From Art to Marketing : The Relevance of Authenticity to Contemporary Consumer Culture

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Contents List of Tables 1 Authenticity: A Polemical Concept 1.1 Introduction 1.2 What Is Authenticity? 1.3 Etymologies of “Authenticity” 1.4 The Historical Development of the Concept of Authenticity 1.5 Authenticity Now 1.6 Conclusions References 2 The Concept of Authenticity in the Broader Literature 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Art and Authenticity 2.3 The Concept of Authenticity in Philosophy 2.3.1 Authenticity in Greek Philosophy 2.3.2 Authenticity in the Modern Philosophy 2.3.3 The Concept of Authenticity in Existentialist Philosophy 2.4 Authenticity in Sociology 2.4.1 The Institutional Theory Perspective 2.5 Authenticity in Psychology 2.6 Conclusions References 3 Authenticity in Marketing: Reality or Oxymoron? 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Conceptualizations of Authenticity in the Marketing and Tourism Literature 3.2.1 Authenticity as an Intrinsic Attribute of Objects: The Modernist/Objectivist Perspective 3.2.2 Authenticity as a Subjective Perception: The Constructivist, Postmodernist, and Existentialist Perspectives 3.2.3 Negotiated Approaches to Authenticity 3.3 Conceptualizations of Authenticity in the Marketing Literature 3.4 Definitions of Authenticity in the Marketing Literature 3.5 Classifications of Authenticity 3.6 Conclusions References 4 Building Authenticity: The Managerial Perspective 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Authenticity in Branding 4.3 Authenticity in Advertising 4.4 Authenticity in Public Relations and Communication Studies 4.5 Authenticity in Tourism 4.6 The Manager Perspective: A Qualitative Study 4.7 Methodology 4.8 Results 4.8.1 Aura 4.8.2 Back to the Origins (Arcadia) 4.8.3 Antinomy 4.8.4 Allegory 4.9 Managerial Implications 4.10 Conclusions References 5 Authenticity: Is It Really What Consumers Want? 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Authenticity in Consumer Culture 5.3 Consumer Perceptions of Authenticity in Adventures 5.4 Authenticity in Communication 5.5 Consumer Perceptions of Authenticity in Tourism 5.6 The Measurement of Consumer Perceived Authenticity 5.7 How Do Consumers Define Authenticity? A Study on Consumers 5.8 Conclusion References 6 The Study of Authenticity: Implications and Future Research 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Conceptual Gaps in Marketing Literature on Authenticity 6.2.1 Issue #1: Prevalence of a Modernist Conceptualization of Authenticity 6.2.2 Issue #2: Absence of a Generalizable Definition of Authenticity 6.2.3 Issue #3: Predominance of a Taxonomic Approach to the Concept of Authenticity 6.2.4 Issue #4: Partial Inclusion of the Dimensions of Authenticity Identified in the Broader Literature 6.2.4.1 A New Meaning of Uniqueness 6.2.4.2 The Language of Authenticity is Implicit and Symbolic 6.2.4.3 Authenticity is Social, Narrative, and Moral 6.2.4.4 Authenticity Consists of the Elimination of Mediations 6.2.5 Issue #5: Marketing Research Does not Address the Active and Co-Creative Role of the Consumer in Constructing Authenticity 6.2.6 Issue #6: Marketing Research Adopted an Institutional Perspective on Authenticity 6.2.7 Issue #7: Marketing Research Does not Address the Experiential Nature of Authenticity 6.3 Methodological Issues 6.3.1 Issue #1: Research Methodologies to Study Authenticity Are Mainly Modernist 6.3.2 Issue #2: Authenticity is Studied in Very Specific Contexts of Analysis 6.3.3 Issues #3: Lack of an Operational Definition of Authenticity 6.3.4 Issue #4: The Study of Relationships Among Factors of Authenticity is Scant 6.3.5 Issue #5: Soundness of the Measures 6.4 Recommendations for Future Research 6.5 Conclusions References Index Taking a new approach to a relatively underexplored area, this book examines the concept of authenticity and its relevance to marketing management. The author draws on several disciplines, including arts, philosophy, sociology and psychology, as well as focusing on important sub-fields within the field of marketing such as consumer behaviour and tourism. Presenting data from interviews with managers and consumers, and summarising and critiquing recent developments within the field, From Arts to Marketing is a timely and much-needed addition to literature and will be useful to those researching consumer behaviour, brand management and marketing more generally. Marta Massi is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Universit Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, Italy. Previously, she was a visiting scholar at Deakin University, Australia and McGill University, Canada. With her interests revolving around branding and arts marketing, Martas research has been published in a number of leading journals, such as the Journal of Consumer Affairs and the International Journal of Technology Management