The Role of Luxury in Rituals and Its Transformative Potential for Consumer Well-Being

Abstract

Driven by social media to capture each moment in life and to “keep up with the Joneses,” nearly every ritual is now cause for luxury consumption, fostering a culture in which bigger and grander is better. However, this commentary raises questions about these practices. How much is too much? What is truly better? Macromarketers must continue to weigh in on these issues. This commentary melds literature on consumer rituals, transformative luxury, and consumer well-being to explore what happens when consumers begin incorporating elements of luxury into more mundane and personal, but highly visible, ritual consumption practices, such as gender-reveal celebrations, divorce parties, and preschool graduations. We elucidate the field of transformative luxury research, examining the ways new and adapted rituals (infused with luxury) transform individual lives and culture, the impact of ritual disruptions, the roles of external influencers (e.g., social media, marketing), and the positive and negative impacts of these practices on consumer well-being.