The current research demonstrates that luxury product advertisements containing kitsch lowbrow art are perceived as unique, trendy, and hip and the perceived uniqueness positively influences luxuriousness judgment of the featured products, especially for participants with high narcissism and status seeking tendency.

Digitalisation, increasing global competition, new relational approaches to communication and advertising by new generations of consumers (for example, the New Millennials) together with social issues such as sustainability and authenticity in branding definition, pose important challenges for companies operating in the luxury fashion industry. In facing them, these companies seem to re-elaborate meanings attributed to luxury rethinking their strategies and their interactive approaches to market. The specialized literature, from its part, shows that luxury is no longer only ostentation but it has evolved in something else; on the one hand luxury as a state of mind and mood, and on the other still a sort of heritage and authenticity. These two extremes tend increasingly to contaminate each other and to co-exist one in the other, albeit with different reciprocal influence. The aim of this paper is determine how this co-existence can occur. It involves two opposing aspects of luxury, that of owning and that of being. There are other facets of luxury that may occur between these extremes. Research has shown, in fact, that luxury is also experience, co-creation, sharing and even self-achievement. Rendering luxury status, but at the same time making it an instrument for individual evolution may determine an integration of its various faces paving the way for a re-conceptualization of fashion luxury in communication.

The study builds and tests a framework investigating the determinants of customer engagement with luxury brands on social media platforms.

Streetwear can be thought of as a lifestyle, which in turn is a choice of how one facilitates money and time in the process and pattern of consumption of products. The user’s affinity with like-minded individuals or groupings and how they spend their disposable or available income creates groupings. These similar minded individuals fall into groups or lifestyle segments and their consumption patterns mirror their lifestyle choices. Group identities focus around expressive symbolism, following similar consumption patterns and change over time as the group preferences move onto the next desire or trend (Solomon, 2007).

A new era for luxury brands is emerging, in which the prevailing motivations need to be reexamined. Considering that advertisements are frequently based on the motivations that the luxury brand aims to satisfy, this research sets out to fill this gap in the literature. Through a quasi-experiment, this study examines how a series of personal characteristics affect the relationship between advertised values and Aad, Ab and PI. Preliminary findings are reported and suggestions for further research are presented as well. Indicative implications and limitations are also noted.

The luxury market has become a prevalent global economic sector which is estimated to reach $442 billion by 2025 (Arienti, Levato, Kamel, & Montgolfier, 2018). Sales revenue in the luxury market has grown not only in the US and EU, but also in emerging economies with rapid economic expansion, such as China and India (Shukla, 2010; Tynan, McKechnie, & Chhuon, 2010). Young consumers (i.e., millennials and Gen Z) comprise the fastest growing group of purchasers of luxury goods (D’Arpizio, Levato, Prete, Del Fabbro, & de Montgolfier, 2019). Subsequently, marketers are interested in factors that affect young consumers’ decision-making process in luxury fashion goods consumption. It is a challenge for marketers to appeal to young consumers because abrand or brand name is less important to them than it has been for older generations (Forte, 2019). Country-of-origin (CoO) is relatively important for luxury purchase compared to non-luxury purchase (Godey et al., 2012). In the context of luxury brand consumption, research suggests that attitude functions (social-adjustive, value-expressive, hedonic, and utilitarian) also have an impact on luxury purchase intentions (Schade, Hegner, Horstmann, & Brinkmann, 2016). This study thus investigates significant factors influencing luxury brand purchase among young consumers. Specifically, we draw from “Functional Theories of Attitudes” (Grewal, Mehta, & Kardes, 2004) as a framework to investigate the effects of CoO on consumers’ attitude functions and luxury brand purchase intentions.

