The Consumer-Object Relationship Debate (Beccanulli et al., 2024)

Welcome to Revise and Resubmit. Today, we’re diving deep into the fascinating world of how consumers relate to objects in our increasingly digital lives. Our focus? A thought-provoking paper titled The Consumer-Object Relationship Debate in Contemporary Technoculture by Angela A. Beccanulli, Silvia Biraghi, and Rossella C. Gambetti, published in the Journal of Marketing Management by Routledge. This research systematically reviews the evolving conversation around consumer-object relationships, laying out a path for a theory of the object in marketing and consumer research. It highlights how objects—especially smart, technological ones—are reshaping our experiences and identities. Through a unique combination of bibliometric and semantic analysis, the authors explore the interplay between different theoretical perspectives, asking us to consider the significance of how we interact with the everyday objects that now hold so much power over our lives. But here’s the question: As technology blurs the lines between consumers and their objects, what does this mean for the future of how we see ourselves and our world? A special thanks to Angela A. Beccanulli, Silvia Biraghi, Rossella C. Gambetti, and Routledge for their incredible work in advancing this vital discussion. Now, let’s get started! Reference Angela A. Beccanulli, Silvia Biraghi & Rossella C. Gambetti (2024) The consumer-object relationship debate in contemporary technoculture: a systematic review for a theory of the object, Journal of Marketing Management, 40:11-12, 937-967. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2024.2404870