Underdog consumption: An exploration into meanings and motives

Lee Phillip McGinnis and James W. Gentry

Journal of Business Research, 2009, vol. 62, issue 2, 191-199

Abstract: Marketers frequently position business concerns - whether brands, teams, or stores - as the non market-dominant entity (or the "underdog"). This article examines the motives for underdog support through in-depth interviews and a focus group. Findings suggest that underdog consumers support underdogs out of empathy, as a way to ensure the maintenance of equal opportunity in competition, and as a way to provide personal inspiration. Some motives for underdog support can be interpreted to be anti-consumption (or, at least, anti-corporate) in nature. On the other hand, many underdog consumers support and identify with underdogs not necessarily as a way to keep the top dog down, but as a means to keep the little guy competing. Rather than solely "vote-against" behavior, "vote-for" behavior is very evident as well.

Keywords: Anti-consumption; Creolization; Counter-conformity; Glocalization; Identification; Underdogs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (18)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:62:y:2009:i:2:p:191-199

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