Extending Authenticity: Going Corporate in a Craft Market

• In Event: 1548 - Classification and Legitimation in the Sociology of Culture

Abstract

Authenticity is a critical feature of a brand’s quality, integrity, and reputation. After a corporate acquisition, craft companies face a legitimacy crisis as customers question the brand’s authenticity. This article examines why and under what circumstances fans remain loyal after a multinational buyout of a craft business. Qualitative case study analysis indicates that omnivore consumers are pursuing new contexts to foster distinction and accrue cultural capital. Producer-consumer relations nourished within consumption circuits, including artisan kinship and craft celebrity, allow omnivores to affirm their uniqueness and acquire nonpecuniary acumen. Evolving trends in the procurement and display of social status have created opportunities for entrepreneurs to avoid criticism of inauthentic behavior.

Author

• Marie Sarita Gaytan, University of Utah