Analyses And Reflections On The Power Of Brand Signs From The Perspective Of Consumer Culture

Baudrillard believed that consumption would inevitably lead to active manipulation of signs,the consumptions of modern people actually imply a deeper “signs” consumption.From the perspective of social development,from the earliest pursuit of objects(material value)to later pursuit of goods(exchange value),nowadays people's pursuit has developed into the pursuit of brand(symbolic value).Whilst the brand is the carrier of all kinds of consumption signs,and the sign is the main content of brand control,then the consumption of the brand is actually the consumption of the sign.The added value of commodity given by brand has already exceeded the material value of the commodity itself.In the background of Internet era,brand signs are characterized by infinity,interactivity and personalization,and its control of power is enhancing.By means of speculative analysis and interdisciplinary theories including sociology(consumer society research),cultural studies(critical research of power),semiotics(semiotic theory research)and advertising(brand theory research),this study analyzes in-depth the power factors contained in the process of signifying of branding,finds that modern consumer activities have not got rid of the regulation of people by consumer culture,the consumption,as a core in modern mass culture,is permeated with the factors that economic capital integrates all resources to manipulate and guide consumption,which constitute the power control in brand culture.The manipulation of brand signs is embodied in below aspects: the illusory of consumer sovereignty,the operation of social class and capital,the operation of power in mass media,the influence of brand signs on body.The development of Internet has also brought about further changes of consumer culture,the power of signs in online consumption has shown a new trend.This study also finds that the manipulation of brand signs has led to the disorder of brand culture.The world's anti-brand movements are exactly a direct result of overproduction and over-marketing of the brand signs,which is worth our reflection.However,brand power is not absolute,it is also subject to the counteraction of consumers.Although this counteraction cannot fully compete with brand power,it will form a constraint on it to some extent.