Friendships through the style choice of virtual stickers: Young adults manage aesthetic identity and emotion on a social messaging line app

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With social media and modern pop culture (e.g., virtual stickers) reshaping social dynamics, young Taiwanese consumers who engage in social messaging via the Line app are introducing new interaction avenues that change communication habits and style choices to meet their tastes and interpersonal needs. This article analyzes the links between style choice and young consumers’ experiences to elucidate the contours of virtual sticker possession when managing aesthetic identity and emotions for friendships. The methodological approach to this research follows the principles of interpretive phenomenology. The results demonstrate that Taiwanese culture’s consolidating forces clash with alternative styles in the different contexts of friendships. In terms of modern pop culture and Taiwanese cultural reflexivity, young consumers are contemplating the possibilities of embracing new ways of managing their friendships.