Eşitsizliğin Pazarlanması: Lüks Tüketim Üzerinden Sosyoekonomik Tabakalaşma Analizi

Öz

Bu çalışma, lüks tüketim pratiklerinin pazarlama stratejileri aracılığıyla sosyoekonomik tabakalaşmayı nasıl yeniden ürettiğini disiplinlerarası bir bakış açısıyla ele almaktadır. Araştırmada, nitel içerik analizi ve TOPSIS (Çok Kriterli Karar Verme) yöntemi birlikte kullanılmıştır. Nitel boyutta Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Mercedes-Benz, Gucci ve Apple gibi markaların sosyal medya paylaşımları ve reklam kampanyaları incelenmiş; statü vurgusu, ayrıcalıklı yaşam temaları ve erişilemezlik stratejileri öne çıkarılmıştır. Nicel boyutta ise markalar, fiyat ulaşılmazlığı, ayrıcalıklı yaşam vurgusu, statü sembolü olma ve sınıfsal görsellik kriterleri açısından TOPSIS yöntemiyle karşılaştırmalı olarak değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular, lüks tüketimin yalnızca ekonomik bir faaliyet değil, aynı zamanda kültürel ve sembolik sermayenin bir göstergesi olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Özellikle Louis Vuitton ve Gucci yüksek skorlarıyla tabakalaşmayı en güçlü biçimde temsil ederken, Apple’ın daha düşük skorları sektörel farklılıklara işaret etmektedir. Çalışma, pazarlama söylemlerinin toplumsal eşitsizlikleri pekiştirme ve meşrulaştırmadaki kritik rolünü vurgulamakta; bu bağlamda lüks markaların kapsayıcı ve sürdürülebilir temsil stratejileri geliştirmesinin önemine dikkat çekmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Lüks Tüketim
• Pazarlama
• Sosyoekonomik Tabakalaşma
• TOPSİS

MARKETİNG INEQUALİTY: AN ANALYSİS OF SOCİOECONOMİC STRATİFİCATİON THROUGH LUXURY CONSUMPTİON

Öz

This study examines how luxury consumption practices reproduce socioeconomic stratification through marketing strategies from an interdisciplinary perspective. The research employs a combination of qualitative content analysis and the TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) method. On the qualitative side, the social media posts and advertising campaigns of leading global brands such as Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Mercedes-Benz, Gucci, and Apple were analyzed, with particular attention to themes of status emphasis, privileged lifestyle representations, and strategies of inaccessibility. On the quantitative side, the TOPSIS method was applied to evaluate brands across criteria including price inaccessibility, promotion of exclusivity, symbolic status, and class-based visuality. The findings reveal that luxury consumption functions not only as an economic activity but also as an indicator of cultural and symbolic capital. Louis Vuitton and Gucci, with their higher TOPSIS scores, emerged as the most prominent representatives of social stratification, whereas Apple’s relatively lower scores reflect sectoral distinctions. The study underscores the critical role of marketing discourse in reinforcing and legitimizing social inequalities, while highlighting the need for luxury brands to develop more inclusive and sustainable representational strategies.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Luxury Consumption
• Marketing
• Socioeconomic Stratification
• TOPSIS

Kaynakça

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