Research Insight 1.1

Source: Patsiaouras, G., Fitchett, J.A., and Davies, A. (2016), ‘Beyond the couch: psychoanalytic consumer character readings into narcissism and denial’, Marketing Theory, 16, 1, 57–73.

Insight: In this paper, the authors develop a psychoanalysis of the consumption desires and consumer lives of the central characters, Jay Gatsby and Willy Loman, from the classic book The Great Gatsby and play Death of a Salesman. Using a Freudian psychoanalytic methodological approach the authors show how psychoanalysis can be used to bring fresh insights to contemporary consumer theory.

URL: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1470593115595675

Research Insight 1.2

Source: Dichter, E. (1947) ‘Psychology in market research’, Harvard Business Review, 25 432–443

Insight: In this paper, Dichter appeals primarily to the business community, explaining how motivational research could help them better understand their consumers. He outlines his approach to motivational research, the techniques he uses, and some of the projects they have been used on.

Research Insight 1.3

Source: Skandalis, A., Byrom, J., and Banister, E. (2015), ‘Brand scouting: co-creation of value in the Football Manager community’, Advances in Consumer Research , 43, 409–14.

Insight: This qualitative, in-depth study provides a good example of the blurring of production and consumption in a consumer context. Focusing on the Football Manager game community, the authors explore collective value co-creation processes, and show how consumers are enlisted to undertake unpaid research work for the brand in order to enhance their consumption experience.

URL: http://www.acrwebsite.org/volumes/v43/acr_vol43_1019796.pdf