While many marketing researchers conceptualize the binary split between luxury and non-luxury consumers, this paper takes the more refined approach of the heterogenization of the luxury consumer segment by exploring the progressive stages of luxury consumer maturity, reflected by diverging luxury consumption behavior. An argument for a progression of maturity is presented here in terms of making purchases of well-known luxury brands (e.g., Louis Vuitton or Prada) versus more obscure luxury brands (e.g., Marni or Ann Demeulemeester). As brands continue to be acquired by conglomerates (e.g. LVMH, Kering Group, Richemont, etc.), a perspective from luxury holding companies was a logical starting point. In each holding company’s portfolio, brands represent different positions, with the well-known brands occupying the flagship positions within the conglomerate. These brands capitalize on overt usage of branding and logo (which we term as Stage 1 brands). More obscure companies within the major conglomerates or independent fashion houses tend to rely less on branding and have a greater focus on savoir faire and technical applications of material and cut, requiring a higher degree of fashion knowledge (termed here as Stage 3 brands). Stage 2 brands represent the cohort of fashion houses that exist as non-flagship brands within the context of a larger conglomerate. To categorize each participant based on their shopping patterns, we calculate a metric termed here as a “maturity ratio” that falls between 1 and 3 and is used to assign each consumer to a stage. Therefore, we put forth the following hypotheses: Fashion knowledge is the mediating variable that drives progression of consumer maturity. That is, the higher a consumer’s knowledge about fashion, the more mature and discriminating the consumer’s tastes and shopping patterns will be [H1]. Materialism works to encourage consumers to learn more about fashion and therefore have higher fashion knowledge [H2]. A high consumer need-for-uniqueness (CNFU) will lead consumers to learn more about fashion in order to discover ways to stand out from the norm [H3]. Consumers who are self-conscious will have high fashion knowledge due to the pressures of social anxiety to have a socially acceptable outward appearance [H4].

In this study, we theorize that the way consumers communicate on social media (“liking”2 vs. posting) leads to consequential preferences for luxury products. Specifically, for light users, who spend less than one hour on social media, “liking” (vs. posting) strengthens (vs. weakens) preference for social value-framed luxury products (i.e., creates a good impression to others) compared to functional value-framed products (i.e., superior quality). This contrasts with heavy users, who spend more than two hours on social media, where posting (vs. “liking”) strengthens (vs. weakens) preference for social value-framed luxury products compared to functional value-framed products. Thus, the relationship between social media interaction (“liking” vs. posting) and preference for luxury products is conditionally mediated by communication expectation with others. Both the direct effect and indirect effect are moderated by the time spent on social media and luxury value type.

The implications of brand hypocrisy for corporate social responsibility (CSR) at the brand level of analysis remain largely unexplored. Drawing on attribution theory and the sense making perspective of CSR, this paper aims to develop a conceptual framework that highlights the negative effects of advertising skepticism on brand distance, as mediated by perceptions of brand hypocrisy. Furthermore, the study seeks to examine whether a brand’s commitment toward sustainability, consumers’ desire for exclusivity and brand trust have any impact on perceived brand hypocrisy and distance. As the effect of CSR skepticism and brand hypocrisy bears heavily on consumers’ attitudes and behaviour, this paper draws from several socio-psychological theories to identify how it can be pre-emptively abated. Findings will enrich the understanding of negative consumer inferences related to brands and provide a conceptualization of an understudied but increasingly relevant form of brand judgment.

The humor appeal is extensively used in advertising, but its impact is not clearly understood in the context of luxury brand advertising. This research therefore examines the role humor appeal in luxury advertising plays in customers’ evaluation of the brand, advertisement, and purchase behaviors toward the firm. Specifically, this study proposes that the use of a humor appeal in luxury advertising has a favorable influence on perceived luxuriousness of the brand, attitude toward the advertisement, and purchase intention through coolness perception of the luxury brand. Furthermore, this study explores the moderating roles of brand positioning appeal (top-dog vs. underdog) and desire for distinction. This study is one of the few to examine the influence of humor appeal in luxury brand advertising, providing evidence for the applicability of humor appeal in luxury advertising. The study findings will help luxury brand managers make informed decisions about when and how to use humor in advertising to achieve desirable advertising outcomes.

This research examines the relationships among consumption values, affective responses, and patronage intention for luxury brands. The study found that the consumption values positively influenced the consumer engagement and the flow, which in turn had a significant impact on the patronage intention, respectively. The affective responses exercised an important role as mediating variables.

Luxury companies are striving to improve their communication with customers while paying attention to online promotion and marketing activities. As companies interact with customers in luxury brand communities via various channels, they yield consumers higher value throughout the effective consumption process. In addition, this connection enhances customers’ understanding of the company, making it easier for companies to acquire empathy from customers. This study aims to analyze the value factors that affect luxury brand community members’ purchase intention and brand attitude. This study utilizes online survey results of four hundred prestige brand community users in China. The results reveal the positive effects of customer engagement on customer psychological empowerment and flow, the positive impacts of customer psychological empowerment and flow on community identity and brand attachment, the positive effects of community identity on purchase intentions, and the positive effects of brand attachment on purchase intentions and brand attitude. Furthermore, the results show that community types and fashion involvement partially moderate customer engagement. This study provides theoretical suggestions for relationship marketing in the luxury brand community environment. Last, this study presents practical implications that companies could utilize to create an emotional connection with their community members, resulting in an increase of customer support.

