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INTEREST CATEGORY: SECTORS
POSTING TYPE: Revisits

Author: Kyung Hoon Kim

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International Journal of Advertising

Conspicuous and Inconspicuous Consumption of Luxury Goods in a Digital World: Implications for Advertisers

GUEST EDITORS:

Aniruddha Pangarkar, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, USA
Paurav Shukla, University of Southampton, UK
Eunju Ko, Yonsei University, Republic of Korea

Extended Deadline of Extended Abstract Submission: September 6, 2021

Full Paper Submission Deadline: December 6, 2021

The 2021 Global Fashion Management Conference (GFMC) at Seoul/ 2021 KSMS International Conference () will be held virtually November 5-7, 2021. The theme of this year’s conference is “Fashion, Design & Marketing Management in the Digital Environment.” We warmly welcome submissions for consideration for the “Conspicuous and Inconspicuous Consumption of Luxury Goods in a Digital World: Implications for Advertisers” track of the 2021 GFMC at Seoul/ 2021 KSMS International Conference and for a special issue of International Journal of Advertising on the same subject (SSCI, Impact Factor 2019: 3.606).

We are soliciting manuscripts for an upcoming special issue of the International Journal of Advertising (IJA) dedicated to digital luxury and advertising. This special issue addresses broad questions regarding digital luxury from an advertising perspective, especially in the wake of uncertain economic conditions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and a need for luxury marketers to implement digital strategies with an objective of increasing sales and engaging consumers more effectively. During the last two decades, the global consumption of luxury fashion goods has increased significantly due to higher disposable incomes, increases in standard of living, and heightened global exposure, along with consumer desires to engage in conspicuous consumption, and signal elite status to others in their network (Amatulli, De Angelis, and Donato 2020; Ko, Costello and Taylor 2019; Shukla and Rosendo-Rios, 2021).

While luxury fashion brands have withstood the impact of economic calamities in the past, such as the 2008 financial crisis, the picture during and after the COVID-19 economy looks bleak, with several big players, such as Hermes and Cartier getting impacted (D’Arpizio et.al. 2020). Although digital luxury has gained traction and been in vogue since the past few years (Bazi, Filieri, and Gortin 2020; Song and Kim 2020), with firms seeking to leverage the manifold benefits of digital marketing and social media (Lou and Xie 2020; Mandler, Johnen, and Gräve 2020), the recent pandemic has disrupted even the most well-laid plans. We feel that luxury brands need to devote additional attention toward advertising keeping in mind the unique needs and demands of consumers through focusing on digital marketing during the pandemic-era, when retail shopping has faced insurmountable challenges.

Against this backdrop, luxury firms need to consider, amend and sharpen their advertising logic for a digital marketplace. For example, with sales increasingly taking place online, how can firms engage with consumers? In the absence of a direct salesperson interface, how can consumers bond with the brand and develop interpersonal relationships (such as a personal stylist advising consumers on what suits them best)? How can consumers exchange and return products, and what mechanisms can be used for comparing prices on the brand’s own website as opposed to a retailer selling the brand? These are some of the important questions that firms need to address in implementing advertising strategies in the world of digital luxury. Additionally, extant research by scholars has focused on the notion of inconspicuous consumption (Berger and Ward 2010). Inconspicuous consumption focuses on sending subtle signals about luxury brands to those in the know, as opposed to just casual observers to whom they are not readily visible or apparent. Recent research has introduced the concept of inconspicuous minimalism (Pangarkar, Shukla, and Taylor 2021), where normative influences guide inconspicuous minimalism consumption practices, that endeavor to address a long-term impact which seeks to benefit society in general. How do firms advertise in a digital luxury era keeping in mind conspicuous consumption consumers, inconspicuous consumption consumers, and inconspicuous minimalistic consumers?

Therefore, we welcome studies that advance our understanding of digital luxury from an advertising perspective.

Suggested Topics: For this special issue, possible topics include but are not limited to:

• Advertising luxury brands on various social media platforms and tools such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok etc. for engaging such consumers
• Advertising communication strategies for conspicuous consumption consumers, inconspicuous consumption consumers, and inconspicuous minimalistic consumers
• The role of emerging trends in advertising such as use of influencers and vloggers
• Cross-national differences in advertising strategies for conspicuous and inconspicuous consumption, and inconspicuous minimalism
• Advertising related to pricing strategies in the world of digital luxury
• Advertising strategies related to product returns and exchanges in the world of digital luxury
• Advertising strategies related to the 4Ps (product, price, place, and promotion) in the digital luxury age
• Advertising strategies addressing the interface and communication between the consumers and the luxury brand
• Communication channels and effectiveness in advertising for digital luxury
• Consumer characteristics in the digital luxury era (e.g., demographics, psychographics, and behaviors)
• Brand-cause fit and advertising the CSR value proposition for luxury brands
• Emerging issues in advertising during the digital luxury era

Submission and Review Process:

Extended Abstract Submission

Scholars should submit their extended abstracts or full conference papers by Sept. 6, 2021 to the Track Chairs/Special Issue Guest Editors, Aniruddha Pangarkar, Paurav Shukla, & Eunju Ko via the submission system of ‘2021 GFMC at Seoul/ 2021 KSMS International Conference’ (). Submission Guidelines for this joint conference can be found at the conference homepage (). If authors do not receive confirmation of their submission within 7 days, please contact the Track Chairs. Scholars who would like their papers to be considered for publication in this special issue should indicate this in their submission. All submissions, reviews, and relevant notifications will take place electronically. Questions regarding the track and special issue should be sent to the co-chairs of this track.

After this joint conference, authors of the top papers presented in the “Conspicuous and Inconspicuous Consumption of Luxury Goods in a Digital World: Implications for Advertisers” track will be invited to submit their full papers for publication consideration in the special issue.

Full Paper Submission

Submissions should follow the manuscript guidelines for IJA. Manuscripts submitted to the special issue should be original contributions and should not be under consideration for any other publication at the same time. Manuscripts should be submitted in Times New Roman 12-point font, double-spaced with one-inch margins. Full manuscript submissions should have page numbers and be limited to 20 pages of text in length. The manuscript’s title page should include the corresponding author’s name, affiliation, mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail address. Names and contact information for other authors should be included as well. Information identifying the submission authors should only be listed on the title page. All manuscripts should be submitted through the IJA online editorial management system by Dec. 6, 2021. Authors should select “Special Issue: Conspicuous and Inconspicuous Consumption of Advertisers in a Digital World: Implications for Advertisers” as “Article Type”. Please also note in the cover letter that the submission is for the Special Issue. Manuscripts will go through a double-blind peer review process, and the Special Issue is planned to be published in 2022.

Special Issue Guest Editors:

Dr. Aniruddha Pangarkar, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Austin E. Cofrin School of Business, University of Wisconsin Green Bay, e-mail: pangarka@uwgb.edu

Dr. Paurav Shukla, Professor of Marketing, Southampton Business School, email: P.V. Shukla@soton.ac.uk

Dr. Eunju Ko, Professor of Fashion Marketing, Yonsei University, e-mail: ejko@yonsei.ac.kr

References

Amatulli, C., De Angelis, M., & Donato, C. (2020). An investigation on the effectiveness of hedonic versus utilitarian message appeals in luxury product communication. Psychology & Marketing, 37(4), 523-534.

Bazi, S., Filieri, R., & Gorton, M. (2020). Customers’ motivation to engage with luxury brands on social media. Journal of Business Research, 112, 223-235.

Berger, J., & Ward, M. (2010). Subtle signals of inconspicuous consumption. Journal of Consumer Research, 37(4), 555-569.

D’Arpizio, C., Levato F., Fenili S., Colacchio F., & Prete.F. (2020). Luxury after Covid-19: Changed for (the) Good? https://www.bain.com/insights/luxury-after-coronavirus/

Ko, E., Costello, J. P., & Taylor, C. R. (2019). What is a luxury brand? A new definition and review of the literature. Journal of Business Research, 99, 405-413.

Lou, C., & Xie, Q. (2020). Something social, something entertaining? How digital content marketing augments consumer experience and brand loyalty. International Journal of Advertising.

Mandler, T., Johnen, M., & Gräve, J. F. (2020). Can’t help falling in love? How brand luxury generates positive consumer affect in social media. Journal of Business Research, 120, 330-342.

Pangarkar, A., Shukla, P., & Taylor, C. (2021). Minimalism in consumption: A typology and brand engagement strategies. Journal of Business Research, 127, 167-178.

Shukla, P., & Rosendo-Rios, V. (2020). Intra and inter-country comparative effects of symbolic motivations on luxury purchase intentions in emerging markets. International Business Review, 30(1), 101768.

Song, S., & Kim, H.-Y. (2020). Celebrity endorsements for luxury brands: followers vs. non-followers on social media. International Journal of Advertising, 39(6), 802-823.

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Call for Paper: Luxury fashion consumption in a post pandemic world

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistic Special Issue

Extended Submission Deadline of Extended Abstract: September 6, 2021 

This APJML special issue will include selected papers from research papers presented at the 2021 Global Fashion Management at Seoul / 2021 KSMS International Conference. APJML will consider papers selected as the best papers presented in ‘Luxury Branding’ track for possible inclusion in the review process for this special issue. ()

“Many luxury brands will have been relieved to leave Covid-ravaged 2020 behind. After all, the personal luxury goods sector shrunk for the first time since 2009 with sales back to their 2014 levels. But this depressing statistic masks a happier prospect for 2021, and the following few years. With the environmental situation and other issues likely to get worse this decade, such a boom might well be short-lived, but it’s likely to happen all the same. The question for luxury brands then remains: how can we take advantage of the impending upturn, starting right now? In response, they are taking three new directions to protect their brand desirability in 2021 and beyond: strengthening their relationship with local customers, seeking greater customer intimacy and polishing purposeful luxury credentials”.

The goal of this the 2021 Global Fashion Management at Seoul / 2021 KSMS International Conference is to shed light on Luxury fashion consumption in a post pandemic world in Asia and beyond. Special emphasis is made on understanding the relevant marketing theories and practice. Both academics and practitioners are cordially invited to submit manuscripts including empirical research, conceptual papers, and insightful cases studies.

Potential research topics may include (but are not limited to) the application of fashion branding and marketing theories, methods, or framework to:

• Consumer decision-making process
• Brand attitude and perception
• Advertisement evaluation
• Fashion aesthetic
• Packaging, labelling, and design thinking
• Sustainability in fashion industry
• Supply chain and operation management in fashion industry
• Managing fashion brands in digital space
• Consumer-brand relationship in social media
• Price and value perception
• Ethical fashion consumption
• Application of neuro-marketing in fashion branding

Scholar seeking consideration of their papers for publication in this special APJML issue should submit their extended abstracts or full papers to the ‘Luxury Branding’ track of the 2021 Global Fashion Management at Seoul / 2021 KSMS International Conference and notify their intention to publish their papers in this APJML special issue to the track co-chair after the paper has been presented at the conference.

Guest Editors:

Dr. Anwar Sadat Shimul, School of Management & Marketing, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth WA, Australia 6845. m.shimul@curtin.edu.au

Prof. Kyung Hoon Kim, Provost, Changwon National University, Changwon, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea, gammaksms@gmail.com

Submission Information: