Cultural Omnivores’ Consumption: Strategic and Inclusively Exclusive

Abstract

This study explores cultural dispositions and consumption practices of cultural omnivores whose tastes align with those of high-status people in the U.S. Peterson and colleagues first identified the shift in status markers from snobbish and highbrow tastes to eclectic and omnivorous ones. Our findings suggest that cultural omnivores are characterized by two traits: superior self-perception in taste and cultural tolerance. These traits indicate that their prestige is sustained by their cultural styles, which are simultaneously broad and exclusive. Cultural omnivores also tend to engage in multifaceted experiences in food consumption and appearance-related goods (i.e., clothing), as well as Internet usage. We believe that the multiplicity observed in the current study reflects the highly strategic nature of the everyday consumption practices of cultural omnivores. We conclude that the qualities of elite consumers (i.e., cultural capital) are translated into omnivorous cultural consumption and a strategic and practical type of everyday consumption. The findings of this study have implications for marketing to high-status consumer segments characterized by a strong buying power and opinion leadership.

Black urban consumers’ status consumption of clothing brands in the emerging South African market

“…Previously, the constructs of conspicuous and status consumption were used interchangeably. The act of status‐seeking has been assumed to be materialistic due to its conspicuous nature as well as the signalling power of the particular products purchased (Kwon and Kwon, ). However, later research conducted by O'Cass and McEwen () proved these constructs to be empirically different.…”

Ethnicity on the table: A content analysis of online reviews for Syracuse's cuisines

“…In contemporary culture, dining out has been recognized as an opportunity to showcase one's taste, social standing, and distinction (Warde & Martens, 2000). Americans have been referred to as “cultural omnivores” due to their growing tendency toward a diverse palate and openness to cross‐cultural consumption (Kwon & Kwon, 2013; Peterson & Kern, 1996). Studies suggest that cultural omnivores value cultural diversity and are more likely to seek out new and exotic foods, displaying open‐mindedness toward trying new cuisines and food experiences (DuPuis, 2002).…”

The Role of Values as Mediator in Relationships Between Social Position and Cultural Omnivorousness in Germany

“…Cultural omnivorousness: There is no consensus on the operationalization of cultural omnivorousness (Villarroya and Llopis-Goig 2021;Brisson 2019;Hazır and Warde 2015). Research tends to use different approaches and measures the concept by: (i) aggregating preferences/dislikes/frequent cultural practices (e.g., García-Álvarez et al 2007;Rossman and Peterson 2015); (ii) constructing the composition of preferences that cross cultural boundaries (e.g., Kwon and Kwon 2013;Warde and Gayo-Cal 2009); (iii) defining a latent class of omnivores who show the highest probability of liking a wider range of cultural items (e.g., Coulangeon 2013; Vander Stichele and Laermans 2006). Additionally, operationalization can be performed within a single cultural domain (e.g., Rossman and Peterson 2015) or across different cultural fields (Warde et al 2007).…”