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Making Magic: Fetishes in Contemporary Consumption

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  • Karen V. Fernandez
  • John L. Lastovicka

Abstract

Fetishes--magical objects of extraordinary empowerment and influence--are often sought by consumers for their value as usable objects. Our interpretive research extends the current static perspective of fetishes by proposing a dynamic cyclical model of fetishization appropriate to an age of mass production. Consumers use contagious and imitative magic to imbue replica instruments with power. Semiotically signified magical thinking causes replicas to radiate aura and thus transforms them into fetishes. We suggest that although all replicas with aura become fetishes, the cyclical fetishization process is only perpetuated when empowerment is public, sustained, and authentic.

Suggested Citation

  • Karen V. Fernandez & John L. Lastovicka, 2011. "Making Magic: Fetishes in Contemporary Consumption," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 38(2), pages 278-299.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:doi:10.1086/659079
    DOI: 10.1086/659079
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Stefano Pace, 2013. "Does Religion Affect the Materialism of Consumers? An Empirical Investigation of Buddhist Ethics and the Resistance of the Self," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 112(1), pages 25-46, January.
    2. Podoshen, Jeffrey S., 2013. "Dark tourism motivations: Simulation, emotional contagion and topographic comparison," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 263-271.
    3. Fernandez, Karen V., 2020. "PROVE it! A practical primer to positioning theoretically," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 57-64.
    4. Ziyed Guelmami & Denis Darpy, 2016. "Self-transformation expectations and magic relationships to products: conceptualizing and measuring product fetishism [Les attentes transformationnelles et les relations magiques aux produits : con," Post-Print hal-03549329, HAL.
    5. Karanika, Katerina & Hogg, Margaret K., 2020. "Self–object relationships in consumers’ spontaneous metaphors of anthropomorphism, zoomorphism, and dehumanization," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 15-25.
    6. Adèle Martin-Gruen & Denis Darpy, 2015. "The Role of Design in the Appropriation of Shared Objects: Autolib in Paris," Post-Print hal-01226746, HAL.
    7. Hollebeek, Linda D. & Belk, Russell, 2021. "Consumers’ technology-facilitated brand engagement and wellbeing: Positivist TAM/PERMA- vs. Consumer Culture Theory perspectives," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 387-401.
    8. Fernandez, Karen V., 2019. "Critically reviewing literature: A tutorial for new researchers," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 187-196.
    9. Eric Arnould & David Crockett & Giana Eckhardt, 2021. "Informing marketing theory through consumer culture theoretics," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, June.
    10. Ziyed Guelmami, 2015. "'A true Hero needs a Fetish' : contextualizing fetishism in the contemporary society," Post-Print hal-03549518, HAL.
    11. Ferreira, Marcia Christina & Scaraboto, Daiane, 2016. "“My plastic dreams”: Towards an extended understanding of materiality and the shaping of consumer identities," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 191-207.
    12. Tubadji, Annie & Huang, Haoran & Webber, Don J, 2021. "Cultural proximity bias in AI-acceptability: The importance of being human," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).

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