What is purchase motivation for luxury brands? and what kind of process through makes higher cult intention(i.e.,loyalty). How does consumption value affect loyalty? Theoretically, it was studied whether it could be explained. The luxury products and services were divided into categories and surveys were conducted at the national level. This research analyzed the influence of positive affect on cult intention by mediating luxury consumption value with S-O-R frame. The logic was developed with excitation transfer theory. Positive affect, compatibility mediating effect were investigated. Unlike the previous studies that have been recognized as important in terms of symbolic value in luxury brands, it was confirmed that experiential consumption value had the greatest impact. In addition, the influence of functional value and symbolic value had a significant effect. The effect of consumption value on cult intention was mediated by positive affect and compatibility. Therefore, emotional response can be seen as having an effect on cult intention through excitement transfer. These findings suggest that luxury brand marketers need to develop consumer values that can lead to arousal and positive emotional responses to suit consumer lifestyle. The research results are expected to contribute to the experience marketing and the hospitality service of luxury brands.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the attributes of consumers global luxury fashion brands and to find the impact of consumer value, meaning the social and pleasure values derived from brands on product purchase involvement. The method in this study was analysis of a total of 298 responses to a questionnaire. The results indicate, first of all, that among the attribute evaluations of global luxury brands, traditionality and splurge affect purchasing involvement. However, prestige and originality were found to have no influence on purchasing involvement. Second, the responses to the questionnaire indicate that social and pleasure values had a statistically significant effect on purchase of luxury brands. Third, the value of cross-group attributes evaluation and consumption value to differences in purchase involvement has had statistically significant results. In conclusion, the traditional and Splurge natures of the luxury global fashion industry’s brand, social consumption value and pleasure consumption value affect the level of purchase involvement. This underscores the importance of attribute Evaluation(traditional and splurge) and consumption value(social and pleasure) when planning consumer marketing strategies for global luxury fashion brands in the future.

중국 소비자들의 소비영향력이 커지고 있음에도 불구하고 라이프스타일과 명품소비에 관한 연구는 매우 부족 한 실정이다. 본 논문은 중국의 소비 주체인 여성 소비자 중에서 특히 명품소비의 새로운 계층으로 등장한 20대 젊은 여성 소비자 321명에 대해 설문조사를 실시하였으며 그들의 라이프스타일을 분석하고 명품소비행동을 연구하였다. 연구 결과에 따르면 20대 중국 여성 소비자들의 라이프스타일(의생활, 식생활, 주생활, 소비생활, 여가생활, 가치관)을 분류한 결과 전통적 보수형, 계획적 성공추구형, 비계획적 소비추구형 3가지 라이프스타일로 분류되었다. 전통적 보수형은 소득수준이 낮고 모든 요인들에 있어서 보수적이고 소극적 태도를 보였며, 계획적 성공추구형은 여성의 사회진출 증가로 인해 사회적 성공을 추구하면서 계획적으로 생활하는 집단이며, 비계획적 소비추구형은 쇼핑을 즐기며 지출을 많이 하는 특성을 보여주었다. 구입한 명품 브랜드의 종류, 연간 명품 구매 수량, 연간 명품 구매 금액 및 명품 구매 이유는 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 있었으나 명품 품목, 명품 구매 장소와 정보원은 유의한 차이가 없었다. 최근 중고명품 시장이 크게 증가하고 있어 새 명품과 중고 명품에 대한 태도와 행동을 비 교한 결과 새 명품의 구매의도와 추천의도가 중고 명품에 비해 더 높은 것으로 나타났다. 본 논문은 중국 소비자들에 대한 체계적 연구의 틀과 방법 및 유용한 자료를 제공함으로써 중국 소비자 행동 연구와 라이프스타일 연구, 명품 소비 연구의 학문적 발전에 기여할 수 있는 것으로 기대된다. 또한 명품 브랜 드들이 20대 중국 여성들을 위한 마케팅 전략을 수립하는 데 있어 실무적인 시사점도 제공할 수 있는 것으로 기대된다.