COMMERCIALIZATION OF THE MANIFESTATIONSOF GEEK SUBCULTURE IN LATVIA

Abstract

A geek subculture is defined as a community of enthusiasts who passionately and deeply engage in the consumption of a creative industry product, such as comics, video games, science fiction, cosplay, and so on. However, in Latvia, this subculture is not widespread compared to other countries. Therefore, the aim of the article is to determine how the consumption and commercialization of elements forming geek subcultures manifests in Latvia and the attitudes of representatives towards the commercialization of subcultural expressions. Within the scope of this research, several definitions of the geek subculture were examined, enabling the formation of an understanding of the essence of this subculture and its global commercialization. Additionally, within the scope of the study, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 6 representatives of the geek subculture to explore their perspectives and experiences regarding the commercialization of the geek subculture in Latvia. It was concluded that in Latvia the variety of specialized events, businesses, and products is growing each year. However, subculture representatives prefer foreign markets due to the extensive choices available.