Based on the collaborative and social characteristics, social networking services (SNSs) are growing platforms for consumer-to-consumer conversation including electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). eWOM is defined as ‘any positive or negative statement made by potential, actual, or former customers about a product or company, which is made available to a multitude of people and institutions via the Internet’ (Hennig-Thurau, Gwinner, Walsh, & Gremler, 2004, p.39). Despite its academic and managerial significance, several preliminary studies have examined what determines effective eWOM in SNSs (e.g., Chu & Kim, 2011; Teng, Khong, Goh, & Chong, 2014). Extending these attempts, we empirically investigate what influences consumers’ evaluation of eWOM, especially on Facebook. We suggest a new perspective of focusing on the psychological stream of social identity (Tajel & Turner, 1986) which is a distinctive factor explicit on Facebook. Unlike conventional eWOM platforms like bulletin boards and online communities where the user information is limited due to anonymity or presented in restricted manner (e.g., reputation from ratings by other members) (Dou, Walden, Lee, & Lee, 2012), Facebook provides profile information about users including one’s social group membership (e.g., school, company). This implies that the perception of social identity on Facebook may influence how one evaluates the source and his/her eWOM message.

There has been an increasing trend of using code-switching to enhance ad persuasion among local and global brands. Ads that include two or more languages are referred to as code-switched ads (Luna and Peracchio 2005a; 2005b). It is noted that previous studies investigating code-switched ad effectiveness have focused on bilinguals, not monolinguals. Due to the emerging use of code-switching in ads in monolingual markets, more research efforts are required to understand its effectiveness and boundaries among the monolinguals. The purpose of this study is to investigate the moderating role of consumer local-global identity in the effectiveness of code-switched ads among monolinguals. Two experiments were conducted and the results confirmed our hypothesis that consumer local-global identity moderates the effect of code-switched ads. The results indicated that congruence between consumer local-global identity and code-switching enhanced persuasiveness. In addition, the mediating effect of ad involvement was identified. These findings provide managerial implications for marketers.

Luxury watch manufacturers open boutiques around the globe. A branded boutique is a promise to customers and much of the responsibility of keeping it weighs on frontline employees. However, not much is known about the “moments of truth” in monobrand boutiques. This study explores the “front reality” of sales staff and besides a theoretical and a managerial contribution provides a critical reflection of the methodological approach.

The overarching aim of this paper is to show how a marketing perspective, together with an analysis of dressing and clothes on groups in our society, can help to explain such tangible issues as the recidivism sequence for criminals, this being an important factor for the crime rate in western countries. The problem is visualized in two ways: firstly though statistics from The Swedish Crime Survey, 2015, and secondly by in-depth description of systems of dressing and deporting of oneself—one’s demeanor—complemented with interviews with criminals showing how the identity is drifting into the form of authenticity, which is elaborated as a marketing communication problem in this paper. The analysis is based on a marketing communication perspective in conjunction with individual and group authenticity issues. In sum, it is about the individual recidivism in getting the authenticity of criminality. This means that the identity is visibly anchoring itself in the form of a criminal authenticity. The study boils down to a statement, which can be coined “The longer a person is in prison, the greater the probability of recidivism into criminal activity for that same person.” The conclusion is that we cannot-paradoxically, as it may seem-cure the recidivism problem in the world of criminals since one cannot change an authenticity-authentic identity-well anchored through personal outfits, thus communicating to the society at large. Finally, we provide reasons why the correctional institutions still have great difficulties to bring down the criminal recidivism rate.

목 적: 안경광학과 전공학생들의 진로정체감이 전공만족에 미치는 영향을 알아보고자 한다. 방 법: 광주·전남 소재 안경광학과 전공학생 173명을 대상으로 설문조사를 실시하였으며, 수집된 자료 는 IBM SPSS Statistics 22를 이용하여 빈도분석, 기술통계량, 신뢰도분석, 요인분석, 다중회귀분석을 실시 하였다. 결 과: 안경광학과를 선택한 동기는 직업에 대한 전망이 65명(37.6%)으로 가장 많은 수를 나타냈으며, 진로상담 희망자로 지도교수가 76명(43.9%)으로 지도교수에 대한 의존도가 높은 것으로 분석되었다. 전공 진로정체감(β=.490, p<0.01)과 직업 진로정체감(β=.225, p<0.05), 자아 진로정체감(β=.175, p<0.05)의 모든 요인은 학과전망 만족에 유의한 결과로 나타났다. 전공 진로정체감(β=.233, p<0.05)과 직업 진로정체 감(β=.180, p<0.1), 자아 진로정체감(β=.452, p<0.01)의 모든 요인은 학과교육 만족에 유의한 영향을 미 쳤다. 직업 진로정체감(β=.259, p<0.05)이 학과생활 만족에 유의한 결과가 나타났고, 전공 진로정체감과 자아 진로정체감은 학과생활 만족에 영향을 미치지 않았다. 결 론: 전공, 직업 및 자아 진로정체감이 높을수록 학과전망과 학과교육에 대한 만족도가 높아졌고, 직업 진로정체감이 높을수록 학과생활에 만족을 느끼는 것으로 사료된다.

