Anti-consumption Research Research Articles

Broadening Anti-Consumption Research: A History of Right-Wing Prohibitions, Boycotts, and Resistance to Sustainability

Anti-consumption scholarship has been ideologically one-sided. It has established a research domain aligned with projects favored by the global political left, such as being environmentally sustainable, consuming ethically, and resisting corporate capitalism, while overlooking strains of anti-consumption thought and action driven by conservative interests. It has advanced knowledge of individuals, their reasoning, and market behavior patterns in the here and now, but has neglected the state-sponsored and temporal dimensions of anti-consumption phenomena. This article seeks to redress this imbalance and broaden the field through a historical counternarrative illustrating right-wing prohibitions, boycotts of media content, brands, and companies, and, most recently, resistance to sustainable consumption. The different interests served, effects on consumption behavior, and market and societal impacts of these anti-consumption efforts in the American experience are analyzed. Implications for the domain of anti-consumption and macromarketing research and opportunities for potential global study are discussed.

What we know about anticonsumption: An attempt to nail jelly to the wall

AbstractDespite burgeoning academic interest in anticonsumption, a lack of definitional clarity and overlapping constructs beleaguer the pertinent literature, preventing research in the field from reaching its full potential. This paper aims to strengthen the foundations for advancing knowledge in this fragmented field by (a) undertaking a thorough systematic review of literature; (b) charting the scope of anticonsumption literature based on network analysis and attempting to delineate overlapping areas; (c) providing an integrated framework of anticonsumption research, including antecedents, moderators, and consequences; and (d) suggesting a set of specific research propositions that will enable the field to move forward. Toward these aims, we analyzed 120 anticonsumption papers revealed in the literature review, identifying a number of important anticonsumption‐related topics that warrant further investigation. Moreover, we suggest a research framework which reveals antecedents, causal sequences, and consequences of anticonsumption. Finally, a research agenda based on this integrated framework indicates promising areas for future research.

AD BLOCKING: DISCURSOS DE ADOÇÃO E DE ANTICONSUMO DA PUBLICIDADE

RESUMO A presente pesquisa investiga os discursos em torno do uso dos ad blockers. A partir de entrevistas em profundidade com consumidores que ativaram bloqueadores, três discursos emergiram em torno dessa tecnologia: 1) autonomia e controle dos efeitos da publicidade; 2) trocas na internet: assimetria, paradoxos e busca de equidade e 3) eficiência e conveniência. A partir desses resultados, discute-se o posicionamento dos estudos de anticonsumo como o estudo das "razões contra" o consumo. O trabalho propõe abordagens complementares na pesquisa de anticonsumo, menos baseadas nos aspectos intencionais e conscientes dos consumidores e na noção de poder como entidade disputada pelos atores.

Anticonsumption as Tactical Response to Institutionalized Subordination: The Case of Materially Deprived Anticonsumers

Whereas most anticonsumption research focuses on middle- to upper-class consumers who reduce, avoid, or control consumption, this study analyzes anticonsumption among materially deprived consumers. Such an anticonsumption focus runs contrary to the conventional subordination of homeless people to the status of inferior and deficient, whose survival is dependent on social housing support and food charities. Findings from an ethnographic study in Australia show that materially deprived consumers avoid social housing and food charities as a tactical response against institutionalized subordination, which specialized homeless services reinforce. In this context, anticonsumption is thus not about projecting a self-affirming identity or generating a collective force to change consumer culture. Rather, anticonsumption among materially deprived consumers aims at overcoming institutionalized subordination and represents tactics of survival rather than strategies for illusionary emancipation.

Anti-Consumption as Tactical Response to Institutionalized Subordination: The Case of Materially-Deprived Anti-Consumers

Abstract While most anti-consumption research focuses on middle to upper class consumers who reduce, avoid or control consumption, this study analyses anti-consumption among materially-deprived consumers. Such anti-consumption runs contrary to the conventional subordination of homeless persons to the status of inferior and deficient, whose survival is dependent upon social housing supports and food charities. Findings from an ethnographic study in Australia show that materially-deprived consumers avoid social housing and food charities as a tactical response against institutionalized subordination, which specialized homeless services reinforce. In our context, anti-consumption is thus not about projecting a self-affirming identity or generating a collective force to change consumer culture. Rather, anti-consumption among materially-deprived consumers aims at overcoming institutionalized subordination and represents tactics of survival rather than strategies for illusionary emancipation.

Brand Avoidance Motivators Stimulate to Brand Equity in the Mediating Role of Brand Hate: A Case of Smartphone Industry of Pakistan

This study aims to examine the effect of brand avoidance motivators on brand equity. It also probes the mediating effect of brand hate among brand avoidance motivators and brand equity. In order to empirically study the above relationship the questionnaire was presently administered to the sample of 400 smartphone users. The 270 questionnaire were returned back. The received data was subjected to a number of statistical analyses. The finding proposed that brand avoidance motivators i.e., unmet expectations, symbolic congruence and ideological incapability have positive impact on brand equity. The brand hate copiously mediates between brand avoidance motivators and brand equity. The findings have number of implications for marketers and mangers in Islamabad regarding brand avoidance. Generally, this thesis contributes knowledge to the emergent field of anti-consumption research by means of a pioneering impression and an integrative understanding of a less explored realm of brand avoidance.

