International Journal of Business and Economics Volume 14, No. 1 June, 2015

Deconstructing Financial Services Advertising in the Run Up to the Great Recession: The Case of the Live Richly Campaign

Noel Murray

Argyros School of Business & Economics, Chapman University , U.S.A.

Ajay Manrai

Department of Business Administration, University of Delaware , U.S.A.

Lalita Manrai

Department of Business Administration, University of Delaware , U.S.A.

Abstract

The paper uses critical theory to analyze the impact of financial services advertising on consumer behavior in the run up to the Great Recession. One influential advertising campaign, the Citibank Live Richly campaign, is examined as an important situational variable, setting the context for poor consumer decision-making regarding financial services and consumer debt-related products. Critical realism is offered up as a promising methodology to examine the broader institutional and regulatory framework surrounding financial services advertising.

Keywords：d econstruction, financial services advertising, great recession, critical realism, BAPCPA, Citibank.

JEL Classifications：M31, M37, M38.

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