Kevin Mellet
2026.6.1Journal of Cultural Economy
Abstract
This response to reviewers of Marketing: A Sociological Approach situates the sociology of marketing within three long-running sociological debates: the production of culture, the functioning of markets, and the organisation of business. It argues that marketing should be studied empirically as organised action at the intersection of firms, markets, and culture, rather than as a purely manipulative force. The response highlights key dimensions of marketers' work, including the production of knowledge and expertise, the circulation of signs and values, and the construction of market devices and management tools. It also incorporates reviewers' suggestions by emphasizing creative and affective labour, the role of digitalisation in reshaping marketing practices, and the importance of historicizing marketing infrastructures and techniques. Finally, it reflects on marketing's role in the ecological crisis, asking whether a field historically tied to affluent consumption could be reoriented toward sufficiency and environmental transition.
Citation format
MELLET, Kevin. A response to comments on marketing: A sociological approach. Journal of Cultural Economy, 2026: 1–5.