What is Culture?

1
Consumer Insight 3-2

• Why is there so much demand for SUVs, which are
  not environmentally friendly, when American
  values strongly support environmental protection?
• Why is demand for hybrid cars such as the Insight
  and the Prius so low relative to the demand for
  an SUV such as the Excursion?
• How should a company such as Ford balance the
  ethics of providing environmentally sound
  products with the need to provide consumers with
  the products they desire in order to remain
  profitable?

2
What is Culture?

• Culture The complex whole that includes
  knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, customs, and
  any other capabilities and habits acquired by
  humans as members of society
• Key issues

3
The Influence of Culture on Consumer Behavior

• The sum total of learned beliefs, values, and
  customs that serve to regulate the consumer
  behavior of members of a particular society.

4
Values, Norms, and Sanctions
5
Categories of Cultural Norms

• Folkways/Customs
• Only informal sanctions if violated
• What are some of the customs of our Southern
  culture that impact consumer behavior?

6
Regional Consumption Differences
Northeast North Central South West Media Cosmop
olitan 96 84 106 111 Outdoor
Life 97 131 89 88 Vibe 179 100 67 81 Premi
ere 83 105 83 138 Religious radio
54 109 143 63 Nick at Nite 122 110 90 8
5 Hobbies/Activities Hunting (with
rifle) 96 132 92 81 Tennis 100 78 84 151 M
ovie attendance 107 82 81 145 Attend high
school sports 82 148 93 75
7
Regional Consumption Differences (cont.)
Northeast North Central South West Product
Use Imported wine 136 95 90 87 Domestic
wine 118 68 68 171 Diet cola
drinks 94 129 95 82 Regular cola
drinks 75 87 134 81 Mouthwash 111 100 99 9
2 Laptop/notebook 111 72 75 161 Restaurants/S
hopping Fast-food restaurants 74 110 113 92 Km
art 93 123 91 95 The Gap 162 93 74 93 Eddi
e Bauer 103 123 59 139 Banana
Republic 134 82 75 128
8
Categories of Cultural Norms

• Rituals and Symbols
• One of the most visible representations of
  cultural norms and one which most significantly
  impacts marketing activities.

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Selected Rituals and Associated Consumption
Activities
SELECTED RITUALS
TYPICAL ARTIFACTS
Wedding
White gown (something old, something new,
something borrowed, something blue)
Birth of child
U.S. Savings Bond, silver baby spoon
Birthday
Card, present, cake with candles
50th Wedding Anniversary
Catered party, card and gift, display of photos
of the couples life together
Graduation
Pen, U.S. Savings Bond, card, wristwatch
Valentines Day
Candy card, flowers
New Years Eve
Champagne, party, fancy dress
Thanksgiving
Prepare a turkey meal for family and friends
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Table continued
SELECTED RITUALS
TYPICAL ARTIFACTS
Going to the gym
Towel, exercise clothes, water, portable tape
player
Sunday football
Beer, potato chips, pretzels
Super Bowl Party
Same as Sunday football (just more)
Starting a new job
Get a haircut, buy some new clothing
Get a job promotion
Taken out to lunch by coworkers, receive token
gift
Retirement
Company party, watch, plaque
Death
Send a card, give to charity in the name of the
deceased
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Categories of Cultural Norms

• Mores
• Often associated with moral and religious values
  in a culture and are treated as absolute rules of
  behavior by the members of society.

12
Categories of Cultural Norms

• Laws
• Specific rules of behavior which have been
  codified and are enforced by authorities in
  society.

13
Variations in Cultural Values
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Cultural Values and Consumer Behavior

• Other-Oriented Values
• Individual/Collective. Are individual activity
  and initiative valued more highly than collective
  activity and conformity?
• Extended/Limited Family. To what extent does one
  have a life-long obligation to numerous family
  members?
• Diversity/Uniformity. Does the culture embrace
  variation in religious beliefs, ethnic
  backgrounds, political views, and so forth?
• Masculine/Feminine. To what extent does social
  power automatically go to males?
• Competitive/Cooperative. Does one obtain success
  by excelling over others or by cooperating with
  them?
• Youth/Age. Are wisdom and prestige assigned to
  the younger or older members of a culture?

15
Cultural Values and Consumer Behavior

• Environment-Oriented Values
• Cleanliness. To what extent is cleanliness
  pursued beyond the minimum needed for health?
• Performance/Status. Is the cultures reward
  system based on performance or on inherited
  factors such as family or class?
• Tradition/Change. Are existing patterns of
  behavior considered to be inherently superior to
  new patterns of behavior?
• Risk taking/Security. Are those who risk their
  established positions to overcome obstacles or
  achieve high goals admired more than those who do
  not?
• Problem-solving/Fatalistic. Are people
  encouraged to overcome all problems, or do they
  take a what will be, will be attitude?
• Nature. Is nature regarded as something to be
  admired or overcome?

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Cultural Values and Consumer Behavior

• Self-Oriented Values
• Active/Passive. Is a physically active approach
  to life valued more than a less active
  orientation?
• Material/Nonmaterial. How much importance is
  attached to the acquisition of material wealth?
• Hard work/Leisure. Is a person who works harder
  than economically necessary admired more than one
  who does not?
• Postponed gratification/Immediate gratification.
  Are people encouraged to save for a rainy day
  or to live for today?
• Sensual gratification/Abstinence. To what extent
  is it acceptable to enjoy sensual pleasures such
  as food, drink, and sex?
• Religious/Secular. To what extent are behaviors
  and attitudes based on rules specified by
  religious doctrine?

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Traditional, Current, and Emerging American Values
Other-Oriented Individual T
EC Collective Limited family
TEC Extended family Diversity E C
T Uniformity Competition T C E Coo
peration Youth T C E Age Masculine T
C E Feminine T Traditional, E
Emerging, and C Current
18
Traditional, Current, and Emerging American Values
Environment-Oriented Maximum
cleanliness TCE Minimum
cleanliness Performance T E C Status Tradi
tion E C T Change Risk taking T CE
Security Problem solving T CE Fatalistic
Admire nature E C T Overcome nature
T Traditional, E Emerging, and C Current
19
Traditional, Current, and Emerging American Values
Self-Oriented Active ECT Passive Ma
terial T C E Nonmaterial Hard
work T C E Leisure Postponed
gratification T E C Immediate
gratification Sensual gratification C E T
Abstinence Religious T E C
Secular T Traditional, E Emerging, and C
Current