ABSTRACT
Consumption is closely associated with identity making. At an individual level people are able to express themselves through what they buy. At a collective level meanwhile, consumption choices can help to fit in with certain groups who share similar choices. Yet consumer identity is not fixed and consumption can be used to explore the multiplicity and plasticity of identity. This chapter looks at how such identity processes play out through consumption. Insight comes from two case studies. The first of these looks at online forums for enthusiasts of the reality television phenomenon RuPaul’s Drag Race. Digital fandoms such as this are representative of a new wave of consumers that bond over shared identities. The second case study involves analysis of the song lyrics of Taylor Swift. Reviewing these reveals an obsession with identity. Swift reinvents and asserts her sense of self in line with her surroundings. In doing so, she resonates with her fans doing similarly. Pop culture and consumer culture are interrelated, and looking at such things as song lyrics may provide insights into consumers and their consumption.
