Fictional Scenario

Sociologist Dr Imogen Reeves carried out a study of identity formation among 18 to 24 year olds in the redeveloped city centre of Northbridge. She was interested in the role of consumption in shaping identity, especially in a society saturated by media, branding and global cultural flows. Northbridge had recently become known for its boutique coffee shops, street-food markets, pop-up art events, themed bars, vintage fashion outlets and a new shopping district designed to attract both tourists and local young professionals. Reeves wanted to explore whether young people were using consumption to express individuality, or whether their identities were increasingly shaped by commercial culture.

Her research used a combination of street interviews, digital observation of public social media posts and photo-elicitation interviews. Participants were asked to discuss where they spent their leisure time, what they bought, the kinds of images they posted online and how they wanted others to see them. Many respondents described weekends built around visually attractive spaces rather than practical needs. They talked about “content-worthy” cafés, branded trainers, festivals, rooftop cinemas and travel experiences that could be posted, shared and remembered through images. Reeves noticed that leisure was not simply about relaxation. It was often about curating a lifestyle and displaying a recognisable version of the self.

One clear pattern in the data was conspicuous consumption. Some participants openly discussed buying expensive trainers, limited edition clothing and high-status technology not because they needed them, but because these items signalled taste, success and belonging. A number of respondents said they carefully chose products that would “look right” in photos and help them fit into particular friendship groups. Reeves argued that this suggested identity had become closely linked to visible consumption. Purchasing was not only economic activity. It was also a form of social communication.

Tourism also mattered, even within the city itself. Participants often described visiting murals, markets and landmarks in ways that reflected the tourist gaze. They searched for recognisable backdrops, aesthetically pleasing food and “authentic” local experiences, even when they had lived in Northbridge for years. Reeves argued that global media had taught people how places were supposed to be seen. Instead of simply using the city, many young people consumed it visually. Experiences became valuable partly because they could be photographed and shared.

Reeves also found evidence of media saturation. Participants said streaming platforms, influencers, targeted advertising and algorithm-driven feeds constantly exposed them to new styles, products and lifestyles. This had an impact on choice of identity. Many respondents felt free to reinvent themselves through fashion, music, leisure and online presentation. They mixed elements from different subcultures and traditions, combining thrifted clothes, luxury brands, Korean skincare, British streetwear, anime references, fitness culture and local slang. Reeves described these as pick and mix identities, shaped by a wide cultural marketplace rather than one stable community or class position.

Several respondents struggled to separate image from reality. A themed dessert bar designed to look like a 1950s American diner was described by participants as “more real than the real thing”, even though few had ever visited the United States. Reeves linked this to hyperreality and simulacra. In Northbridge, people consumed signs and images that referred mainly to other images. Branded “authentic” experiences were often copies of copies. What mattered was not whether something was original, but whether it felt convincing, immersive and shareable.

At the same time, Reeves argued that these identities were not simply global and placeless. Many young people combined international influences with local meanings. For example, participants paired global fashion brands with references to local football culture, neighbourhood accents and regional music scenes. She described this as glocalisation, where global products and ideas are adapted to fit local identities. This was visible in food, fashion, music and even language. Globalisation had expanded the range of identities available, but these were often remade through local context.

Her final conclusion was that patterns of leisure and consumption now play a major role in identity formation. Young people were not simply born into fixed identities. Instead, they actively assembled identities from the choices available in a consumer culture shaped by media saturation and globalisation. However, Reeves also noted that this freedom was uneven. Some forms of identity work required money, time and digital access, meaning that choice was real but not unlimited. Consumption had become central to identity, but it did not operate outside wider inequalities.