Consuming identities: Alcohol marketing and the commodification of youth experience

Abstract

Marketing has successfully used the postmodern turn in conceptualisations of the human subject and incorporated contemporary theorising of identities and self into its understanding of the key drivers of consumption. Such developments clearly converge in alcohol marketing practices that target young people, where commercialised youth identities available for consumption and engagement are a significant element. This article reports data from young people that reflect the uptake of such identities and considers the challenges that these developments represent for public health and the well-being of young people.

• Marketing
• alcohol
• young people
• identities
• consumption
• environments

Notes

¹ Data were collected from groups of friends following youth social events such as concerts, parties, school balls etc.

² Affinity groups were constructed of 3–5 friends matched by age, ethnicity and gender, that met three times over the course of the project to provide data on their experiences with alcohol.

³ Maori are the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand.

⁴ Pakeha is a Maori word for non-Maori settler peoples usually of European descent.