(Un)saving face, or the designer face as a new consumer commodity

Maria Kniazeva and Eva Babicheva

Journal of Business Research, 2017, vol. 74, issue C, 143-148

Abstract: The designer face as a new consumer commodity is a focus of this work. By venturing into the global marketplace of elective plastic surgery, the authors aim to develop a concept of the face in the consumer behavior discipline. “What is the face?” – is the fundamental research question. What makes the face the site of voluntary alteration? How do marketing forces drive the mainstream embrace of surgical correction of facial features as a commercial commodity, similar to shoes? This study takes place in South Korea, a nation that places a strong metaphorical value on the face and has historically developed the honor-centered concept of “saving face” as a guiding principle of life. Specifically study examines the normative function of advertising as presented in street billboards. Results show a transition occurring for the face's major functions and highlight emerging newer functions - the face as a mask and the face as fashion.

Keywords: Commodity; Face; Plastic surgery; Advertising; Street billboards (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:74:y:2017:i:c:p:143-148

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2016.10.026

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