard and other postmodernists.

The worldwide gap between rich and poor is widening. Status seeking and status keeping are fueled by the conspicuous consumption of luxury goods. These bright shiny objects are staples in a restricted economy in which only the wealthy participate. The notion of gaining riches for the purpose of helping the poor is fading. Materialism, luxury and riches have been the subject of religious and secular inquiry. In this quest, wealth has been condemned and applauded. Prestige-obsessed consumers are becoming blind to worsening social conditions.

According to Onkvisit and Shaw (1987), many products and possessions can be perceived as extensions of consumers' self-identity.  Some consumers might even try to enhance their image through conspicuous or status consumption. According to Mosteller (2008), possessing a pet is closely related to the theory of the extended self. Among other types of conspicuously consumed goods, rare or unusual animals may be purchased to satisfy the consumer's need for status (Hirschman, 1994). In 2011, more than 70 million households in Europe kept a pet. The direct and indirect industry of pet breeders, veterinarians etc. creates more than half a million jobs throughout Europe. Although in recent years many studies have been conducted from psychological or medical point of view of companion animals' and their owners' interactions, the academic knowledge from consumer behaviour perspective is still scarce. Authors of this thesis employed attitudes, various self and conspicious consumption theories in order to dig deeper into the topic of pets as status symbols, in particular rare and pure-bred cats and dogs. With the help of convenience sampling technique, internet survey was distributed. Authors questioned 165 students in Jönköping International Business School and created a data sample which was later used in statistical analysis. By combining descriptive statistics, Principal component analysis and Cluster analysis, a research design for the topic at hand was developed, which allowed to squeeze out every bit of valuable information. According to the statistical analysis, four most important factors influencing pet-related conspicuous consumption are (in order of importance): Ostentation, Social Recognition, Conformity and Materialistic Indulgence. With regards to these factors, all participants were grouped in four clusters: Blue Blooded People, Indifferent Boasters, Status Candidates and Approval Seekers. This research design resulted in vast array of managerial implications and creation of academic knowledge in respective consumer behaviour field.

When discussing charity, it is important to recognize that charity and other forms of giving are not solely done out of altruism, but can also be done out of greed and self promotion. It is especially important to recognize when those in power or those who have fame participate in this form of giving, because their actions may be emulated by others. This self aggrandizing giving has been done historically throughout multiple cultures as a way to gain or keep prestige, and also as a way to keep the boundaries between the classes strong. This is an important idea because, as I argue, giving as a way to gain public recognition and to keep social boundaries in place is still occurring today. This form of giving is what I label Conspicuous Charity. This is giving in which the main focuses of the participation in charity are the public and social benefits (such as prestige and recognition) to the givers, whereas the assistance to those in need is but a secondary benefit. The conspicuous use of charity also can take a broader approach, which I label Conspicuous Giving. This form of giving is presently being used as a way to keep those with fame, such as media celebrities, in the limelight, those with high standing in the global hierarchy at the top, and those at the top of the racial hierarchy separated from those at the bottom. In order to flesh out the concept of Conspicuous Giving, other forms of giving are also discussed such as Christmas gifts, bribes, and feasting. These cultural events are discussed within the context of multiple cultures as ways to show that using giving in a predatory manner is not a phenomenon unique to Western or even American culture. However, I argue that when it comes to this behavior, Americans are at the forefront of this movement into postmodernity.

In the past, luxury goods only a few privileged people who can have, such as the nobility. However, due to the economic development made from the upgrading of the consumption patterns change, market liberalization, the Western to the East luxury wave of popular, people are willing to spend money to buy so-called high-priced luxury goods. In other words, the luxury goods consumption is a demand that has nothing to do with the survival of consumer behavior. However, why people are willing to buy luxury goods? What is the motive behind the demand of luxury goods? What are conditions to constitute a luxury market? If the above issues at a different time and space, we might have different answers. Obviously, the formation of a luxury market that behinds a very complicated message, and through observation of the luxury market, perhaps also to reflecting the political, economic or social and cultural meaning. This study attempted to take the rapid economic rise of China as an example, the luxury market with its observation of objects as a source of information, China's luxury market can produce, first, for the luxury goods industry, to see China's consumption why this market have the prospects for development to provide a favorable supply for the industry that can make growth to the industry. Second, as a observer to see, what are the purposes by consumers to buy the luxury goods. In addition, this study is expected to achieve these results. From China's special national characteristics and cultural values of fairness, such a luxury consumer behavior is the consumption of their special meaning. Between producers and consumers posed by the Chinese luxury goods market will show a positive development complement each other.

