The Inner Child, a Universal Marketing Concept? An Exploration of the Concept in the United States and France
At a time when American and European brands communicate on childlike behavior in adult consumers, this paper explores the inner child concept through an ethnography of cosplay conducted in the US and France. Findings reveal a certain degree of homogeneity between American and French behaviors. We therefore suggest that companies who do business in these countries consider the critical role of play during consumption experiences and more particularly consumers’ preference for disorganized and spontaneous play.