The Semiotics of Anti-Consumption (Conference presentation)

Epure, M./ Bondrea, A. A.


The paper examines the ways in which symbols are transmitted in order to convey a desired meaning and looks at consumer insights in connection with anti-consumption discourses. It considers anti-consumption and consumer resistance as the meaning and experience of the consumer towards current aggressive consumerism and explains “a resistance that is both a consumer activity and an attitude” (Cherrier, 2009). We employ Saussaure dyadic’s model (Noth,1995) to identify and explain the signifier and the signified. Using Peirce’s semiotic triangle (Peirce, 1931) we have incorporated in our analysis the sense, sign vehicle and referent of words in an attempt to identify the meaning of anticonsumption discourses. We have explored how semiotics was used in different anti-consumption messages, in an attempt to link the semiotics of two major anti-consumption discourse themes revealed by the work of Cherrier, 2008. The selected texts were organized as collages (appendix 1-7) that bring to light the most powerful signs along with their meaning. Anticonsumption attitudes result from a process of self-inquiry triggered by the failure to feel authentic through one’s consumption activities. People who are voluntarily reducing their consumption may be motivated by the underlying socialpsychological stress related to living in a consumerist society (Zavestoski, 2002). The analysis was conducted on a limited number of texts, from different cultures, and for generalisation a wider range of anti-consumption discourses should be considered. This Paper’s originality consist of introducing semiotics theories and methodologies in order to identify the key elements of anti-consumption texts and also, to establish the possibility of measuring the impact of anti-consumption discourses on consumers and their social behavioural changes. By exploring anti-brand discourses, the paper brings a new perspective on people’s interpretation of brand and brand “addiction”.
Institution and School/Department of submitter: Σχολή Διοίκησης και Οικονομίας / Τμήμα Διοίκησης Επιχειρήσεων
Keywords: Semiotic;Anti-consumption;Symbol;Signs;Brand;Affluenza;Σημειωτική;Αντί - κατανάλωση;Σύμβολο;Σημάδια;Μάρκα
Citation: International Conference on Contemporary Marketing Issues (ICCMI) 13 – 15 June 2012 Thessaloniki, Greece
Description: Άρθρο Συνεδρίου--ΑΤΕΙΘ, 2012
URI: http://195.251.240.227/jspui/handle/123456789/1259
Publisher: Alexander Technological Educational Institute (ATEI) of Thessaloniki, Department of Marketing
Bucks New University
Item type: conferenceItem
Submission Date: 2016-06-13T19:24:26Z
Item language: en
Item access scheme: free
Institution and School/Department of submitter: Σχολή Διοίκησης και Οικονομίας / Τμήμα Διοίκησης Επιχειρήσεων
Publication date: 2012-06
Bibliographic citation: Epure, M. &Bondrea, A. A., 2012, 'The Semiotics of Anti-Consumption', ICCMI, 13 – 15 June 2012 Thessaloniki, Greece, Alexander Technological Educational Institute (ATEI) of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, pp. 503-509.
Abstract: The paper examines the ways in which symbols are transmitted in order to convey a desired meaning and looks at consumer insights in connection with anti-consumption discourses. It considers anti-consumption and consumer resistance as the meaning and experience of the consumer towards current aggressive consumerism and explains “a resistance that is both a consumer activity and an attitude” (Cherrier, 2009). We employ Saussaure dyadic’s model (Noth,1995) to identify and explain the signifier and the signified. Using Peirce’s semiotic triangle (Peirce, 1931) we have incorporated in our analysis the sense, sign vehicle and referent of words in an attempt to identify the meaning of anticonsumption discourses. We have explored how semiotics was used in different anti-consumption messages, in an attempt to link the semiotics of two major anti-consumption discourse themes revealed by the work of Cherrier, 2008. The selected texts were organized as collages (appendix 1-7) that bring to light the most powerful signs along with their meaning. Anticonsumption attitudes result from a process of self-inquiry triggered by the failure to feel authentic through one’s consumption activities. People who are voluntarily reducing their consumption may be motivated by the underlying socialpsychological stress related to living in a consumerist society (Zavestoski, 2002). The analysis was conducted on a limited number of texts, from different cultures, and for generalisation a wider range of anti-consumption discourses should be considered. This Paper’s originality consist of introducing semiotics theories and methodologies in order to identify the key elements of anti-consumption texts and also, to establish the possibility of measuring the impact of anti-consumption discourses on consumers and their social behavioural changes. By exploring anti-brand discourses, the paper brings a new perspective on people’s interpretation of brand and brand “addiction”.
Publisher: Alexander Technological Educational Institute (ATEI) of Thessaloniki, Department of Marketing
Bucks New University
Conference name: International Conference on Contemporary Marketing Issues (ICCMI)
Type of the conference item: full paper
Appears in Collections:ICCMI (2012)

Files in This Item:
File Description SizeFormat 
Epure_Bondrea_The_Semiotics_of_Anti-Consumption.pdf636.22 kBAdobe PDFView/Open



 Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
http://195.251.240.227/jspui/handle/123456789/1259
  This item is a favorite for 0 people.

This item is licensed under a Creative Commons License Creative Commons