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Consumer Myths: Frye's Taxonomy and the Structural Analysis of Consumption Text

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  • Stern, Barbara B

Abstract

This article presents a structural analysis of myths in consumption text, using Northrop Frye's taxonomy of mythoi to assign consumer narratives and selected advertisements to four categories of mythic plots: comedy, romance, tragedy, and irony. Frye's categorization scheme derives from literature, and the plot types embody structural links between consumption myths and those found in other cultural texts. Each mythos also incorporates values encoded in the plot that reappear in consumption narratives and in advertising appeals using mythic patterns and characterization. Frye's taxonomy is first applied to a reanalysis of Thanksgiving narratives in Wallendorf and Arnould's " 'We Gather Together': Consumption Rituals of Thanksgiving Day" and next to an analysis of pre-Thanksgiving food advertising coupons. The analysis demonstrates that the Thanksgiving narratives and related advertising exemplars fit into conventional plot structures that serve as organizing devices for both the articulation of consumption experience and the design of consumer appeals. Copyright 1995 by the University of Chicago.

Suggested Citation

  • Stern, Barbara B, 1995. "Consumer Myths: Frye's Taxonomy and the Structural Analysis of Consumption Text," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 22(2), pages 165-185, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:v:22:y:1995:i:2:p:165-85
    DOI: 10.1086/209443
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    Cited by:

    1. Jan C. L. König, 2020. "The Never-Ending Story Teller – A Narratological Genealogy of Storytelling in Marketing and Management," International Review of Management and Marketing, Econjournals, vol. 10(5), pages 127-137.
    2. Dobscha, Susan & Foxman, Ellen, 2012. "Mythic Agency and Retail Conquest," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 88(2), pages 291-307.
    3. Nathalie Veg-Sala & Elyette Roux, 2018. "Cross-gender extension potential of luxury brands: a semiotic analysis," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(5), pages 436-448, September.
    4. Jung, Jaesuk & Yu, Jihye & Seo, Yuri & Ko, Eunju, 2021. "Consumer experiences of virtual reality: Insights from VR luxury brand fashion shows," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 517-524.
    5. Hollenbeck, Candice R. & Peters, Cara & Zinkhan, George M., 2008. "Retail Spectacles and Brand Meaning: Insights from a Brand Museum Case Study," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 84(3), pages 334-353.
    6. Nathalie Veg-Sala & Elyette Roux, 2014. "A semiotic analysis of the extendibility of luxury brands," Post-Print hal-01525472, HAL.
    7. Singh, Sangeeta & Sonnenburg, Stephan, 2012. "Brand Performances in Social Media," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 189-197.
    8. Merchant, Altaf & Ford, John B. & Rose, Gregory, 2011. "How personal nostalgia influences giving to charity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 64(6), pages 610-616, June.
    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. Gorry, G. Anthony & Westbrook, Robert A., 2011. "Can you hear me now? Learning from customer stories," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 54(6), pages 575-584.
    11. Ourahmoune, Nacima, 2016. "Narrativity, temporality, and consumer-identity transformation through tourism," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 255-263.
    12. Hélène Cherrier, 2016. "Material Presence and the Detox Delusion: Insights from Social Nudism," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1), pages 100-123, March.
    13. Nathalie Veg-Sala, 2014. "The use of longitudinal case studies and semiotics for analysing brand development as process of assimilation or accommodation," Post-Print hal-01525471, HAL.
    14. Gillespie, Brian & Muehling, Darrel D. & Kareklas, Ioannis, 2018. "Fitting product placements: Affective fit and cognitive fit as determinants of consumer evaluations of placed brands," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 90-102.
    15. Gkritzali, Alkmini & Lampel, Joseph & Wiertz, Caroline, 2016. "Blame it on Hollywood: The influence of films on Paris as product location," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(7), pages 2363-2370.
    16. Strutton, David & Taylor, David G., 2011. "What would Don Draper do? Rules for restoring the contemporary agency mojo," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 54(5), pages 467-479, September.
    17. Orazi, Davide C. & Lei, Jing & Bove, Liliana L., 2021. "The effect of ending disclosure on the persuasiveness of narrative PSAs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 241-251.

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