Journal of Marketing Management

I Like Him Just Like My Wife! Empty Nest and Attachment to Car Consumption by the Elderly
Tonny Kerley de Alencar Rodrigues, Lísia Maria Monteiro Ferreira

Abstract
The interfaces of a product with a high symbolic value as an automobile, the presence of elements that constitute theoretical advances in objects of study of psychology is perceived, such as the theories of the full / empty nest and attachment. The research aims to understand the consumption of automobiles by the elderly through exchanges between generations with a focus on the aforementioned theories. Based on a qualitative approach, centered on the subjectivity of symbolic cultural meanings and supported by the family of theoretical perspectives that make up the CCT (Consumer and Culture Theory), in-depth interviews were conducted with elderly consumers (over 65 years old) and analyzed with the Spiggle's methodological proposal (1994). The main findings found that the attachment to the automobile is greater than to other goods or other family members who participate in intra-generational consumption exchanges. In addition, when the children leave the home - moving from the full nest to the empty nest - the car becomes overvalued with the transfer of emotional feelings of affection. Secondary elements are also discussed, such as the financial organization used by the group to consume the good, valuing comfort requirements linked to age and the car as a language.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jmm.v9n1a3