Review of Journalism & Mass Communication

Between Demand and Desire: a Study on Low-Income Consumer’s Materialism in São Paulo, Brazil
Maria de Lourdes Bacha, Celso Figueiredo Neto

Abstract
This work aims at analyzing the attitude of low-income consumers living in the city of São Paulo towards materialism taking into account the culture of consumption. There are many reasons for choosing this subject: on one hand, the importance of low-income market segment in Brazil. On the other hand, from the academic perspective, the review of literature has revealed that over the last few years the lowincome population has become a highly discussed subject in academic circles. However, researches on materialism in the light of consumption culture are still rare, which indicates a gap despite the importance of themes such as society and consumption. Firstly, a brief review of the literature is presented. Then, the results of an empirical research conducted with 420 individuals chosen randomly in strategic points of great flow of people in the city of São Paulo are discussed. The results reveal a relationship with cultural aspects, such as leisure activities and behavioral variables.

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