Translating Anthropological Consumption Theories into Humanistic Marketing Practices (original) (raw)

The goal of this chapter is to imagine more humanistic marketing practices within the confines of existing capitalist structures. Anthropological consumption theories are well-suited to this task because they offer a people-centric view of markets and address universal human themes such as the search for meaning, the pursuit of pleasure, the construction of identity, and the maintenance of community. This chapter translates four theories – consumption as meaning making, consumption as emotional experience, consumption as self-extension, and consumption as community participation – into concrete managerial recommendations. Each theory illuminates a distinct pathway for empathically understanding, motivating, and satisfying consumers in profitable as well as humanistic ways.