Product meaning and consumer creativity

Product meanings are negotiated by a variety of social actors in a particular historical context. In this study we use a series of long interviews to explore product meanings actively created by consumers. We find that consumers create meaning through irony, through use innovation, and by adopting abandoned products. Consumers are motivated to create meaning because consumer-created meanings provide flexibility in constructing an identity, economic rewards, and intrinsic enjoyment. Leveraging creativity enables consumers to develop a space free from commoditized identities bartered in the marketplace.