이 연구는 100여 년 전에 일본으로 유입되어 정착하고 있는 화교·화인의 민족정체성을 분 석하기 위해 요코하마와 고베 차이나타운을 중심으로 설문조사와 심층면접을 진행하였다. 연 구결과 화교·화인은 능통하게 중국어를 구사하고 있으며, 일상생활에서도 중국어를 빈도 높 게 사용하고 있다. 그들은 춘절, 중추절 등 전통명절을 여전히 유지하고 있으며, 민족공동체 에 강한 소속감을 표출하고 있다. 다시 말해, 일본 화교·화인은 현지사회에 완전히 동화된 것 이 아니라, 그들만의 민족정체성을 유지하고 있다. 화교·화인의 이러한 민족정체성은 민족공 동체 내부의 노력과 의지에 의해 조성되었다. 그들은 화교학교를 설립해 민족교육을 강화하 였으며, 차이나타운에서 축제문화를 형성함으로써 민족정체성을 고양시켰다. 또한 화교협회를 비롯한 단체를 운영함으로써 정보를 공유하고 유대를 강화하고 있다. 이렇듯 화교·화인은 민 족교육, 문화축제, 화교단체를 중심으로 그들만의 민족공동체를 형성하고, 정체성을 확립시키 고 있다.

한필 다문화가정 자녀들은 자신들을 한국인으로 강하게 동일시한 다. 강력한 동화정책의 영향으로 어머니의 출신문화에 대해서는 전연 무시한 채 자신이 한국인이라고 생각한다. 하지만 이런 단일민족적 사회화 과정은 많은 문제점을 내포하고 있다. 첫째, 그것은 자신들의 배경으로 작용하는 문화적 전승들을 충분히 반영하지 못한다. 한국인으 로만 동일시하는 것은 자신의 전체를 반영하지 못한 채 반쪽만 반영하는 것이다. 그런 동일시는 어머니에 대한 죄책감과 불충의 감정으로 이어 질 수 있다. 둘째, 한필 다문화가정 자녀들이 자신들을 한국인으로 동일시하지만, 한국사회는 그것을 그대로 수용하지 않고 왜곡적인 시선으로 바라본다는 점이다. 자칫 그들의 전 생애가 한국사회에서 주변인으로 영구적으로 고착된 채 전개될 위험이 크다. 연구자는 대안적으로 이중문화 정체성을 개발하고 수립할 것을 제시한다. 그것은 우선적으로 자신들의 내면세계를 정확히 반영하는 것이기에 건강한 정체성 수립으로 이어지게 된다. 그것은 정확한 자기 이해에 토대하고 있기 때문에 주변의 왜곡된 시선과 인식에도 흔들림 없이 자신의 삶을 펼쳐 나가는 바탕을 제공한다. 이런 이중문화정체성의 수립을 위해서는 그간에 억압되고 무시된 필리핀인 정체성과 필리핀 문화정체성을 적극적으로 개발하고 끄집어 낼 필요가 있다. 그런 목적을 갖고 연구자는 2013년부터 매년 1회씩 3회에 걸쳐서 모국방문 프로그램을 수행하였다. 이 프로그램을 통해서 한필 다문화가정 자녀들은 필리핀 문화를 직접 체험하면서 자신의 또 다른 문화적 뿌리에 대한 이해를 강화해 나갈 수 있었다. 뿐만 아니라 그들은 자신 속에 내재된 필리핀 문화에 대해서 새로운 자각의 기회도 가질 수 있었다. 3회의 캠프와 캠프를 전후한 사전, 사후 프로그 램은 자녀들에게 필리핀 사회와 문화에 대한 긍정적인 태도와 필리핀어 학습에 대한 강한 동기를 부여하였다. 체계적인 모국방문 프로그램은 한필 다문화가정 자녀들의 정체성을 현재의 단일문화적인 것에서 이중 문화적인 것으로 변화시키는 데 크게 기여하였다. 이런 프로그램은 향후 지속적으로 수행되어야 하며, 다른 국제결혼가정 자녀들을 대상으 로 확대될 필요가 있다. 그러할 때 국제결혼가정 자녀들이 보다 건강한 정체성을 갖고 성장하게 될 것이고, 글로벌화하는 국제환경 속에서 보다 유능한 인재들로 자라나게 될 것이다.

