Social media and new marketing within the consumer society
In sociological theories, one can find at least two explanations for the emergence of a consumer society. One of them refers to economics, looking to the growth of production efficiency and the enrichment of society as the causes of consumption revolution. The second refers to culture, treating the change in social practices, consumption patterns as a result of changes in the usual social norms. The paradigm that has dominated for over 10 years in the social sciences sees in consumption the tool of reflective shaping of the consumer’s identity. On the other hand, some sociologists look for units of identity formatted by marketing. Undoubtedly, the author is closer to this second statement, but he sees a kind of technological determinism. The contemporary consumer, immersed in the world of new technologies, which is his choice, at the same time submits to marketing technical means, made possible by these technologies. The author, based on the existing data, puts forward the thesis that individualism, strengthened among others by new media, has been successfully used by marketers to sell standardized products.