Abstract

Objectives

The main objective of this study is to investigate reasons for drinking by examining the elements of play in Finnish students' experiences of alcohol consumption. The other objectives include finding out what actions Finnish students perform to enable the play state in drinking and what are the implications for policy makers and marketers. The study belongs to the consumer culture theory (CCT) research.

Methodology

The research is qualitative and interpretative in nature. Eight Finnish students from universities and universities of applied sciences were interviewed and the transcripts of these interviews formed the empirical data of this study. The exploration belonged to the existential-phenomenological research approach and method.

Key findings

The key findings in this study are that alcohol consumption can result in play state which also is the ultimate reason to drink. The state has a positive effect on a person's life before, during and after the event, and it is perceived so compelling that the person is willing to engage various activities before, during and after the actual activity in order to enable play. However, even though drinking positively affects a person's life, there is a great risk of harmful consequences, which makes drinking as play also a disharmonious phenomenon.

Keywords: Alcohol consumption, consumer culture, consumer research, deep play, drinking, existential-phenomenology, flow, play