She investigates more mainstream art, from the teen dance sensation The Buddy Deane Show to the comedy-drama Roc to the crime show The Wire, from Anne Tyler's award-winning book The Accidental Tourist to Barry Levinson's movie classic Diner.
The book delves into the evolution of lifestyle marketing from the 1960s to the 1990s, illustrating how marketers shifted focus from class identity linked to material possessions to a person's attitudes and behaviors. It highlights key cultural figures such as the 1950s rebel, the 1960s hippie, the 1980s white suburban hip-hop fan, and the 1990s poverty chic, showcasing how these identities influenced marketing strategies and consumer culture throughout the decades.