This paper examines aspects of the acceptance and identity of Hanja (Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation) in the Korean society, and analyzes the literal and social mechanism employed for continued acceptance by the Korean public. The analysis illuminates insight into the social status and recognition of Hanja in the Korean society. In the ancient Korean society, Hanja was identified as a textual existence dominating the thoughts of the intellectuals and reproducing knowledge. Though its stature and status of the past are no longer present, Hanja still retains a remnant of their past stature in the contemporary Korean culture. In Korea’s popular culture, Hanja is used in various kinds of notices, signs, trademarks, and advertisements. In the consumer market, in particular, Hanja represents the Oriental sentiments and beauty and traditional authority, surpassing the realm of the text beyond borders of the elegant (􆘆) or the folksy (􁼘) to the level of an iconic entity of knowledge, whose symbolic images are used as marketing strategies in the consumer market.

This study explores the notion of ‘good language teacher’ (GLT) identity in the context of English education in South Korea. While other studies have investigated parents’ and general public preferences for and associations of good language teacher identity with ‘native-speaking’ teachers of English, little research has examined the views of young learners as to what constitutes a GLT. In this study, a survey tool was used to collect student images and descriptions of imagined, good English teachers. A total of 577 young Korean students (K-6th grade) provided their own images and descriptions of good English teachers, both in English and Korean. The findings indicate that student perceptions of GLT identity strongly reflects their immediate learning experience. Contrary to previous studies showing preference for teachers according to ‘native speaker’ or other markers (e.g., race, gender), the study demonstrated no strong preference for native speaking teachers. Instead, factors such as personality were emphasized. This study provides implications for recruiting and hiring practices for English teachers.

With the development of economic globalization and political multi-polarization, the regional economic integration has become a great trend. Developing slowly of regional cooperation in northeast Asia reflects the great differences of culture identity. While the economic integration is developing vigorously worldwide, the northeast Asia falls behind. This situation not only means the economic interests contradictions of the regional countries, but also means that there is not a cultural identity in this area. If we want to prompt the region integration process we should strengthen the construction of the regional cultural identity. This paper analyzes the reasons of lacking of cultural identity in northeast Asia and point out the advantages and disadvantages of conutrcting northeast Asian cultural identity.

This paper aims to investigate how player's identity is built by analyzing post-apocalyptic games. The post-apocalyptic game is the game which is set in a virtual world after catastrophe. This study analyzes the settings, characters, and a narrative structure of the post-apocalyptic games. As the result, post-apocalyptic games establish the existential identity of the player. The post-apocalyptic game is a kind of realism text which precisely reflect real world, and the player could find out his identity in games as a Homo sacer which is the mixture that consists of a non-hero persona in the game and a safe person in reality. Post-apocalyptic games can be alternative media which help the player experience existential discourse in real world in 21st century.

This paper analyzes the current intellectual discourse on Jeju identity and its implications on the position of Jeju women. Debates on Jeju identity may be grouped roughly into three schools. Each of these schools has quite different implications for Jeju women’s position, implicitly or explicitly argued by each school. When the influence of China and Neo-Confucianism is emphasized in defining Jeju identity, women’s position is necessarily subordinate to that of men. When the culture of Jeju is presented as a culture of “compromise” between Jeju reality and Neo-Confucianism, the women’s position is inevitably raised and strengthened, since Jeju women, especially women divers, are at the forefront of coping with the harsh nature of the island along with men. Such a society cannot survive without women or men. When Jeju identity is presented as a “women centredness”, again women’s position is raised or the main axis (or the essence) of the island society is presented as women. The author proposes to take these debates one step further by synthesizing them and substantiating some crucial gaps in them, through fieldwork planned.

