The second edition of this title explores the nature and role of consumption in modern societies. It is an up-to-date revision that establishes the importance of new object-based studies for consumer culture, and incorporates new chapters on branding and the rise of ethical consumption. Drawing on a wide range of studies, and using contemporary illustrations from the media and popular culture, the author examines the emergence of consumer culture and the changing relations between the production and consumption of cultural goods. She argues that consumer culture has become increasingly stylized and now provides an important context for everyday creativity. It also explores the way in which the position of individuals within social groups and their position in social groups structured by class, gender, race, and age affects the nature of their participation in consumer culture. The powerful role consumption plays in our lives is revealed and consumer culture is seen to provide new ways of creating social and political identities