The Polit-Brand and Blows Against the Empire: the Collectively Approved Brands of the New-New Left

EXTENDED ABSTRACT - Is that a real Poncho, or is that a Sears Poncho? Frank Zappa O’Guinn and Muniz present theory and data regarding the Anew@, (actually the new-new, post- 1972, U.S./Western Europe) political left’s leitmotif of fighting market capitalism’s Ahegemony@ through purchases (as opposed to boycotts of major brands from major corporations). In other words, the new left revolutionary revolts by buying things, but only those things that are deemed appropriate to their socio-political identity, and their socio-political agenda. These are the Apolit-brands@ of the new left. While the use of brands in Arevolution@ has been discussed elsewhere, most notably in Frank’s (1997) Conquest of Cool, we offer a significantly different take on the dynamics and meaning of the phenomenon.

Citation:

Thomas C. O’Guinn and Albert M. Muniz, Jr. (2004) ,"The Polit-Brand and Blows Against the Empire: the Collectively Approved Brands of the New-New Left", in NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 31, eds. Barbara E. Kahn and Mary Frances Luce, Valdosta, GA : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 100-100.