MMTC seminar presented by Luigi Servadio and Adele Berndt
Title: Passionate Collectors: The ‘Passive’ Transmission of Mundane Consumption
Description: This study reconceptualises consumer passion by moving beyond dominant views of fans as active, identity-driven agents. Drawing on non-representational marketing theory, passion is approached as a passive condition—one of being affected by forces that exceed the individual. From this perspective, collectors are understood not as discrete subjects, but as part of affective networks shaped by interactions across bodies, objects, and platforms.
The study develops the concept of passionate collectors through a multi-method approach, focusing on the Little Shop Minis campaign by South African retailer Checkers. Combining auto-ethnographic insights with netnographic data from social media, the research explores how collecting emerges through shared affective intensity rather than intentional identity work. The project contributes to ongoing discussions at the intersection of fandom studies and consumer culture theory, highlighting the role of affect, resonance, and contagion in shaping consumption practices.
This paper is intended for a special issue in Marketing Theory entitled “ When Fandom Studies Meets Consumer Culture: Redefining the Boundaries of Marketing Theory”. We would appreciate feedback and constructive input from everyone.
