The current research explores how luxury brand mentions impacts consumer culture. Specifically, the social, cultural, and economic implications of such mentions when integrated in reality television is investigated. Exploring this phenomenon is important as consumers are afforded several options to skip or avoid advertising when viewing television. Hence, consumers are now exposed to brand mentions that are integrated in media by advertisers who aim to combat the advertising avoidance. Generally, brand mentions are depicted in media as inexpensive, convenient products, such as household goods or food products. But with the emergence and popularity of reality television, consumers are now exposed to those brands, in addition to luxury brands. This is true as brand mentions financially support production costs for many reality television programs and also serve as aspirational props. Luxury brand mentions are worthy of study as they exude exclusivity and status and are traditionally targeted to a niche, elite market. As luxury brands are integrated in reality television, a broader, more diverse consumer audience is exposed to such mentions. This research is one of the first to specifically explore how luxury brand mentions appear in reality television. Using the consumer culture theory framework, two studies were conducted to understand the nuanced meanings of such mentions among consumers. Study One explored the integration of luxury brand mentions using a content assessment. Study Two used depth interviews to gauge consumer response to such mentions. Study One results indicate luxury brand mentions are highly prominent in affluent-lifestyle reality television shows. Five of the most frequently mentioned luxury brands represent the automobile, entertainment/technology, and hospitality product categories. Overall, the promotion of materialism, aspiration, and elitism were messages consumers were exposed to. Study One results were supported by findings in Study Two which revealed informants’ race, class, and gender as strong influencers of their interpretations of luxury brand mentions. / text

What is next for the luxury experience when autonomous technology is replacing your private chau eur and there is no need for improving the performance of a vehicle? What if consumers simply get bored of rare and expensive materials as the only reference to luxury? There is a potential to change the mindset and rethink the value of mobility. As it is already happening, people start to treasure experiences rather than ownership. Vehicles play multiple important roles in our lives and some of our most precious stories can happen during a ride. Inspired by such insights, this project pushed the boundaries to envision a new kind of luxurious mobility experience designed to be slow. Research, ideation, storytelling, 3D modelling and visualisation were used to propose a shared airborne mobility service for the megacity. A system composed of dirigibles and docking stations, inspired and fictitiously operated by the Lexus brand.

The topic of the thesis is devided into three parts. In the first part I am describing marketing and brand theoretically and cosmetics market in general. In the second part I am analyzing the strategy of the Helena Rubinstein brand worldwide. Third part concentrates on Helena Rubinstein brand on the Czech market.

Originalmente, os produtos de moda voltados ao mercado de luxo estavam associados a um elevado grau de refinamento, obtidos por meio de insumos valiosos, buscando aprimoramento em todos os processos que envolviam sua produção. O vestuário tangenciou aspectos de construção de luxo, sejam por meio dos materiais, cores, formas, ou mesmo, relações subjetivas e sociais que o luxo sempre apresentou. Utilizando o referencial teórico da semiótica discursiva, notadamente nas postulações de Algirdas Julien Greimas e de seus colaboradores, o presente estudo visa analisar as estratégias discursivas que tecem a significação do luxo e da alta-costura através dos arranjos de seus formantes plásticos. Foram investigadas as poéticas visuais propulsoras dos princípios ordenadores utilizadas na alta-costura contemporânea e posteriormente feito um recorte utilizando como corpus a altacostura da casa de moda Chanel, produzidas entre 2004 a 2014, totalizando 21 coleções. Foram examinadas como as criações vestimentares atuais são articuladas a fim de criar um discurso vestimentar singular e manter esta casa de moda como referência no universo do vestuário de luxo / Originally, fashion products aimed at the luxury market were associated with a high degree of refinement, obtained through valuable inputs, seeking improvement in all processes involving production. The clothing tangenciou aspects of building luxury, whether through the materials, colors, shapes, or even subjective and social relations that luxury always presented. Using the theoretical framework of semiotic discourse, notably in Algirdas Julien Greimas of postulations and its employees, this study aims to examine the discursive strategies that weave the meaning of luxury and haute couture through the arrangements of their plastic formants. The driving visual poetics of ordering principles used in contemporary haute couture were investigated and subsequently made a cutout using as corpus couture fashion house Chanel, produced between 2004-2014, totaling 21 collections. We examined how current vestimentares creations are hinged to create a singular discourse vestimentar and maintain this fashion house as a reference in the world of luxury clothing

