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Author(s): Smith, Terry

Title: The marketing of meaning: Towards an understanding of individual meaning

interpretation in consumer behaviour

Date: 9 July 2012

Originally given at: Warringtons Works Research Festival

Example citation: Smith, T. (2012). The marketing of meaning: Towards an

understanding of individual meaning interpretation in consumer behaviour.
Unpublished conference presentation given at Warringtons Works Research
Festival at the University of Chester

Version of item: Given at conference

Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10034/262855

WarringtonsWorks
9thJuly2012
TheMarketingofMeaning:towardsan
understandingofindividualmeaning
interpretationinconsumerbehaviour

TerrySmith
ChesterBusinessSchool

Images of
company
logos

AccordingtoJohnSherry(1998:601),the
biggestsinofbrandmanagementisthe
failuretounderstandthemeaningofthe
brand.

TheMarketingofMeaning
EversinceRolandBarthes(1967),ithas
beenrecognisedthatindividualsarenot
passivereceiversofmeaningbutare
involvedintheprocessofsignification.

TheMeaning of
Consumption
SymbolicMeaning
SelfSymbolism
Constructionof
individualself
identity

SocialSymbolism
Constructionof
socialidentity

TheMeaning of
Consumption

TheConsumption
ofMeaning

MeaningConstruction
Thethreeforcesof
meaning
constructionare:
Representedgroupidentity
Targetedbrandpositioning
Reconciledselfimage

MeaningConstruction

Increasingnumberofphenomenologicaloriented
studiesofconsumerculture[which]resideintheuseof
brandsinsymbolicconsumptionand
individualnegotiatedidentity(Davies&Elliott,2006
p.1108).
Inanonhomogeneous,fragmentedmarketplace,there
isavaluingofconsumptionasa

socialimperativeinindividualidentity
constructionwheretheindividualisaconsumerof
symbolsasmuchasproducts(Ventkatesh,1995,p.3).

McCracken(1988,p.6)claimsthatcultureand

consumptionaremutually
constituted.

MeaningConstruction

interpretiveperspectivesinwhichidentitybuiltthrough

socialconstructionism isarecurringmotif
(Hackley &Kitchen1998,p.232)

Memetics istheimitationofconsumerbehaviour
culturalmaterialpropagatedbyanimitationprocess
(Williams,2002,p.162)

Weemployconsumptionnotonlytocreate

andsustaintheselfbutalsoto
locateusinsocietyWattanusawan (2005,
p.179).

mediaplaysanimportantroleinthe
constructionoftheselfGrodina &Lindoff (1996,p.10)

andconcerningthe
constructionofmeaningButtle (1995,p.23)

sociallymediated

MeaningConstruction:
Antecedents

Symbolicconsumptionisthetendencytofocusonmeanings
beyondthetangible,physicalcharacteristicsofmaterialobjects
Levy(1959).
Everydaybricolage
LviStrauss(1962)
TheoryofReasonedActionFishbein (1963)
Sociallifeisaprocessnotastructurewhichconstantlychanges
inordertocreatemeaningBlumer (1969)
Culturalcategoriesarethefundamentalcoordinatesof
meaning (McCracken,1986)

MeaningConstruction:
Antecedents

Producedandreproducedinwhatpeopledo (Giddens ,1998)

MeansEndChainAnalysis(Hoyer&McInnis,2001)
Socialrepresentationsformthesymbolicfieldswithinwhich
weconstructoursocialidentityDuveen (2001)
Socialidentityistheindividualsselfconceptderivedfrom
perceivedmembershipofsocialgroups(Hogg&Vaughan,
2002)
IdentitySalienceModelofRelationshipMarketing (Arnettet
al,2003)
DIYconsumption(Tadjewski &WagnerTsukamoto,2006)

Explicitlyprojected
marketingmeaning

Socially
constructed
reality
Culturallynegotiated
mediatedmeaning

Gender, class, age,

family references
Cultural references
Ascribed Reference
Groups
Aspirational
Reference Groups
Value systems
Media representation

Representation
ofReference
GroupIdentity

Mediated
transmitted
meaning

Targeted
Brand
Positioning

Existential
consumption
Group paradox
Brands

negotiated
meaning

intended
meaning

Intrinsic attributes
Utilitarian Function
Form / Design
Packaging
Pricing
Distribution
Relationships

Implicitlysymbolic
marketingmeaning

Brand essence
Packaging projection
Word of Mouth
Communications
Semiotics
Celebrity
endorsement

ReconciledSelf
Image

Idiosyncraticfit
betweenGroup
IdentityandSelf

Individualinternalisedmeaning

Domains of the Self

Role theory
Existential personal meaning
Perception
Motivation and internal drives
Sub-conscious

