Culture, Microculture and Consumers

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Culture, Micro-culture and Consumers
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Culture, Micro-culture and Consumers

• What is Culture?
• Set of ideas, values, artifacts and other
  meaningful symbols that help individuals
  communicate, interpret and evaluate as members of
  a society
• The personality of a society -- the distinctive
  way of life for a group of people
• Nature of culture VALUES (reflected in)
• Norms
• Customs
• Mores
• Conventions
• Rituals

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Culture, Micro-culture and Consumers

• Aspects of Culture
• Ecology -- manner in which a society adapts to
  its habitat
• Social Structure -- manner in which order is
  maintained
• Ideology -- mental characteristics of a society
• Learning of Culture
• Enculturation
• Family
• Religious Institutions
• Socialization
• School
• Acculturation (less effective way to learn)
• Ethnocentrism

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Culture, Micro-culture and Consumers

• Culture Is Dynamic
• It undergoes constant change
• Major factors contributing to change are
• Technology
• Cultural diffusion it occurs when people in one
  culture become exposed to people and/or ways of
  another culture (e.g., the western influence)
• Natural, political, and conflict events
• Climatic changes, earthquakes, wars, etc.

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Culture, Micro-culture and Consumers

• Culture Consumer Behavior
• US Core Values
• Practically
• Family
• Newness
• Cheap/Thrifty
• Healthy
• Glamour
• Youthfulness
• Uniqueness

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Culture, Micro-culture and Consumers

• Consumer Products and Cultural Meanings
• Products that transmit of cultural meaning
• Brands that convey a user image through cultural
  transfer
• Possession, exchange, grooming, and divestment
  rituals

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Culture, Micro-culture and Consumers

• Definitions
• Micro-culture -- a division of a national
  culture, composed of a combination of factorable
  social situations such as ethnic background,
  region of residence, or religious affiliation,
  which has a measurable impact on the individual

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Culture, Micro-culture and Consumers

• Sub-Culture Consumer Behavior
• Relationship to Culture
• Effects on CB

Sub-Culture
Values
Life-Style
CB
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Culture, Micro-culture and Consumers

• Strategic Marketing Options

Product
Sub-Culturally Based
Non Sub-Culturally Based
S e g e m e n t
Sub-Culturally Based
Idiosyncratic
Specialized
Non Sub- Culturally Based
Non Sub-Culturally Based Segmentation
Diffused
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Culture, Micro-culture and Consumers

• Some Sub-Cultures
• Ethnic-Oriented
• African-Americans (12 of the US population)
• Growing at twice the national average
• Highly concentrated in Urban Areas
• Watch TV at a 39 higher rate than the average US
  Household
• Readership of morning newspapers is 30 above the
  national average
• Two distinct submarkets? Strivers vs. Diversity
  Maintainers

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Culture, Micro-culture and Consumers

• Latinos (12 of the US population)
• Fastest growing ethnic segment (will surpass
  number of African Americans by 2015)
• Very young market (average age 23.6 v 32)
• Targeting this market
• Three submarkets
• Cuban-American
• Puerto-Rican Americans
• Mexican Americans

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Culture, Micro-culture and Consumers

• The Mature Market (20 of the US population)
• Aged 55 and older
• Approximately 25 of US population
• Represent about 50 of US disposable income
• Will grow by 62 over the next 20 years
• Bi-modal Income Distribution
• Specialized Media availability --Modern
  Maturity Mature Wisdom (Catalog)

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Culture, Micro-culture and Consumers

• Mature Market Sub-segments
• Healthy Hermits
• Ailing Outgoers
• Frail Reclusives
• Healthy Indulgers
• Reaching the elderly market
• Models -- of cognitive (not chronological) age
• Use print media (most are avid readers)
• Early bird specials are effective