Entre 2007 e 2012 a indústria de bens de luxo, no contexto nacional dobrou e tamanho, movimentando mais de US$ 20 bilhões em 2012, sendo que São Paulo é a cidade brasileira com a maior \"concentração destas atividades. Abordada por Pierre George na década de 1950, esta temática, assim como as discussões sobre Geografia do Comércio, se fizeram pouco presente durante a segunda metade do século XX, o que começou a mudar a\' partir da década de 1990. Com a chegada do século XXI e a intensificação do processo de globalização acompanhadas de mudanças no modelo. produtivo, é possível observar um maior protagonismo do Consumo em relação à produção; possibilitando o surgimento de novas terrilorialidades adequadas para a realização destas novas funções urbanas. O presente, trabalho se propõe a discutir e analisar os processos que conformam os territórios que serviram de base material para. a comercialização de bens e serviços de luxo na cidade de São Paulo neste período (1913-.2014). O luxo, um tema plural e multifacetário, exigiu desta dissertação de mestrado uma interpretação interdisciplinar,e a combinação de distintas teorias inerentes à ciência geográfica para sua concepção, respaldados pelo método de pesquisa qualitativo, aliada à pesquisa bibliográfica, aplicação de questionários, realização de entrevistas e trabalhos de campo no .Brasil e no exterior. Concluindo, esta dissertação revela uma tendência de localização dos novos empreendimentos ligados à esta indústria na cidade de São Paulo, coincidindo com a localização dos bairros de alto padrão e a. região que desde princípios do século XX têm concentrado grande parte dos investimentos em infraestrutura urbana por parte da municipalidade: o Vetor Sudoeste. A formação de novas camadas de consumidores resulta da mobilidade social pela qual a cidade e o país passaram na última década. Processos estes, que possibilitaram ainda a formação de um novo grupo de consumidores que mesmo residindo em outros estados da federação, têm na cidade de São Paulo o destino ideal para suas compras de produtos e serviços ligados à indústria de bens de luxo. / Between 2007 and 2012, the Brazilian luxury goods industry doubled in value. up to US$ 20 billion in 2012, with São Paulo - being the Brazilian city having the largest concentration of these activities. Already approached by Pierre George ir] the early 1950\'s, the subject of Iuxury and the geography of trade, did not receive much attention during the course of the 20th century until the- nineties. With the arrival of the 21st century and the intensification globalization process accompanied by changes in the production model, a greater role of. consumption in relation to production can be observed. This allowed the emergence of new territorialities suitable for the realization of new urban functions. This research aims to discuss and analyze the process of formation of the territorialities that served as base material for the rnarketing of luxury goods and services in the city of São Paulo in the recent history of the municipality (1913-2014). Luxury I is a research subject that requires different points of view; therefore, this master study has an interdisciplinary approach thereby combining different theories inherent to the science of geography: qualitative research combined with literature study, questionnaires, interviews and fieldwork in Brazil and abroad are the research methods used. This study reveals the trends in localization of new luxury goods infrastructure in the city of São Paulo, wtiich is closely related to the emergence of wealthy neighborhoods. Moreover, since the beginning of the 20th century, the municipality of Sao Paulo lnvested in urban infrastructure in that same region that can be identified as the Southwest Vector. Also, the formation of new layers of consumers that benefit from the social mobility in both city and country durinq the last decade can be observed, such as a new group of consumers that, even while residing in other States of the Federation, find in the city of São Paulo the ideal destination for their luxury goods purchases.

Purpose: The purpose with this paper is to improve the understanding for companies on what influences female Chinese consumers in the age 20-25 year old to buy luxury goods. Research question: What behaviors do 20-25 year old Chinese women consumers have in relationship to luxury goods? Method: The study is mainly consisting of a quantitative web-survey that consists of 100 respondents. The survey was addressed to young women that came from China, in the ages 20-25 year old. It was of interest to get answers both from young women that are luxury consumers and from those who are not, in order to get a hint of how they relate to luxury goods in general. As a complement to the survey, a qualitative focus group interview was made with five young Chinese women in the age 22-24 year old. Theory: The theoretical framework includes theories about; luxury, reference group, family, roles and status, motivation, attitudes and beliefs and the buyer decision process. Conclusion: The results show that young Chinese women’s consumer behavior is in some aspect in the process of change. For example, they now want to stand out, but subconsciously they still act upon what earlier theories have claimed, to be like everyone else, because it is firmly rooted in their behaviors. This shows that they are in the process of a behavioral change towards acting more individualistic. Young Chinese women's consumer behavior is characterized by the fact that they have a positive attitude towards buying more luxury goods in the future, both for personal reasons but also because it will help their career and make them seem more professional. Although, they consider there to be some risks with buying luxury goods, both social and economic. Concerning the buyer decision process they research about the product, either by reading magazines looking on the Internet or talking to their friends. Today almost every purchase, regarding luxury, is planned and often based on personal opinions but sometimes with the regards of others opinions, like friends and family. / Program: Master in Fashion Management with specialisation in Fashion Marketing and Retailing

The main assumption of this thesis is existence of traditional and modern values in the Chinese society. The author of this paper believes that this characteristic differentiates that market from other luxury markets and drives the way luxury is consumed. The study tries also proving that the perception of luxury and conspicuous consumption can be changed in time in the process of bigger internationalization of the country. The research focus is put primarily on psychology of luxury consumer in China and what stands behind their motivation of purchasing high-end products. / Program: Master in Fashion Management with specialisation in Fashion Marketing and Retailing

