Chapter 10 – Brands
Chapter Summary
This chapter examines how we develop our sense of self and manage our multiple identities in a consumer society. While acknowledging our individuality, sociologists view the self as a fundamentally social creation. Our multiple identities are shaped by our social location (e.g. gender, race), enmeshed in our relationships with others, and managed through everyday interactions. This chapter introduces the sociological tradition of symbolic interactionism and explores key concepts relating to a social sense of self: Cooley’s looking-glass self, Mead’s generalized other, and Goffman’s dramaturgical theory. Then, we examine how the self is configured in consumer culture, where we are encouraged to “brand” ourselves and purchase items that create a coherent lifestyle. While brands can provide a source of collective identity, they also profit from consumers’ free labor in the creation of brand culture. This chapter lays the foundation for future chapters where we look at how specific consumer goods and brands are used to shape our social identities.
Further Reading
Belk, Russell W. 1988. “Possessions and the Extended Self.” Journal of Consumer Research 15(2):139–68.
In this seminal article, Russell Belk explores the idea that our possessions deeply shape our identities, drawing on theories of self and existential thought to explain this intimate bond. He presents evidence—from the grief of losing cherished objects to the symbolism attached to items across cultures—that our material possessions become part of who we are. Throughout life, possessions serve evolving roles: they help us assert control and mastery, foster relationships, and preserve our sense of biographical continuity, especially in the face of aging and mortality. This connection between self and possessions offers valuable insights into consumer behavior, revealing how practices like gift-giving, heirlooms, and collecting shape personal and collective identities.
Discussion questions
- In what ways do possessions extend our sense of self, according to Belk? Can you think of examples from your own life?
- Belk describes various processes by which objects become part of the extended self, such as control, contamination, and association with personal identity. How do each of these processes function to bind possessions to our sense of self?
- To what extent is the “extended self” a product of consumer capitalism? How do different economic and cultural contexts (either historical or present) shape conceptions of self?
- How might Belk’s concept of the extended self apply in the digital realm? In what ways do you think digital possessions extend or challenge traditional ideas of identity and ownership?
Frank, Thomas. 1997. “Advertising as Cultural Criticism: Bill Bernbach versus the Mass Society.” In Conquest of Cool: Business Culture, Counterculture, and the Rise of Hip Consumerism. University of Chicago Press.
This chapter examines the 1960s advertising revolution from a rule-bound, scientific approach to an “anti-establishment,” creative one. This new style of advertising capitalized on growing critiques of consumerism, adopting a self-aware tone that acknowledged public skepticism of traditional advertising. Bill Bernbach and his agency, DDB, pioneered “anti-advertising” by directly addressing public fears of conformity, commercialism, and corporate deception. Iconic ad campaigns, like those for Volkswagen, challenged traditional consumerist messages by emphasizing consumers’ agency to choose, paradoxically turning consumption into an expression of rebellion against consumer society.
Discussion questions
- How did Bill Bernbach and the DDB agency redefine the role of advertising in the 1960s?
- How did the Volkswagen campaign embody DDB’s “anti-advertising,” and what made this style of marketing so successful? How do capitalist systems incorporate critiques of capitalism into marketable products?
- How critical do you think consumers are of advertising and brands today compared to the 1960s? Did “anti-advertising” succeed in defusing critiques of consumer society?
- How might Frank’s argument apply to advertising in the digital age? Do social media and digital brands use consumer skepticism to reinforce consumerism, and if so, how?
Shulman, David. 2022. “Self-presentation: Impression Management in the Digital Age.” Pp. 26-37 in The Routledge International Handbook of Goffman Studies, edited by M. H. Jacobsen and G. Smith. Routledge.
This chapter provides an update to Goffman’s dramaturgical perspective for the digital age. Shulman highlights how new technologies, from social media to augmented reality, alter self-presentation by introducing machine interfaces, commercializing identities, and increasing vulnerability through new surveillance possibilities. He discusses how digital self-presentation creates “fragmented selves” that can be commercially exploited and complicates impression management due to the risks of social media leakage and stigmatization. The chapter concludes by exploring the potential for emerging technologies to further blur the lines between public and private presentations of self.
Discussion questions
- How do digital platforms alter Goffman’s original concept of self-presentation? In what ways do new technologies challenge traditional boundaries between the public and private self?
- In what ways has self-presentation become commercialized in the digital age? How do brands and platforms profit from our online identities?
- How do digital platforms create opportunities for anonymous interactions? What effects might this have on self-presentation?
- How do digital tools such as filters, avatars, and curated profiles alter our self-presentation? Are these digital possessions as important to our identity as material possessions?
Quizzes
Test your knowledge with the Chapter 10 quizzes!
Quiz
Active Learning – Further Online Resources
Consuming Childhood:
Read this 2023 Vox article on parenting and children’s consumer culture, which cites sociologist Allison Pugh (https://www.vox.com/23944882/kids-money-shopping-allowance-parenting-consumer-culture). What concerns does the article raise regarding targeted advertising to children on digital platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram? How might these age-specific ads shape children’s emerging identities – whether positively or negatively? How possible is it for children today to develop a sense of self outside of branded consumer culture?
Sneakerheads:
Take this online quiz to discover which type of “sneakerhead” you are (https://www.aiobot.com/types-of-sneakerheads/). How does this typology relate to the link between consumption and identity? As you read through the various “types” of sneaker collectors, take note of the connections made to other aspects of social location—such as gender, race, and class—whether stated explicitly or implied in the description and/or illustration.
Flashcards
Refresh your knowledge of key terms with this chapter’s flashcards.