Branded clothing and identity management among youth in a multicultural context (original) (raw)

2008, de Dag van de Sociologie'/Sociology Day (VVS/NSV), …

Advertisers in Flanders are beginning to discover the opportunities for marketing to specific target groups such as the growing ethnic minority population, but empirical data on this segment are lacking. Departing from the notion that consumption reflects a sense of identity (cfr. Lunt & Livingstone, 1992), clothing is not only looked at as a personal matter, but also as a collective and socially-embedded practice and a tool for self-presentation, from this perspective the relationships between identity orientations and attitude towards branded clothing are examined. First, the individual, social and collective identity orientations of both majority and minority youngsters are described. Second, attention is paid to the similarities and differences in consumer behaviour, with a focus on the attitudes towards and consumption of branded clothing. Third, the relationships between identity orientations and attitudes towards branded clothing are further explored. The results underline the importance of cultural differences in the identity orientations as well as the consumer behaviour of youth: Ethnic minority youngsters pay more attention to their looks and reputations and consequently spend more on lifestyle products than their majority peers. However, segmentation solely based on ethnic origin is not sufficient; a broader inclusive approach which takes other cultural-specific features as well as the differences and similarities between young consumers into account, is recommended.

Sign up for access to the world's latest research.

checkGet notified about relevant papers

checkSave papers to use in your research

checkJoin the discussion with peers

checkTrack your impact