Reconstructed
personaland
brandfit

Image French
lesbian motorcyle
club

Culturallynegotiated
mediatedmeaning

Gender, class, age,

family references
Cultural references
Ascribed Reference
Groups
Aspirational
Reference Groups
Value systems
Media representation

Image
Thin woman v Fat
woman

Representation
ofReference
GroupIdentity

McCrackens(1986)culturallyconstitutedworld
ofmediatedrepresentationsomeadopted
someadapted
identitiesarenolongerbuiltsolelywithin
Reconstructed
family,neighbourhood,schoolandwork[]the
personaland
mediaplaysanimportantroleinthe
brandfit
constructionoftheself(Grodina andLindoff
,1996).
sociallymediatedandconcerningthe
constructionofmeaningButtle (1995,p.300)

Explicitlyprojected
marketingmeaning

Logos of global
brands

Targeted
Brand
Positioning

Implicitlysymbolic
marketingmeaning

`
`

`
`

Semiotics(Baudrillard,1994)
marketingrhetoricshaping
consumptionandexistence(Tonks,
2002)
essentiallyreductionist(Hackley &
Kitchen,1998)
peripheralprocessesnotjust
centralprocessing(Blythe,2002)

Intrinsic attributes
Utilitarian Function
Form / Design
Packaging
Pricing
Distribution
Relationships

Brand essence
Packaging projection
Word of Mouth
Communications
Semiotics
Celebrity
endorsement

Reconstructed
personaland
brandfit

Socially
constructed
reality

`
`

Brandconsumptioncompensates
Mediated
foridentitygaps(Belk,1988)transmitted
Arewesearchingforinformationor
meaning
meaning?(McCracken,1986)

ReconciledSelf
Image

Individualinternalisedmeaning

Domains of the Self

Role theory
Existential personal meaning
Perception
Motivation and internal drives
Sub-conscious

Reconstructed
personaland
brandfit

Explicitlyprojected
marketingmeaning

Socially
constructed
reality

Targeted
Brand
Positioning

Brands
intended
meaning

Implicitlysymbolic
marketingmeaning

ReconciledSelf
Image

Individualinternalisedmeaning

Domains of the Self

Role theory
Existential personal meaning
Perception
Motivation and internal drives
Sub-conscious

Intrinsic attributes
Utilitarian Function
Form / Design
Packaging
Pricing
Distribution
Relationships

Brand essence
Packaging projection
Word of Mouth
Communications
Semiotics
Celebrity
endorsement

Explicitlyprojected
marketingmeaning
Culturallynegotiated
mediatedmeaning

Gender, class, age,

family references
Cultural references
Ascribed Reference
Groups
Aspirational
Reference Groups
Value systems
Media representation

Representation Mediated
Targeted
ofReference transmitted
Brand
meaning
GroupIdentity
Positioning

Intrinsic attributes
Utilitarian Function
Form / Design
Packaging
Pricing
Distribution
Relationships

Implicitlysymbolic
marketingmeaning

Brand essence
Packaging projection
Word of Mouth
Communications
Semiotics
Celebrity
endorsement

Socially
constructed
reality
Culturallynegotiated
mediatedmeaning

Gender, class, age,

family references
Cultural references
Ascribed Reference
Groups
Aspirational
Reference Groups
Value systems
Media representation

Mediated
Representation transmitted
meaning

ofReference
GroupIdentity

Group
negotiated
meaning

Targeted
Brand
Positioning
Targeted
Brand
Positioning

ReconciledSelf
Image

Reconstructed
personaland
brandfit

Explicitlyprojected
marketingmeaning

Socially
constructed
reality
Culturallynegotiated
mediatedmeaning

Gender, class, age,

family references
Cultural references
Ascribed Reference
Groups
Aspirational
Reference Groups
Value systems
Media representation

Representation
ofReference
GroupIdentity

Mediated
transmitted
meaning

Targeted
Brand
Positioning

Existential
consumption
Group paradox
Brands

negotiated
meaning

intended
meaning

Intrinsic attributes
Utilitarian Function
Form / Design
Packaging
Pricing
Distribution
Relationships

Implicitlysymbolic
marketingmeaning

Brand essence
Packaging projection
Word of Mouth
Communications
Semiotics
Celebrity
endorsement

ReconciledSelf
Image

Idiosyncraticfit
betweenGroup
IdentityandSelf

Individualinternalisedmeaning

Domains of the Self

Role theory
Existential personal meaning
Perception
Motivation and internal drives
Sub-conscious

Reconstructed
personaland
brandfit

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