This approach basically considers consumption and its involved behavioral choices and practices as social and cultural phenomena - as opposed to psychological or purely economic phenomena. CCT, in the words of one of the summarizing articles about the field, "refers to a family of theoretical perspectives that address the dynamic relationship between consumer actions, the marketplace, and cultural meanings."

CCT is not only referring to this family of perspectives, but also to an informal group of researchers who to some degree identifies with the cultural approach to the study of consumption and consumers. Thus, CCT also can be said to mean Consumer Culture Theorists. Most, but not all the people in this informal group of researchers are employed at business schools, and they can be found on all continents (possibly excluding Antarctis) but with most of its proponents in North America and Europe.

The CCT group of researchers organizes and annual conference since 2006 with the fifth one scheduled for Spring 2010 in Madison, WI. Some of the schools also engage in a coordinated series of doctoral seminars on consumer culture theory and research methods.