Yrd. Doç. Dr. Uğur BATI* Postmodern Impacts on the Consumption Patterns, Activities and Theories Özet Abstract Bu çalışma, postmodern olarak adlandı- This paper investigated the postmod- rılan tüketim biçimini araştırıp, postmo- ernist notion of consumption and at- dernizm sürecinde yaşanan bazı tempts to identify some of the konuları aydınlatmayı amaçlamaktadır. concerns raised by postmodern. The Makale kapsamında yürütülen araştır- study proposes a methodology based ma, tüketim etkinlikleri üzerindeki post- on showing sample case advertise- modern dönemde oluşan etkileri ortaya ments and consumption forms for the çıkarmak, bu tip bir tüketimin anlamını revealing postmodern impacts on con- araştırmak ve yapısını ortaya koymak sumption and for interpreting the amacıyla, bütünce olarak belirlenen meaning and understanding the struc- reklamları ve tüketim biçimlerini örnek ture of such consumption forms. In the olarak ortaya koymaktadır. Çalışma research, it’s stated that from the post- kapsamında, postmodern olarak adlan- modern perspective on consumption, dırılan tüketim biçiminin temel karakter- hyperreality, fragmentation, decen- lerinin üst-gerçeklik, parçalanma, tring of the subject, commodification öznenin merkezleştirilmemesi, nostaljinin of nostalgia and brand community metalaştırılması ve marka topluluğu bi- forms are essential characteristics. çimi olduğu belirtilmiştir. Bunun yanında, However, it’s reveal that this subject is konunun oldukça ayrıntılı olduğu vurgu- highly comprehensive and the evalua- lanmış ve bu nedenle konu hakkında tion of the conclusions would be a sub- daha ayrıntılı bir çalışma gerçekleştir- ject for a wider and more menin zorunluluğu ifade edilmiştir. comprehensive study. Anahtar Kelimeler Key Words Postmodernizm, tüketim, üst-gerçeklik, Postmodernism, consumption, hyperreality, parçalanma, marka topluluğu, nostalji fragmentation, brand community, nostalgia * [email protected] Introduction 1994; Baudrillard, 2004) or a late modern society (e.g. Jameson, 1994; Featherstone, It’s a fact that postmodernism is hard to 1996; Giddens, 1991), which is distinct in define, because it is a concept that seems quality from former structure of society in a wide sort of disciplines or areas of which is identified as modern, set con- study,including literature, music, art, com- sumption as a main aspects of such a so- munications, architecture, film, fashion, ciety. These discussions state that technology and sociology. It’s difficult to consumption and culture based on con- build it contextually and historically,or be- sumption are the basic characters of post- cause it’s not certain exactly when post- modernism rather than production. In modernism commences. Postmodernism relation to this, social theory is nowadays is such an intricate notion, or set of ideas, concentrating on consumption as playing that is highly controversial even among a key role in the way the daily life is con- postmodernists themselves. The term has structed, and it can be discussed that con- come into sight as a field of academic sumption practices have the central role in study since the mid-1980s. At this point, giving meaning to life through consump- from a literary perspective the main fea- tion (Van Raaij, 1993). Furthermore, when tures of postmodernism is only apprehen- we look at the social theories about every- sible by thinking about the movement day life practices including consumption, from which postmodernism appears to in recent years, many thinkers like Barthes, come into being. This means that post- 1990, 1999; Bocock, 1997; Debord, 1967; modernism is essentially an analytic notion Kellner, 1988; Jhally, 1988; Best, 1991; which emphasis the differences and diver- Harvey,1999; Firat, 1991; Jameson, 1994; sity of former movements. All the prem- Venkatesh, 1995; Baudrillard, 2003 have ises like ambiguity, simulation, collage, examined the relationship between con- pastiche, parody, bricolage, irony, playful- sumption and culture. ness de-differentiation, anti-foundational- It is suggested in these studies that in ism, desire, hyperreality and deja vu can be postmodernity the consumption of sym- considered as the qualifiers of the situa- bolic meaning, especially through the use tion called ‘postmodern condition’ that in of advertising, style of architecture, form an constant way, compose the daily prac- of entertainment, choices of consump- tice of the contemporary life. tion, etc., figure as a cultural commodity, In addition to these features, many allows the potential consumer with the scholars argue that that consumption is chance to assemble, perpetuate and com- the most crucial representation of post- municate identity and social meanings. modernism in contemporary life. Theo- These studies confirm that social ‘reality’ reticians who have formed a notion of is constructed for human beings through postmodern society (e.g. Firat and structurations that are crucially deter- Venkatesh, 1995; Van Raaij, 1993; Elliott, mined by the economic that, in turn, has 216 to be mediated by the symbolic (Harvey, the postmodern consumption and its 1999; 74). The signification of the con- foremost characteristics in which symbol- sumption, classification of the consump- ism and spectacle are dominant. More- tion and identification of cultural over, the article discusses the postmodern meanings and images that are intended for approach to consumption in the frame of the product constitute the postmodern as- hyperreality, retro style, brand community, pects of consumption and naturally pro- customization, fragmentation and decen- motion activities. In postmodern phase of tring of the subject. The article also argues consumption, the process of consump- that imagery consumption styles of post- tion is liberatory,paradoxically combining modernism which may further confuse an both the ‘real’ and the imaginary. In rela- already confused postmodern consumer. tion to this, in this type of consumption Based on these theoretical part, the article model called as postmodern, one can con- provides indicators of the nature of post- sume objects, symbols, and images. modern consumption and proposes a In the light of above-mentioned fact, methodology based on texture analysis for in this paper, we aim to provide a compre- interpreting the meaning and understand- hensive framework for the postmodern ing the structure of such consumption consumption style which is cultural styles called as postmodern. This second process and symbolic processes in con- part analyzes we aim to undertakes the sumption. This paper presents the some ambitious task of diagnosing the post- aspects of postmodern marketing and ad- vertising which is the signifier of post- modern condition and its implications for modern marketing, too. In relation to this, consumption style by the help of selected we aim to go on to show how in various sample case analysis as a corpus. While domains of consumption activities be- making this, key features of postmodern come highly symbolic acts that are in- marketing and symbolic consumption and vested with meanings derived from brands in postmodern marketing are in cultural frameworks. For this aim, we try the key role of this subject. This part dis- to identify the cultural meanings and im- cusses the material condition of postmod- ages that are intended for the product. ern ads focusing on changes in the Moreover, this paper presents what sort of advertisements’ messages and consumer gender, status, age, lifestyle, time, and market especially in terms of key features place meanings are sought for the prod- of new type of marketing styles that is uct, what values and orientations in post- postmodern marketing. It is assumed that modern promotion practices and this thesis broadly intends to underline the especially advertising are applied? conclusions of the intersections of post- In the theoretical part of the study,we modern condition and postmodern im- deal with the theoretical issues concerning pacts on consumption. 217 Consumption and inant message found in all the brand ads ‘Postmodern’ Consumer Society and promotional acts are the same; buy, buy, buy. There is an important point In the past one hundred years however, about this. Through the mediation of con- the notion of mass consumption has re- sumption practices, we firstly buy to ac- vealed; enormous numbers of people now complish our needs: basic ones and not-so consume a variety of relatively cut-price, basic ones and not-needs. This last sen- industrially-mass produced products. A tence intends the crucial characteristic of suggestive change in the social and eco- contemporary consumption practices. Rel- nomic structure has emerged, where con- evant to this, concerned to consumption sumption activities has become “the idiom is nowadays the identification that the of daily life” (Ewen, 1976: 187). Radically, consumer does not make consumption mass consumption has altered the under- decision merely from products’ features standings, views and expectations of our but from also from their symbolic mean- society. Some important questions come ings (Douglas, 1982; McCracken, 1988; to mind; How did this happen? Where did Giddens, 1991; Dittmar, 1992; Gabriel and this prominent shift in society come from? Lang, 1995). As consumption constitutes Well, the move to a culture of consump- a key role in providing values and mean- tion was basically caused by the needs and ings for the creation of the consumer’s demands of production, the social turmoil personal and social world, so