Consume Less and Be Happy? Consume Less to Be Happy! An Introduction to the Special Issue on Anti‐Consumption and Consumer Well‐Being

In the last two decades of the new millennium, we have seen consumer well-being affected in two vastly opposing ways. On one hand, we see an ever-increasing conglomeration of corporations, leading to larger, more ubiquitous, and hegemonic companies--often resulting in a reduction of consumer On the other hand, with the advent of Web 2.0, ever-improving mobile technology, the increasing use and proliferation of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and numerous consumer advocacy and review websites, we see an augmentation of consumers' abilities to fight back, and in many cases, increase their These two diametrically opposing developments (larger and more powerful companies versus increasingly empowered and connected consumers) are in a constant battle, and consumer well-being is the issue at the core. BACKGROUND In this special issue of the Journal of Consumer Affairs, we suggest as one lens by which scholars, practitioners, and policymakers can look at these current and ongoing events. Anti-consumption centers on the reasons against consumption (Chatzidakis and Lee 2012; Lee et al. 2011); relevant topics include, but are not limited to: boycotting, consumer resistance, activism, culture jamming, dissatisfaction, complaining behavior, undesired self, organizational disidentification, voluntary simplification, and brand avoidance. When consumer well-being is negatively impacted by markets, corporations, or brands, may occur as one consequence. Likewise, when instances of occur, researchers should look at the possible causes from the consumers' points of view. To provide a forum for researchers to discuss the relationship between consumer well-being and anti-consumption, the 5th ICAR (International Centre of Anti-Consumption Research) Symposium was hosted by the University of Kiel, Germany, on July 4-5, 2014 with the theme of anti-consumption and consumer well-being. A number of the papers in this special issue were first presented and discussed at this lively and stimulating meeting. It is heartening to see that they were improved by the subsequent double-blind review process and are now published in the Journal of Consumer Affairs, the premier journal devoted to peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary research on the interests of consumers in the marketplace. A CATEGORIZING FRAMEWORK The papers included in this special issue cover a wide spectrum of specific research questions centered on the relationship between and consumer It is apparent that there are several dominant perspectives. While some papers put a special focus on one or many forms of anti-consumption, other papers contrast practices with aspects of excessive consumption, over-consumption, and materialism. With regard to well-being, the second major concept in this special issue, some papers focus on well-being on a micro level (including happiness, life satisfaction, and subjective and objective well-being), others focus on well-being on a macro level (including societal, environmental, and political issues), and others yet focus on both. Therefore, we categorize the papers in this issue according to (anti- vs. over)consumption and (micro vs. macro) well-being (Figure 1). For example, Cherrier's article contrasts the micromotivations of nudists against the macroexcessive consumption of fashion by mainstream society, while Amos et al.'s paper contrasts the macrolevel of environmentalists with the macrolevel motivations for anti-environmentalism. In contrast, Cova and D'Antone's paper explores the tensions that occur when consumers love a brand at the micro level, but due to macrolevel of the same environmentally damaging brand, they begin to hate that brand from their own microperspective. [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] As will become apparent when reading this special issue, there is a multitude of ways in which and well-being can be combined and interrelated. …

Journal of Macromarketing Special Issue

In this introductory editorial we briefly discuss anti-consumption research and society, the focus of this special issue of the Journal of Macromarketing. We then introduce the four peer reviewed articles and two invited commentaries that comprise the special issue, and conclude with future research opportunities.

Anti-Consumption as the Study of Reasons against

Anti-consumption studies are gaining in popularity, but doubt remains as to whether they can add anything unique to consumer research and marketing that other similar topics cannot. This article attempts to explain the distinctive nature of anti-consumption and how it can contribute to the understanding of marketing beyond other related phenomena, such as ethical consumption, environmental consumption, consumer resistance, and symbolic consumption. Drawing upon reasons theory, the article contends that the “reasons against” consumption are not always the logical opposite of the “reasons for” consumption and there are important differences between phenomena of negation and affirmation. By focusing on the reasons against consumption, anti-consumption research acts as a lens that scholars and practitioners may use to view similar phenomena in a new light. The article illustrates this point by offering anti-consumption as an overarching perspective that spans a range of behavioral and thematic contexts, thereby revealing its unique contribution to marketing.

Reasons for non-consideration of brands and the role of prior experience

The recent anti-consumption research reveals that studying the reasons for not choosing a brand is as valuable for understanding consumer behaviour as researching their motivation for choosing brands. Taking a holistic approach (as opposed to focusing on a specific side of anti-consumption), this article explores all claimed reasons for brand non-consideration and quantifies how much each reason contributes to potential customer deficiency. An online survey examined incidences and reasons for non-consideration of 27 brands of chocolate bars by 1068 respondents. The good news for managers is that about two-thirds (57 per cent) of the reasons for non-consideration, by customers who have never experienced the brand, is directly attributable to the brand (as opposed to competition (8 per cent) or consumers themselves (27 per cent). The results demonstrate that most instances, when current category users reject brands from consideration, are within brand managers’ influence. Therefore, actions addressing specific reasons for brand non-consideration might expand a brand's customer base. This article suggests specific marketing activities that could achieve this goal.

Special Issue on Anticonsumption and Society: Journal of Macromarketing, 2013

The 4 International Centre for Anti-Consumption Research (ICAR) symposium will be hosted by Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, on June the 28-29 2012. This symposium has been scheduled to coincide with the International Social Marketing conference (June 29-30 www.aasm.org.au), and precede the Association for Consumer Research conference in Queenstown (July 6-8 www.acrwebsite.org). The theme for ICAR 2012 is:

Purpose and object of anti-consumption

A counter movement of anti-consumption runs from the very beginning of mass-consumption societies. Four distinct types of anti-consumers, simplifiers, global impact consumers, market activists, and anti-loyal consumers, have emerged in recent years. The primary focus of anti-consumption research has been on market activists and anti-loyal consumers. This article focuses on the other two groups (i.e., the simplifiers and global impact consumers). The authors address the need for scale development to measure the general anti-consumption attitudes of these two groups. The goal is to improve the ability to identify anti-consumption attitudes and to gain a better understanding of how anti-consumption relates to other key constructs such as self-consciousness, self-actualization, and assertiveness.