This study investigated the differences between gender for effectiveness of career competencies training and integrative life planning on career aspirations, self-identity and congruity between the real and ideal self of adolescents in Lokoja, Nigeria. The sample consisted of 227 adolescents who scored low on Ego-identity scales and were found exhibiting low self-identity, which affected their career aspirations. They were made up of 114 males and 113 females. Quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test and control group design was used with the sample, which was randomly assigned to three groups. Career Competencies Training (CCT), Integrative Life Planning (ILP) and the control. A Self-Identity Questionnaire (SIQ), Congruity Questionnaire (CQ) and Career Aspiration Questionnaire (CAQ) were administered to the three groups before and after the experimental programmes. CCT and ILP groups were the training groups while the control was the waiting group. The statistical tools used were Means, Standard Deviation and ANCOVA. A null hypothesis was formulated to guide the study and was tested at 0.05 level of significance. There is no significant difference in the post-test scores on the self-identity, career aspiration, and congruity of real and ideal self of adolescents exposed to career competencies training, integrative life planning and the control group due to gender. The use of both training is therefore recommended. Parents should be encouraged to take cognizance of the congruity between the real self and the ideal self of their adolescents so that they can be properly guided on their career aspirations.

Looking for the identity of Korean Calligraphy is quite important but not easy work also hard to define what it is in a sentence. However, it is needed to find out what is identity of it. The reason why it is hard to find out is that Korean have basic identity but the identity of Calligraphy has been different by centuries. It can be largely divided into three reasons. Firstly, the period from three Kingdoms to the beginning of Goryeo, Secondly, the period between the end of Goryeo and the middle of Joseon, this is the time when the doctrines of Chu-tzu was dominated to the society. Thirdly, the end of Josen is the period when scholars of the Realist School of Confucianism were appeared. In this periods, Buddhism was flourished but Buddhist insisted the intercommunication of three religions named Confucianism, Buddhism and Immortal Taoism. The ancient tasteful ideas was called Geupbaek(皀帛) scholar in Koguryo, Hwarang(花郞) scholar in Shilla and Taoist in Goryeo that could be unique. This intercommunication of three religions was expressed as scholar or Taoist by the people named Choi Chiwon, Lim Chun, Lee Gyubo and etc. They could have different the period of their lifetime or ages, but have the similarity of the selection of words through their articles. Thus, it could be known that the identity of calligrapy was considered by the articles about calligraphy or poems of these three people mentioned formerly. From this research, the identity of calligraphy from late Shilla to early Goryeo was influenced by the intercommunication of three religions based on tasteful ideas followed by Hwarang sprit and the scholar thought. And, it is summarized that the identity of calligraphy is Taoist ideology because this scholar thought could be concluded to Taoist ideology through the directivity of great writing and conduct.

서예의 경우 남아있는 자료로 한국서예정체성을 규명하고자 한다면 두가지 측면이 있을 수 있다. 하나는 주로 비학 혹은 금석문 서예에 보이는 부정형성, 무작위성을 들 수 있다. 이런 점은 한국미 특질로 말해지는 자연미와 상당히 유사한 점이 있 는데, 이런 분석이 帖學의 측면에서 제대로 밝혀지지 않은 것 은 여전히 한계다. 다른 하나는 왕희지 추존에 담긴 유가 중화 미학 틀에서 논의되는 한국서예정체성에 대한 규명이다. 한국 서예역사에서 왕희지 추존 현상은 강하게 나타났지만, 한국최 대의 서예가로 평가받는 金生에 대해 다양한 평가가 존재한다. 이처럼 한 작가를 평가할 때 이해하는 관점에 따라 다양한 이 해가 가능하다. 이에 왕희지 중심주의와 중화미학의 틀에서 한 국서예정체성을 규명할 때는 한국서예가들이 중국서예가들과 어떤 차별상을 보였는가에 대한 정치한 분석을 통해 ‘古雅한 예술 측면으로서의 한국서예미의 특질과 정체성’을 밝힐 필요 가 있다. 구체적으로 말하면 왕희지 서예와 같으면서도 ‘다른 점’이 무엇인가를 밝힐 필요가 있다. 그 ‘다른 점’에 한국인의 심성과 미의식이 담겨 있기 때문이다. 특히 ‘偏’에 담긴 서예를 예술에서의 기교의 공졸 혹은 美의 우열이란 점을 기준으로 하 여 평가하는 방식에서 벗어나서 천진스러움과 天機를 담아낸 서체, 즉 자신의 감성을 어떤 서체를 통해 자유롭게 표현했는 가 하는 점을 심도있게 분석할 필요가 있다. 이제 서예에서의 문화사대주의인 왕희지 중심주의에서 벗어나 오늘날 ‘우리들의 눈’으로 과거 한국의 위대한 서예가들에 대한 다양한 평가를 통해 한국서예정체성을 논할 필요가 있다.

