A Qualitative Investigation of Consumers Using Advertisements in Narration of Self-Image

Abstract: Advertisements have served as a form of entertainment, a source of information, and an object of discussion among families, friends, and acquaintances. Scholars in the field offer a number of suggestions to explain the center stage advertising assumes in consumers’ lives. These suggestions include self-image or personalization, self-esteem, lifestyle imagery, and hedonic consumption with regards to emotional arousal seeking. The present research explores existing theories pertaining to the relationship between advertising and consumers’ use of advertisement in portraying self, self-image, and values. Interview data from a United States-based sample revealed five exemplars of consumers’ usage of advertisements, as they borrowed elements to portray and describe their self-image. The paper highlights practical and theoretical contributions, as well as future research directions.