SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW - EXPLORING THE INTERACTION BETWEEN RITUAL AND ADVERTISING

Although the study of consumer rituals is increasing, the relationship between advertising and consumer rituals has not been explored. The a uthors offer a framework for examining the influence of those cultural institutions, articulating the ways advertising can influence consump tion during rituals, as well as the ways advertising employs ritual sy mbolism to create messages about products and services not designed fo r use during such occasions. They provide examples of ads employing sy mbols associated with the wedding sociologically and economically sign ificant ritual in our culture. The authors argue that advertising not only influences ritual, but is often a form of secular ritual itself. They propose several areas for future research.