Austerity to materialism and brand consciousness: luxury consumption in India
Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management
ISSN: 1361-2026
Article publication date: 19 April 2018
Issue publication date: 9 May 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of materialism and brand consciousness in determining the luxury consumption among the young Indian consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
In order to measure materialism, brand consciousness, attitude toward luxury brands and purchase intention, pre-established scale items were used to design the self-administered questionnaire. A valid sample of 342 respondents was collected through mall intercepts, in-store intercepts, luxury brands exhibitions and festivals and international airports. The relationship was tested using regression analysis.
Findings
The findings support that the materialism and brand consciousness are positively related to the luxury consumption in India and play an important role in predicting the behavior of the young luxury buyers. The Indian youth is buying expensive luxury brands as symbols of status success and wealth in order to fulfill their materialistic goals. The desire to own and possess the well-known and expensive brand names demonstrates the importance the consumers attach to the social and symbolic value of the luxury brands.
Practical implications
The study reveals that the young Indian luxury buyers choose to buy brands that are most advertised. Creative advertisements enhancing luxury brands’ symbolic and social value can be effective. The study has implications for the international luxury brands, as they are expensive, well known and famous among the global consumers.
Originality/value
The key contribution of the study is the establishment of materialism and brand consciousness as important antecedents in the development of attitude toward luxury brands among the young Indian consumers.
Keywords
Citation
Sharda, N. and Bhat, A.K. (2018), "Austerity to materialism and brand consciousness: luxury consumption in India", Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 22 No. 2, pp. 223-239. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFMM-03-2017-0025
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited