Masstige Marketing: A Review, Synthesis, and Research Agenda

The paper addresses how the concept of Mass Prestige (masstige) has emerged from luxury marketing and how it can be theorized, measured, and managed. With economic growth expanding the global middle class, luxury has shifted from rarity-driven exclusivity to broader accessibility, creating a paradox between growth and rarity. The authors argue that masstige marketing—positioning premium brands for mass-market adoption while retaining prestige—represents a significant paradigm shift in brand management. They present a theoretical view in two equations: (1) Premium Price = f(Mass Prestige) and (2) Mass Prestige = f(Product, Promotion, Place strategies). The paper aims to review and synthesize the nascent masstige literature, differentiate masstige from luxury, propose a Mass-Luxury continuum to position brands, and set a research agenda using a Theory-Methods-Context framework. The review is motivated by the lack of a comprehensive synthesis despite growing practitioner interest and scattered academic work since Silverstein and Fiske (2003).

The review traces masstige’s evolution from luxury branding through several conceptual developments: Silverstein and Fiske (2003) coined 'masstige' by observing middle-class adoption of premium goods; Kastanakis and Balabanis (2012) introduced 'bandwagon luxury consumption' highlighting interdependent self-identity and status-seeking; Granot et al. (2013) proposed the 'Populence' paradigm for popularizing premium goods; Paul (2015, 2018, 2019) developed the Masstige model, Masstige Mean Score Scale (MMSS) and Index (MMI), and a hexagon/3-stage framework linking product, promotion, and place to mass prestige and pricing power. The review differentiates masstige from luxury on dimensions such as inherent quality signaling, exclusivity, price, and consumer motives (status vs ideal-self portrayal), and discusses risks of downward extensions (e.g., dilution, negative feedback effects) alongside mediating roles of perceived value and concept consistency. It synthesizes evidence that status and conspicuousness are distinct drivers, both relevant to masstige, and that foreign brands can exhibit higher mass prestige in some markets. The authors compile 36 core articles (from an initial 93) mapping three phases of research growth (2003–2012, 2013–2015, 2016–2019), with themes spanning brand extensions, democratization of luxury, accessible luxury, and measurement. The review culminates in a Mass-Luxury continuum positioning masstige among constructs such as new luxury, premium, and traditional luxury across dimensions like price, consumer income, market, consumption type, status, and exclusivity, and outlines a marketing-mix blueprint for building masstige brands.

The authors conducted a systematic review using multiple databases (EBSCO, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus) and backward reference searches. Keywords included Mass Prestige, Masstige, Masstige Marketing, Populence, Democratisation of Luxury, Bandwagon luxury, Mass Affluence, Massification, Accessible Luxury, and Prestige Brands. The temporal focus was primarily post-2003 (when 'masstige' was coined), with selective inclusion of pre-2003 works relevant to prestige and related constructs. Initial screening identified 93 relevant articles; applying inclusion criteria (explicit mention of key terms; journals listed in SSCI or ABDC 2016) and author triangulation reduced the set to 36 core articles. The team iteratively categorized insights into: (1) evolution from luxury to masstige, (2) theoretical underpinnings and differentiation, and (3) empirical findings and measures. The review also adopts a Theory-Methods-Context (TMC) lens to propose future research directions.

• Research scope and growth: From 93 initially identified studies, 36 met strict inclusion criteria. Interest accelerated post-2013, indicating a growing field. Geographical coverage is concentrated (e.g., US, France, UK, Japan, India). Service sectors are underrepresented compared to product-based categories (e.g., cars, fashion, laptops).
• Conceptual clarification: Masstige differs from traditional luxury and generic premium. It targets middle-income consumers seeking status or ideal-self expression via attainable prestige. Masstige is positioned below old/traditional luxury on a Mass-Luxury continuum and overlaps with 'new luxury' and accessible premium.
• Theoretical linkages: Masstige can be modeled as Mass Prestige = f(Product/Service, Promotion, Place), with price as an outcome of created mass prestige, enabling sustained premium pricing (Premium Price = f(Mass Prestige)).
• Brand extensions and risk: Downward extensions can dilute luxury brand relationships and perceived luxury; however, perceived value mediates effects on purchase intention, and concept consistency is key to mitigate risks.
• Status vs conspicuousness: These are distinct constructs; both influence masstige and luxury consumption differently.
• Foreign vs domestic effects: Evidence suggests foreign brands can command higher mass prestige than domestic counterparts in certain markets (e.g., US, France, India, Japan).
• Measurement advances: The Masstige Mean Score Scale (MMSS) and Masstige Mean Index (MMI) provide a 10-item Likert measure (max score 70). Interpretation thresholds: >60 = top-of-mind masstige; 50–60 = masstige but not top; <50 = not positioned as masstige.
• Managerial blueprint: A marketing-mix guide recommends: born-masstige product design, innovation, premium look-and-feel; introduce and maintain relatively high prices, avoid price promotions; selective distribution and direct marketing; premium packaging and selective endorsements; reliance on BTL and selective media.

The synthesis addresses the core question of what masstige is and how it can be developed and measured, distinguishing it from luxury while situating it on a Mass-Luxury continuum. Findings underscore that mass prestige can be strategically engineered through product/service differentiation, promotion, and place—enabling premium pricing without traditional luxury’s strict rarity. This reconciles the luxury growth–rarity paradox by offering a pathway for brands to scale while retaining prestige cues. The review highlights practical implications: targeting middle-income, status-aspiring consumers; cautious management of downward extensions; leveraging foreignness when advantageous; and deploying MMSS/MMI for benchmarking. The work also surfaces critical research gaps—especially in services, qualitative exploration of psychological drivers, cross-cultural comparisons, and alternative measures—thereby refining the research agenda and strengthening masstige’s position within branding theory.

Masstige has evolved as a distinct construct rooted in luxury branding yet oriented toward mass-market accessibility with retained prestige. This review contributes by (1) synthesizing two decades of dispersed literature, (2) differentiating masstige from related constructs, (3) proposing and explicating a Mass-Luxury continuum, (4) consolidating measurement via MMSS/MMI, and (5) outlining a comprehensive TMC-based research agenda. The authors recommend extending masstige research into service industries (airlines, hotels, banking), broadening geographic contexts, refining and validating measures across settings, and employing both quantitative and qualitative methods to deepen theoretical foundations. As competition intensifies and middle-class aspirations rise, masstige strategy offers marketers a scalable pathway to premium pricing and broader adoption while preserving brand prestige.

The concept of masstige is relatively new and theoretically evolving, limiting the generalizability of conclusions. The review’s inclusion criteria (SSCI/ABDC journals; explicit term usage) may exclude relevant works, and the literature is geographically and sectorally skewed (product-focused, limited service-sector studies). Only one prominent measurement scale (MMSS/MMI) currently exists, requiring further validation across contexts. As many findings derive from limited country and category contexts, cross-cultural and cross-category generalizations should be made cautiously.