Background: Since the early 1990s, the market for luxury goods has been growing at an unprecedented pace (Granot et al., 2013). Formerly exclusively targeting the richest of the rich, nowadays luxury products are aiming at a broader and considerably younger customer base, the Generation Y (Truong, 2010). Current studies suggest that luxury goods consumption is driven by a need to signal prestige (Grotts & Widner-Johnson, 2013; Nelissen & Meijers, 2011). However, this need can only be fulfilled when a signal is interpreted in the intended way. Nelissen & Meijers (2011) among others believe that a reliable signal can yield “fitness benefits”. Although researchers agree on the outcome of the signaling game, there appears to be no consensus on “what” a product should look like in order to serve as a reliable signal. Purpose: This thesis investigates the impact of brand prominence on perceived “fitness benefits” among Generation Y consumers in the context of luxury fashion clothing. Method: To meet the purpose of this thesis a quantitative study was conducted. The data was collected through a social experiment among students at Högskolan i Jönköping. The participants were randomly presented with one of three visual cues, capturing Brand Prominence by a person wearing t-shirts with differently sized brand logos. An oral survey was then conducted by which the attributed social "fitness" of the depicted person was assessed. Conclusion: The overall results of this study suggest that Brand Prominence has not as much impact on Generation Y consumers than suggested by previous research. Empirical evidence is provided that the signaling process is not as straight forward as proposed by Nelissen & Meijers (2011) or Veblen (1899). The signaling process among Generation Y consumers is (a) influenced by the recipient’s characteristics and (b) by the subtlety of the signal. Furthermore, current studies suggest in accordance with the obtained results a shift form Luxury Consumption to the phenomenon of Luxury Experience. This implies the necessity for luxury manufacturers to adapt to new levels of complexity created by a demographically and geographically heterogeneous consumer landscape, characterized by a new way of Costly Signaling.

The role that brands play in the lives of consumers has changed dramatically over time, from purely functional to instrumental, symbolic and hedonic in nature. Literature supports that brands are major contributors to, and reflections of, consumer identities. Despite this, literature referring to adolescents, brands and identity is lacking. Adolescents are emerging as the most brand-orientated, consumer-involved and materialistic generation in history. This research sought to understand the role of brands in adolescent identity through: i) sourcing literature to understand the role of brands in the formation and manifestation of adolescent identity, and ii) empirically deepening our understanding of how adolescents use brands to form and manifest their identities in an emerging market context. In a qualitative research study using focus groups, the views of four high- and low-income groups of female adolescents were investigated, compared and contrasted. Differences and commonalities were evident among groups around current brands owned versus brands aspired to, whether brands are consumed for the self or for others, and the role of reference groups. The findings showed differences between the high-income groups, suggesting that variances exist due to differing social standings. The findings further suggested commonalities between the low- and high-income adolescents from a lower social standing. These findings suggest the importance and need for further research in understanding the adolescent consumer psyche and proposes ethical considerations on the part of marketers. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Young Black professionals (Buppies) have taken the South African market by storm. These individuals and their parents come from suppressed and poverty-stricken pasts. Since the abolishment of the Apartheid regime, they have been provided with remarkable prospects and have been given the opportunity to participate in the economy. They are a vastly growing consumer segment. However, very little information is available on their needs, desires and motivation. With their newfound wealth and higher-paying professional positions they are now able to spend money on luxury items and in so doing, express how far they have come to the outside world. The purpose of this study was to investigate and describe this dynamic market’s motivations to consume. In order to provide more insight, research was done on their motivation to engage in conspicuous and or status consumption. Previously, these constructs were used interchangeably. However, later research conducted by O’Cass and McEwen (2004) proved these constructs to be empirically different. By determining Buppies’ motivation to engage in conspicuous and or status consumption; this study contributes to the fields of consumer motivation, marketing and retail. It provides insight into the driving force behind the purchasing decisions of this emergingmarket. The theoretical background to the study comprises of a literature review providing detail on conspicuous consumption and status consumption. Some additional information is also provided on studies conducted in the past relating to the motivation to engage in these forms of consumption. The information gathered on conspicuous and status consumption is then used to formulate a conceptual framework and the research objectives in which all of the key concepts and their relationships are clearly outlined. Exploratory survey research design was employed in this study to provide insights into Buppies’ conspicuous and status consumption of clothing brands. The sample consisted of 246 (n=246) Black urban consumers between the ages of 24 and 36, living in Gauteng and currently working in a professional position. Non-probability sampling methods were employed, which included purposive and snowball sampling. Respondents completed an online self-administered questionnaire. To further ensure an appropriate sample, the online questionnaire was also distributed in paper-based format. Since a quantitative research approach was utilised the questionnaire was structured in such a way as to obtain descriptive and inferential statistical data. The questionnaire was then distributed to Buppies, after which descriptive and inferential statistics were used to accurately describe the phenomena. The results of the study indicated that Buppies are more inclined to be motivated by aspects of status consumption than that of conspicuous consumption. Buppies proved to be very aware of the image that they project and how they are seen by others thus indicating that they are motivated by high self-monitoring. The results also indicated that although Buppies do enjoy being part of a group, they do not necessarily desire to communicate their belonging to a specific reference group by utilising clothing as a social cue. / Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Consumer Science / MConsumer Science / Unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to explore a phenomenon known as pexing that is prevalent in South Africa‟s Black youth. The study aimed to explore the nature of pexing in relation to other conspicuous consumption behaviours and understand the drivers for this behaviour. The study interviewed a sample of 10 participants. Findings of the study indicated that pexing is similar to conspicuous consumption but also has aspects that are distinct to it and the researcher proposes a framework and term (destructive conspicuous consumption) for this noted consumption activity. The study also shows that although different to anti-consumption pexing has some anti-consumption behaviours. The study also identifies antecedents that lead to the noted behaviour and these range from a low income environment to adult modelling. Relationships and links between antecedents; coping strategies and the resultant consumption activity (Pexing) was demonstrated. The research then concludes by making recommendation to both government and marketers in light of the findings of this research. The research also highlights some socio-economic considerations of pexing and also suggests other variables to be researched that are key to further understanding of pexing. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted