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The performance of conspicuous consumption in emerging markets : a case study of Punjabi Jatt community weddings

University of British Columbia

With a total estimated market size of US$30 billion in 2018 (Gupta, 2019) and a growing middle class with higher disposable incomes, India is one of the hottest markets for most luxury brands. If there is one event on which the Indian community spends massively and doesn’t shy away from going into debt for; it is weddings. This is an event that involves the coming together of not just two individuals but their families as well. For these families, it is not only a matter of showing their love to the marrying couple but also a display of status and financial strength through the public consumption of expensive products and acts during this event. In this study, I examine how these acts of conspicuous consumption are played out using the concept of performance theory. The first section of the thesis provides a detailed description of the phenomenon of conspicuous consumption, performance theory, and luxury brands. The second part tries to flesh out the nuances of conspicuous consumption from the perspective of performance theory in the Punjabi Jatt community, a landlord community in the North Indian province of Punjab, known for its exuberant attitude. The study explores conspicuous consumption from a performance theory standpoint wherein the entire wedding process is understood in terms of different parts of a performance, with conspicuous consumption being played out in each of these parts. The study contributes to the understanding of conspicuous consumption in a contemporary emerging market. The research also proposes a consumer feedback loop model to determine future conspicuous consumption performances, especially during wedding events in the Punjabi Jatt community. From a managerial viewpoint, the study examines how managers of luxury brands can comprehend consumption of luxury goods during the wedding events in the Jatt community from a sociological perspective which in turn would help them to position their brands better for future consumption.

Text

2020-09-08

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/75909

Interdisciplinary Studies

University of British Columbia

UBCO

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/