Postmodernism &Marketing
POSTMODERNISM AND MARKETING
During the last ten years very limited number of terms have had a massive impact on almost all social disciplines as the term ‘‘postmodernity’’ has had. It would not be surprising that such a significant term has been the focus of a number of researches within a variety of disciplines. According to Firat, Sherry and Venkatesh (1994) ‘‘Debates and discussions regarding postmodernism, postmodern culture, and postmodernity have created some of the most prolific, heated and exciting publications and productions in, especially, the last decade’’(p.311). Although the term postmodern started to be used after WWII, it scientifically came into existence with the publication of Jean-Francois Lyotard’s La Condition Postmoderne in 1979. Since then postmodern condition appears to have infected almost every area of intellectual endeavor. As Brown (1992) suggests, apart from architecture and literary theory, postmodernist theory is evident in many academic areas, such as philosophy, sociology, politics, theology, history, economics and many more besides. Due to its profound effect on individualistic side of consumer and consumption, it is inevitable that marketing is also affected deeply by postmodernism. Hence, those who would like to make a long run and satisfying profit have to develop at least a basic understanding of the terms ‘‘postmodern’’ and ‘‘postmodern marketing’’.
It would be more convenient to give some basic knowledge about postmodernism before explaining its huge effect on the discipline of marketing. According to Encyclopedia Britannica postmodernism is defined as a ‘‘late 20th-century movement characterized by broad skepticism, subjectivism, or relativism; a general suspicion of reason; and an acute sensitivity to the role of ideology in asserting and maintaining political and economic power’’. Postmodernism can be viewed as a criticism to 20th century modernism. It is a resistance to modernist ideas such as freedom, progress
During the last ten years very limited number of terms have had a massive impact on almost all social disciplines as the term ‘‘postmodernity’’ has had. It would not be surprising that such a significant term has been the focus of a number of researches within a variety of disciplines. According to Firat, Sherry and Venkatesh (1994) ‘‘Debates and discussions regarding postmodernism, postmodern culture, and postmodernity have created some of the most prolific, heated and exciting publications and productions in, especially, the last decade’’(p.311). Although the term postmodern started to be used after WWII, it scientifically came into existence with the publication of Jean-Francois Lyotard’s La Condition Postmoderne in 1979. Since then postmodern condition appears to have infected almost every area of intellectual endeavor. As Brown (1992) suggests, apart from architecture and literary theory, postmodernist theory is evident in many academic areas, such as philosophy, sociology, politics, theology, history, economics and many more besides. Due to its profound effect on individualistic side of consumer and consumption, it is inevitable that marketing is also affected deeply by postmodernism. Hence, those who would like to make a long run and satisfying profit have to develop at least a basic understanding of the terms ‘‘postmodern’’ and ‘‘postmodern marketing’’.
It would be more convenient to give some basic knowledge about postmodernism before explaining its huge effect on the discipline of marketing. According to Encyclopedia Britannica postmodernism is defined as a ‘‘late 20th-century movement characterized by broad skepticism, subjectivism, or relativism; a general suspicion of reason; and an acute sensitivity to the role of ideology in asserting and maintaining political and economic power’’. Postmodernism can be viewed as a criticism to 20th century modernism. It is a resistance to modernist ideas such as freedom, progress
References: Brown, S. (1993), ‘‘Postmodern marketing?’’, European Journal of Marketing, 27(4) Firat, A. F., Sherry, J.F. & Venkatesh, A., (1994), “Postmodernism, marketing and the consumer”, International Journal of Research in Marketing Gerrit, A. & Van Raaij, F.W. (1998), Consumer Behavior, a European perspective, Chichester, Wiley Definition of Postmodernism. (n.d.). Retrieved January 26, 2014, from http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1077292/postmodernism