
Title

Authentic: The Politics of Ambivalence in a Brand Culture (Critical Cultural Communication, 30),Used
Delivery time: 8-12 business days (International)
A stimulating, smart book on what it means to live in a brand cultureBrands are everywhere. Branding is central to political campaigns and political protest movements; the alchemy of social media and selfbranding creates overnight celebrities; the selfproclaimed greening of institutions and merchant goods is nearly universal. But while the practice of branding is typically understood as a tool of marketing, a method of attaching social meaning to a commodity as a way to make it more personally resonant with consumers, Sarah BanetWeiser argues that in the contemporary era, brands are about culture as much as they are about economics. That, in fact, we live in a brand culture.Authentic maintains that branding has extended beyond a business model to become both reliant on, and reflective of, our most basic social and cultural relations. Further, these types of brand relationships have become cultural contexts for everyday living, individual identity, and personal relationshipswhat BanetWeiser refers to as brand cultures. Distinct brand cultures, that at times overlap and compete with each other, are taken up in each chapter: the normalization of a feminized selfbrand in social media, the brand culture of street art in urban spaces, religious brand cultures such as New Age Spirituality and Prosperity Christianity,and the culture of green branding and shopping for change.In a culture where graffiti artists loan their visions to both subway walls and department stores, buying a cup of fairtrade coffee is a political statement, and religion is massmarketed on tshirts, BanetWeiser questions the distinction between what we understand as the authentic and branding practices. But brand cultures are also contradictory and potentially rife with unexpected possibilities, leading Authentic to articulate a politics of ambivalence, creating a lens through which we can see potential political possibilities within the new consumerism.
By changing our most important processes and
products, we have already made a big leap forward. This ranges from the
increased use of more sustainable fibers to the use of more
environmentally friendly printing processes to the development of
efficient waste management in our value chain.
⚠️ WARNING (California Proposition 65):
This product may contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
For more information, please visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
Shipping & Returns
Shipping
We ship your order within 2–3 business days for USA deliveries and 5–8 business days for international shipments. Once your package has been dispatched from our warehouse, you'll receive an email confirmation with a tracking number, allowing you to track the status of your delivery.
Returns
To facilitate a smooth return process, a Return Authorization (RA) Number is required for all returns. Returns without a valid RA number will be declined and may incur additional fees. You can request an RA number within 15 days of the original delivery date. For more details, please refer to our Return & Refund Policy page.
Shipping & Returns
Shipping
We ship your order within 2–3 business days for USA deliveries and 5–8 business days for international shipments. Once your package has been dispatched from our warehouse, you'll receive an email confirmation with a tracking number, allowing you to track the status of your delivery.
Returns
To facilitate a smooth return process, a Return Authorization (RA) Number is required for all returns. Returns without a valid RA number will be declined and may incur additional fees. You can request an RA number within 15 days of the original delivery date. For more details, please refer to our Return & Refund Policy page.
Warranty
We provide a 2-year limited warranty, from the date of purchase for all our products.
If you believe you have received a defective product, or are experiencing any problems with your product, please contact us.
This warranty strictly does not cover damages that arose from negligence, misuse, wear and tear, or not in accordance with product instructions (dropping the product, etc.).
Warranty
We provide a 2-year limited warranty, from the date of purchase for all our products.
If you believe you have received a defective product, or are experiencing any problems with your product, please contact us.
This warranty strictly does not cover damages that arose from negligence, misuse, wear and tear, or not in accordance with product instructions (dropping the product, etc.).
Secure Payment
Your payment information is processed securely. We do not store credit card details nor have access to your credit card information.
We accept payments with :
Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Paypal, Shopify Payments, Shop Pay and more.
Secure Payment
Your payment information is processed securely. We do not store credit card details nor have access to your credit card information.
We accept payments with :
Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Paypal, Shopify Payments, Shop Pay and more.