목 적: 안경광학과 재학생들의 진로정체감, 전공만족도, 대학생활적응과 자아존중감이 학업성취도에 미 치는 영향을 알아보고자 한다. 방 법: D대학교 안경광학과 재학생 108명을 대상으로 설문조사를 실시하였으며, 학업성취도는 대학 입 학 후 2015학년도 1학기까지의 평균평점을 사용하였다. 수집된 자료는 IBM SPSS Statistics 22를 이용하여 신뢰도분석, 요인분석, 빈도분석, 기술통계량, t-검정과 분산분석, 다중회귀분석을 실시하였다. 결 과: 진로정체감, 전공만족도, 대학생활적응, 자아존중감과 학업성취도 간에는 모두 유의한 정적인 상 관관계를 보였고, 학업성취도와 가장 상관관계가 높은 것은 대학생활적응(ｒ=.320)이었다. 학업성취도에 영향을 미치는 요인은 진로정체감의 요인 중 흥미와 재능(β=.356, ｐ=.012)이었고, 전공만족도는 교과만족을 제외한 모든 변인이 유의미했으며, 대학생활적응 요인 중에서는 학업적응(β=.367, ｐ=.032)만이 유의한 영향을 미쳤고, 자아존중감의 하위요인 중 학업성취도에 영향을 미치는 요인은 자기존중(β=.292, ｐ=.047)이었다. 유의미한 변수들을 동시에 투입하여 학업성취도에 영향을 미치는 요인은 일반적인 전공만족도(β =.465, ｐ=.002)와 전공에 대한 인식만족도(β=-.415, ｐ=.003)가 유의한 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 결 론: 안경광학과 재학생의 학업성적을 높이기 위해서는 대학생활적응과 전공만족도 증진에 필요한 안 경광학과 특성에 맞는 구체적인 프로그램이 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

본 연구는 요양보호사의 직업적 정체성과 서비스 질 간의 인과관계와 두 변인 사이에서 직무만족의 매개효과를 살펴봄으로써 직업적 정체성, 직무만족의 강화를 통해 서비스 질을 높일 수 있는 방안을 강구 하는데 그 목적이 있다. 이를 위해 경북지역 230명의 요양보호사를 대상으로 설문조사를 하였으며 조사결 과를 바탕으로 직업적 정체성과 직무만족과 서비스 질과의 관계를 살펴본 결과 직업적 정체성과 직무만 족은 정(+)적 상관관계를 나타났으며, 서비스 질과도 정(+)적 상관관계가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 또한, 요양보호사의 직업적 정체성이 직무만족과 서비스 질에 직접적인 영향을 주었으며 직무만족은 직업적 정체 성과 서비스 질에 매개효과가 있음이 통계적으로 확인되었다. 이를 바탕으로 요양보호사의 직업적 정체 성과 직무만족 강화를 통해 서비스 질을 높일 수 있는 개선방안으로 조직문화의 개선으로 조직의 개방성 과 유연성, 신뢰성의 문화가 보다 확산되어야 하며 직원 행복 프로그램 실시 및 전문성 향상과 역량강화 를 위한 직무교육 강화를 제언하였다.

