Symbolic Architects of Consumption
Consumption is more than the acquisition of products and services: It is a cultural process through which individuals express identities, negotiate meanings, and communicate values. These meanings are shaped within broader social and cultural contexts and, in today’s hyperconnected era, circulate across markets, media, and communities with unprecedented intensity. This book examines emerging artists as cultural agents – Symbolic Architects of Consumption – focusing on Bad Bunny and Saint Levant as market-shaping actors whose music, narratives, aesthetics, and public identities communicate values and cultural codes far beyond the artistic sphere. Drawing on established Theories, the book shows how these artists create and circulate meanings and symbolic codes that shape consumption across fashion, language, lifestyles, and digital culture. Through in-depth case analysis and experimental evidences the volume offers a new perspective on how contemporary cultural actors shape meanings, markets, and consumption together the effects on emotional engagement, symbolic identification, and behavioural responses.
Luigi Nasta, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of Management and Director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship at the John Cabot University. His research focuses on digital transformation and sustainability in creative and cultural industries, entrepreneurial finance and crowdfunding, responsible leadership, and the strategic use of emerging technologies such as AI and big data across business functions.
Andrea Sestino, Ph.D., Qualified as Full Professor of Management and Marketing, is Associate Professor (eCampus), and Lecturer in the same field at Luiss Business School and Affiliate Fellow at ISEM, Universidad de Navarra, Madrid. His research lies at the intersection of innovation management, marketing, and consumer behaviour, examining how immersive and interactive technologies reshape consumer experiences, value creation, and market dynamics. He is also interested in human-technology interaction, cultural consumption, and technology-enabled innovation.
Luca Pirolo, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Management at Luiss University, Associate Dean for Multi-Hub Strategy, and Director of the Specialised Master Area at Luiss Business School. He also serves as Vice Dean of the LUISS Dubai Campus and as member of the Board of Directors of the Amsterdam Fashion Academy – Luiss Business School, Netherlands.