Minimalism in consumption: A typology and brand engagement strategies

• Published in: Journal of business research 2021-04, Vol.127, p.167-178
• Main Authors: Pangarkar, Aniruddha, Shukla, Paurav, Taylor, Charles R. “Ray”
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Brand engagement; Business schools; Consumer behavior; Consumer well-being; Marketing research; Marketing strategies; Minimalism; Minimalistic consumers
• ISSN: 0148-2963; 1873-7978
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.01.033

•Extant research on minimalism views consumers as homogeneous and not heterogeneous.•The antecedents and motives of minimalistic consumption are identified.•The research gap is addressed through developing a consumer typology.•Firms can design strategies to satisfy the unique goals for each consumer segment. Minimalistic consumption has received increased attention during the last few years with a substantial segment of consumers having adopted this notion. Minimalism highlights subjective well-being, happiness, and increased quality of life. Despite minimalism gaining significance, we know little about minimalistic consumption, its various forms, its antecedents, and its impact on consumer behavior. Extant literature does not offer a clear or concise conceptualization of minimalism in consumption or the potential strategies to identify, target, and engage minimalistic consumers. This has been a major deterrent in advancing research on minimalistic consumption. This article provides a conceptualization of minimalism and offers a typology of consumers that engage in minimalistic consumption based on two dimensions: the conditional susceptibility and goal orientation of consumers. It presents a framework of brand engagement strategies for each type of consumer and shows how firms can potentially benefit in terms of sales, profitability, and customer relationships by engaging with minimalistic consumers.