Drag as Marketplace: Contemporary Cultures, Identities and Business

by Mikko Laamanen (Editor), Mario Campana (Editor), Maria Rita Micheli (Editor), Rohan Venkatraman (Editor), Katherine Duffy (Editor)

Overview

Today drag has an unprecedented mass cultural appeal. Reaching far beyond traditional queer venues and audiences into the mainstream, it has evolved into a booming industry worth millions of dollars.

Drag is art, politics, lifestyle and entertainment all in one. Yet, studies examining its market value as a product, brand or consumption practice remain scarce. This interdisciplinary collection fills that void, exploring the intersection of drag and markets.

Written by an international group of scholars exploring cases from Europe, Asia and the US, this will be a key resource for anyone curious about drag’s social, political and economic impact.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781529237443
Publisher:	Bristol University Press
Publication date:	01/07/2025
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	226
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x (d)

About the Author

Mikko Laamanen is Research Professor at Consumption Research Norway, Oslo Metropolitan University.

Mario Campana is Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the School of Management, University of Bath.

Maria Rita Micheli is Associate Professor in Strategy at IESEG School of Management.

Rohan Venkatraman is Lecturer in Marketing at the Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham.

Katherine Duffy is Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: What are Marketplace Cultures of Drag? - Mikko Laamanen, Maria Rita Micheli, Mario Campana, Rohan Venkatraman and Katherine Duffy

Part 1: Politicizing Drag Identities

2. The Neoliberal ‘Ru-presentation’ of Drag as a Key to Success and Acceptance - Luigi Squillante

3. Drag is Not Womanface - Paul Haynes

Part 2: Marketizing Drag

4. Crafty Queens: Meaning Co-Creation Between Drag Performers and Brands through Artisanal Framing - Alina Both, Raian Razal and Rohan Venkatraman

5. Legitimation Spillover in the Berlin Drag Scene: From Conflict to Collaboration - Pia Seimetz and Jan-Hendrick Bucher

6. Non-Fan Perception and Behaviour towards Cosmetics Endorsed by Drag Celebrities in Japan - Binh Nghiêm-Phú

Part 3: Digitizing Drag

7. Cybernetic Drag: Embodiment, Technology and Digital Drag Performance in the US During the COVID-19 Pandemic - Shayne Zaslow

8. Drag Social Media Influencers as Opinion Leaders: Their Role in Persuading and Promoting Drag Entertainment in India - Khyati Jagani

9. Conclusion: Studying Drag Marketplace Cultures - Critical Reflections and Future Directions - Mario Campana, Rohan Venkatraman, Katherine Duffy, Mikko Laamanen and Maria Rita Micheli

Epilogue

10. Kinky Boots: Reflections on Making and Marketing Tubular Sex - Pauline Maclaran

11. Reflections on the Business, Consumption and Performance of Contemporary Drag - Mark McCormack

Editorial Reviews

Drag’s commercial crossover raises complicated questions about what happens to gendered performance, bodies, and queer politics under the marketplace's embrace. This much-needed volume addresses them with charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.” Joshua Gamson, University of San Francisco

From the Publisher