Lifestyles and the use of new media technology in urban China

Research in adoption of new media technologies for social identity and its relationship to lifestyle has received little attention. The purpose of this study is to link consumers' lifestyle orientation and media use to the adoption behavior of new media technologies in urban China. Key findings indicate that (1) lifestyles significantly affect innovativeness; (2) the upscale socioeconomic profile of earlier adopters was consistent with early research; and (3) adoption of certain new media technologies appeared to project certain social identities such as 'life expansionists', 'sophisticated and fashionable', and 'pleasurable and enjoyable'. The results have important implications for marketing managers and media planners. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.