Chinese newly rich consumers have gained substantial power in the luxury sector through their conspicuous consumption. Chinese consumers’ lack of cultural capital and inexperience in the purchase and use of material commodities in the luxury consumption field has led many to associate their conspicuous consumption with pecuniary display of their newly acquired economic capital. Scholars have either used cultural globalisation theory to suggest that the Chinese consumers are embracing and emulating Western material culture, or have used Chinese face theory to explain their conspicuous consumption in terms of the social norms associated with Chinese family kinship and peer group pressure. This study attempts to look beyond both these assumptions, and for the first time seek a detailed and holistic understanding of Chinese newly rich consumers’ status consumption practices, particularly the relationships between personal taste and the social structure and cultural forces shaping individual taste in the consumption field struggle. Hence, the research question is “What status consumption practices do Chinese newly rich consumers engage in to compete for social distinction through luxury fashion consumption?” Bourdieu’s field analysis has been undertaken in order to enable a new understanding of Chinese newly rich consumers’ luxury consumption practices. The key concepts; cultural capital, habitus, and fields (Doxa and Illusio), have been discussed with respect to Chinese social conditions. Using luxury fashion as a potent example of conspicuous consumption, a qualitative study has been conducted among ten carefully selected Chinese newly rich consumers (Generation 1) residents of Beijing. Data analysis has shown that informants used two distinctive status consumption practices, namely, the materialist status consumption practice, and the cultural idealist status consumption practice (Holt, 1998), which are aligned with their social trajectory route, volume and the composition of their cultural capital. Informants’ cultural idealist status consumption practice indicated two important forms of cultural capital as social distinction: embodied cultural capital and ‘deterritorialized cultural capital’ (Üstüner & Holt, 2010). The embodied cultural capital has been accrued through early socialization, centered on intellectual cultivation and nonmaterialistic daily lives, whereas the ‘deterritorialized cultural capital’ has been accrued in a similar fashion to their Turkish high cultural capital (HCC) counterparts (Üstüner & Holt, 2010), through engagement with the West, despite only having this contact during adulthood, unlike the Turkish HCC. These two forms of cultural capital are centered on non-materialistic aesthetic driven consumption practices, which are similar to Bourdieu’s (1984) and Holt’s (1998) HCC consumers’ cultural idealist consumption practices. Thus, the thesis answers calls for more detailed analyses of consumption practices in Less Industrialised Countries. In doing so it both confirms the suitability of Bourdieu for the study of consumption practices in an Eastern context and provides new insights into the Chinese newly rich group’s consumption practices in the field of luxury fashion.

Orientador: Ricardo Monteagudo / Banca: Maria das Graças de Souza / Banca: Jacira de Freitas / Resumo: O propósito de se elaborar uma crítica ao luxo e às falsas relações instituídas na sociedade é mais que uma simples tentativa de afastamento. É antes a aproximação de uma realidade melhor que pode existir a partir de uma opção frugal e equilibrada. Rousseau afirma, sobretudo em A nova Heloísa, a possibilidade de se viver em paz e harmonia no estado de sociedade através de costumes simples. A adoção de um padrão de vida constituído por relações sinceras e isento de falsas necessidades garante à comunidade de Clarens o título de refúgio em que a transparência das relações pode encontrar seu lugar. Desta forma, é possível se constatar, no desenvolvimento do presente estudo, a insistência de Jean-Jacques em associar a realização do homem à sua opção consciente em viver em concordância com uma concepção de frugalidade como postura ideal. / Abstract: The purpose of elaborating a critic to the luxury and the false relationships instituted in the society it is more than a simple attempt of removal. It is before the approach of a better reality than it can exist starting from a frugal and balanced option. Rousseau affirms, mainly in A nova Heloísa, the possibility to live in peace and harmony in the society state through simple habits. The adoption of a standard of living constituted by relationships sincere and exempt of false needs it guarantees to the community of Clarens the refuge title in that the transparency of the relationships can find your place. Then, it is possible to verify, in the development of the present study, Jean-Jacques' insistence in associating the accomplishment of the man to your conscious option in living in agreement with a frugality conception as ideal posture. / Mestre

Some midlevel managers in the China's luxury hotel industry lack leadership strategies for engaging employees to reduce employee turnover. Employee turnover rates in China's hotel industry have reached the 30% mark, affecting hotels' bottom lines. This high employee turnover rate is impacting the hotels' performance, and negatively affecting the industry's profitability. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore employee engagement strategies luxury hotel industry midlevel managers apply to reduce turnover. The conceptual framework for this study was the three levels of leadership model created by Scouller. The participants in this study were 5 midlevel department managers from 3 luxury hotels in China, who demonstrated strong employee engagement leadership strategies to reduce turnover. Data were collected using semistructured interviews as the primary source, and companies' related websites and internal documents about training and talent development. After analysis of the data through qualitative content analysis, 4 themes emerged, including corporate culture-related strategies, talent development-related strategies, leadership-related strategies, and mentorship- and coaching-related strategies. The results of this study may contribute to positive social change by improving leadership competencies to strengthen economic output, increase job opportunities, and improve and sustain employment benefiting employees, families, and communities.