21st Century Social Class Theory as It Applies to Marketing

Within marketing, researchers and instructors have not kept up with the changes in social class theory. We examine the old social class theory still used and cited in current marketing literature and discuss the evolution and additions of cultural capital and its shift from an elite-to-mass to an omnivore-to-mivore status hierarchy. In light of this shift, past consumer behavior research needs to be reviewed as well as future inclusion in empirical and theoretical research. The new social class paradigm shift explains why social class can still be applied to consumer behavior beyond market segmentation.