Self-Expressive Goals with Different Dimensions of Culture Capital in Less Industrialized Country: The Study about Conspicuous & Inconspicuous Consumption

Abstract

The status consumption of consumer culture in postmodern era has led many ideas to discuss about how consumers use brands or product to express their identity or emulate to their particular idealistic reference. This research orientates the status consumption in less industrialized countries (LICs) regarding to luxury brands. Cultural capital plays key role to drive consumer’s self-expressive goals how they position their self-identity. Moreover, the functional theories of attitudes were integrated to emphasis more about consumer’s attitude toward luxury brands in LICs. However, the author explores the myth driver of cultural capital in LICs, reference of western consumption, as the moderator to study in-depth detail of consumer’s emulation and provide comprehensions of inconspicuous consumption in fashion industry and contribute to the entrepreneur and managerial beneficial to adapt as the marketing strategy. Findings show that the functional attitude toward luxury brands and self-expressive goals are influenced by the cultural capital and self-expressive goals to lead into different of consumer’s attitude toward brand signal. In conclusion, the theory and management implication was mentioned to contribute characteristic of in luxury brands consumption in LICs in perspective of marketing purpose. Last but not least, the principle to conduct the study is to emphasize the new challenge of fashion marketing, “You are what you buy”.