Changing patterns of conspicuous consumption: Media representations of luxury in second homes

Abstract

This article examines the potential of utilising representations of luxury in second homes to chart the changing patterns of conspicuous consumption. It is situated within a New Zealand context and based on the analysis of representations of luxury in second homes in an architecture/lifestyle magazine from 1936 to 2015. A qualitative thematic analysis was carried out on the written and visual text of 305 second home articles. The findings are divided into time periods which relate to distinct socio-cultural, political and economic events and ideologies that have influenced New Zealand society. The analysis reveals a change from ‘quiet luxury’ during the war years to the luxury of imported products, reflecting a fascination with first American and then European style in the mid-century. It also shows a change from a reputed cultural reticence to display one’s wealth to the flagrant conspicuous consumption of luxury goods and services in the 1980s which aligns with the rise of new wealth after the introduction of neoliberalism in the country. Finally, the variance between representations of luxury during recessionary times in the 1970s and 2000s demonstrates a change in attitude towards conspicuous consumption.

Producing ‘luxury’ housing: Developers’ strategies and housing advertisements in Hong Kong (1961–2011)

“…Definitions of luxury in the housing literature, except Walters and Carr (2017), are implicit rather than explicit. Walters and Carr (2017) studied representations of second homes in magazines, such homes being beyond necessity and therefore self-evidently the epitome of luxury (Berry, 1994). As our study focuses on general private housing (second homes are extremely rare in Hong Kong), we need an operational definition to identify luxury housing advertisements.…”

“…In this paper, we conceptualise luxury as both object and sign, materiality and representation (Appadurai, 1986). Its material aspects include physical comfort, how spectacular it is, quality, rarity, how expensive it is; and immaterial aspects include pleasure, enjoyment, exclusivity, identity confirmation, as well as the emotive and sensual elements (Berry, 1994; Walters and Carr, 2017: 296). Luxury can be individually experienced (e.g.…”

“…First, characteristics of luxury housing keep changing. Walters and Carr’s (2017) longitudinal study (1930–2000) of media representations of luxury in New Zealand’s second homes found that their foci changed from views and spaciousness to ‘distinction, individuality, quality, American styling’, treating conspicuous consumption as ‘anathema’ during recession times, subtle representations of privacy, and then to tasteful, smaller properties after the global financial crisis in 2007. Second, luxury housing advertising creates new localities, reinforces exclusivist housing aspirations, constitutes individual and group identities and shapes social differentiation (Cheng, 2001; Collins and Kearns, 2008; Pow and Kong, 2007; Searle, 2013).…”

“…Operationalising 'luxury' is not straightforward given its socially constructive and multiple aspects. Definitions of luxury in the housing literature, except Walters and Carr (2017), are implicit rather than explicit. Walters and Carr (2017) studied representations of second homes in magazines, such homes being beyond necessity and therefore self-evidently the epitome of luxury (Berry, 1994).…”

“…Housing advertisements mediate what constitutes ideal/classy domestic life (Cheung and Ma, 2005), create locality and identity (Eyles, 1987; Pow and Kong, 2007), constitute consumers’ understanding of place and space (Cheng, 2001) and reproduce social and spatial differentiation (Collins and Kearns, 2008). A longitudinal study of housing advertisements can help reveal the variable representations of luxury amidst changing socio-political contexts (Walters and Carr, 2017). Yet, few studies have examined how ‘luxury’ housing advertisements reveal the changing strategies of developer conglomerates.…”