The Salvatore Ferragamo Company, founded in 1938 by Salvatore Ferragamo in Florence, is very well known for creation and production of ladies shoes but has a leading role in the whole international luxury market. The company history is ancient and started before 1927, when Salvatore Ferragamo, leaving California, came back to Italy and got to Florence. At that time, Salvatore Ferragamo was already famous in the United States for having created the craftmade footwear for the American actresses. Called ‘The shoemaker of the stars’, Salvatore Ferragamo, very well known at that time, decided to come back to Italy to live and work in Florence , because of its great artistic and handicraft tradition. Since the beginning, the founder was significantly inspired in his work by the local culture. Palazzo Spini-Feroni, which is the company headquarters, is also a symbol of the city history and of the Italian traditional lifestyle. Since the founder’s death in 1960, Salvatore Ferragamo’s wife, Wanda Miletti Ferragamo, and their six children, headed the company. They have extended the Company business getting to complete collections lines either for men and women from “head to toe”, enhancing the distribution in more than 90 countries. The Company is nowadays one of the most important luxury group in the world, resulting from a perfect combination of tradition and innovation, of territorial anchorage and global projection, of handmade craftsmanship and ability to communicate and market-making, of technology and entrepreneurship. The values the founder believed in and the Company heritage, testified by the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo activities, further of being very important at intellectual and social level for Italian culture, represent an important asset of the brand identity. This is the ground on which it has worth to establish the brand’s challenges since the past and it is possible going onwards. This is a perfect example of a “Renaissance” case in fashion and marketing field.

New professions, highly specialized in web communication, have therefore emerged lately, such as: blogger, copywriter, social media manager, especially in the fashion industry, where every detail is meaningful and consequently every word inevitably matters. The aim of this paper is to investigate the strategies used by luxury fashion brands on social media to construe their brand identity and build up global awareness. The empirical study presented is based on the analysis of a corpus of posts retrieved from internationally renowned luxury fashion brands’ Facebook fan pages selected according to an official global top list of luxury brands. Social networks are nowadays one of the most efficient tools to make a brand globally successful and luxury fashion brands owe their popularity to them, although at the beginning they were suspicious towards those media of communication (Okonkwo, 2010: 4). This was due to the fact that mass media, by definition, are characterized by features like wide accessibility and volatility that do not match with the peculiar exclusive, unique and timeless nature of luxury goods (Okonkwo, 2010: xviii). The following table (Table 1) compares luxury features with the Internet ones in order to show that they are two opposite worlds that do not share none of their characteristics. The presence of luxury online is then a paradox itself, this is due to the fact that the features attributed to luxury that can be summarized into the word “exclusiveness” do not match with the main characteristics of Internet that is a “mass” medium of communication where the main idea is that one formula fits all. The clear contrast between the features attributed to luxury and Internet is evident in the oppositions reported: for instance we have “niche clientele” versus “mass availability” to emphasize that luxury itself cannot satisfy everyone’s desire if it aims to maintain its status and in any case it is not a short time process (Rambourg, 2014); then “exclusivity” versus “mass accessibility” is to highlight the fact that luxury cannot be accessible to everyone; and the extremely relevant difference between luxury products that must or at least give the idea to be “made-to-measure” versus the “one-formula-fits-all approach” and “mass appeal”, typical of the mass media of communication, that distinguishes the use of Internet, where what you share is designed to be widely accessible from luxury that represents uniqueness and exclusiveness. The study conducted will try to identify if luxury brands have overcome this channel conflict and later investigate their performances on social media particularly focusing on the construction of the content. The analysis of the data will be run by taking into consideration marketing literature review, and the use of theoretical frameworks based on genre analysis, corpus linguistics and discourse analysis. Furthermore the analysis will be done with the support of statistical linguistic softwares Wordsmith and Wmatrix, and it will show how luxury fashion brands shape brand identity online through words. The results will offer an overview on the construction of content particularly used to rely on storytelling, heritage marketing, and “glocalization” strategies. Moreover, interesting insights will draw the attention to the specific strategies used to target different markets (Hollensen, 2007: 220-221) while taking into consideration the cultural differences and at the same time emphasizing the features directly connected to the “Made in” identity of the brand. A further section will focus on the interplay between different semiotic systems employed to construe the brand identity online, and on some examples of strategies specifically designed for emerging markets and created through transmedia communication (Jenkins, 2006). The evidence gathered, which also sheds light on the use of pronouns and verbs to stimulate the users’ engagement in brands’ life and in the production of the content, can provide interesting insights into web communication. Further interdisciplinary researches combining different approaches will develop significant strategies particularly interesting for the training of new professional profiles involved in the design of marketing strategies.

Theoretically, the meanings attached to luxury brands have been thought to be integrated in consumers’ identities, yet this possibility has not yet been explicitly investigated. This paper describes the development of a 23-item instrument for assessing the enrichment of an individual's personal identity through their identity as a luxury consumer. An exploratory factor analysis on data from a survey using this instrument indicates the existence of five factors (unburdening, pleasure, impressiveness, sensation and connectedness). The scale has a variety of potential applications and can serve as a framework for further empirical research.