Cultural Influences On Consumer Behavior

1
Cultural Influences On Consumer Behavior
2
Culture

• Is the accumulation of shared meanings, rituals,
  norms, and traditions among the members of an
  organization or society.

3
Consumer Behavior and Culture

• A Two-Way Street
• Products and services that resonate with the
  priorities of a culture at any given time have a
  much better chance of being accepted by consumers.

4
Cultural Categories

• Leisure?
• Work?
• Genders?
• Masculine style?
• Feminine style?

5
Cultural Categories

• Case
• Since the terrorist attacks on September 11,
  2001, designers, advertisers, and retailers have
  been more sensitive.
• Case
• Clothing worn by political figures or movie
  and rock stars can affect the apparel and
  accesory industries.

6
Aspects Of Culture

• Culture is not static.
• Aspects of culture
• 1. Ecology
• The way in which a system is adapted
• to its habitat.
• Ex The japanese, greatly value
• products that are designed for
  efficient
• use of space.

7
Aspects Of Culture

• 2. Social Structure
• The way in which orderly social life is
• maintained
• Ex nuclear family VS extended family

8
Aspects Of Culture

• 3. Ideology
• The mental characteristics of a
• people and the way in which they
• relate to their environment and social
• group.
• Ex nuclear family VS extended family

9
Myths

• That define the culture
• A myth
• is a story containing symbolic elements that
  expresses the shared emotions and ideals of a
  culture.
• Ex M for McDonalds

10
Myths

• Serve four interrelated functions
• 1. Metaphysical
• Help explain the origins of existence.
• 2. Cosmological
• Emphasize that all components of the
• universe are part of a single picture.
• 3. Sociological
• Maintain social order by authorizing a
  social
• code.
• 4. Psychological
• Provide models for personal conduct.

11
Rituals

• Is a set of multiple, symbolic behaviors that
  occur in a fixed sequence and that tend to be
  repeated periodically.
• Ex wear prom dress
• tuxedos
• graduation gowns
• wedding gowns
• Halloween gowns

12
Sacred Consumption

• Involves objects and events that are set apart
  from normal activities, and are treated with some
  degree of respect or awe.
• Ex - Sacred place (Bethlehem Mecca
• Stonehenge)
• - Sacred people (Princess Di John
• Lennon Elvis

13
The Creation And Diffusion Of Fashion Consumer
culture
14

• The culture, the movement of meaning
• Figure 3-1 Page 81

15

• Culture production process
• Figure 3-2 Page 82

16
Culture Production System

• Three major subsystems
• 1. A creative sub system
• responsible for generating new
• symbols and products.
• 2. A managerial sub system
• responsible for selecting, making
  tangible,
• mass producing, and managing the
• distribution of new symbols and/or
• products.

17
Culture Production System (continued)

• Three major subsystems
• 3. A communication sub system
• responsible for giving meaning to the
• new product and providing it with a
• symbolic set of attributes that are
• communicated to consumers.

18
Apparel Specialists In The fashion Industry

• Designer
• designs the specific items
• Merchandiser
• conducts research for future styles and
  trends.
• PR Dept
• deals with the public

19
Apparel Specialists In The fashion Industry
(continued)

• Adv Dept
• conceives and develops ideas for campaigns and
  creates advertisement to promote the merchandise
• Sales person
• sells, provide information and assistance to
  customers

20
Apparel Specialists In The fashion Industry
(continued)

• Store manager
• oversees merchandise categories
• Controller
• manages the retailers financial plans
• Grader
• size pattern

21
Types Of Innovations

• 1. A symbolic innovation
• communicates a new social meaning,
• Example - a new hair style
• - a new car design
• 2. A technological innovation
• involves some functional change,
• Example - a new textile form
• - a new central home air
• conditioning

22
Behavioral Demands Of Innovations

• Three major types of innovations
• 1. A continuous innovation
• a modification of an existing product,
• example Levis promoted shrink to fit
• jeans,

23
Behavioral Demands Of Innovations

• Three major types of innovations
• 2. A dynamically continuous innovation,
• - more pronounced change in an
• existing product.
• - have a modest impact on the way
• people do thing, creating some
• behavioral change.

24
Behavioral Demands Of Innovations

• Three major types of innovations
• 3. A discontinuous innovation
• - creates major change in the way we
• live.

25
Prerequisites For Successful Adoption

• Several factors are desirable for a new
• product to succeed
• Compatibility,
• the innovation should be compatible with
  consumers lifestyle

26
Prerequisites For Successful Adoption

• Several factors are desirable for a new
• product to succeed
• Trialability
• people are more likely to adopt an
• innovation if they can experiment with
• it prior to making a commitment.

27
Prerequisites For Successful Adoption

• Several factors are desirable for a new
• product to succeed
• 3. Complexity
• - The product should be low in
• complexity.
• - A product that is easier to understand
• and use will be chosen over that of a
• competitor.

28
Prerequisites For Successful Adoption

• Several factors are desirable for a new
• product to succeed
• 5. Relative advantage
• - the product should offer relative
• advantage over other alternatives,
• - The consumer must believe that its
• use will provide a benefit other products
  
• cannot offer.

29
Prerequisites For Successful Adoption

• Several factors are desirable for a new
• product to succeed
• Observability
• - innovation that are easily observable
• and communicated, are more likely to
• spread

30
Tasks

• No.7. Page 103
• Do you think product placement is fair
• competition? What fashion brand
• examples do you see in your favorite TV
• shows and movies?

31
Individual Consumer Dynamics (Motivation and
Values)
32
Theories Of Motivation For Wearing Clothes

1. Modest theory.
2. Immodest theory.
3. Protection theory.
4. Adornment theory.

33
Theories Of Motivation For Wearing Clothes
(continued)

• Modest theory.
• -people wore clothing to conceal the
• private parts of their bodies.
• -Modest theory is not universal

34
Theories Of Motivation For Wearing Clothes
(continued)

• 2. Immodest theory.
• -clothes have been worn to draw
• attention to certain parts of the body.

35
Theories Of Motivation For Wearing Clothes
(continued)

• 3. Protection theory.
• -clothing was first used to protect us
• from the elements such as cold, from
• insect and animals.

36
Theories Of Motivation For Wearing Clothes
(continued)

• 4. Adornment theory.
• -function of clothing is adornment,
• personal decoration, or aesthetic
• expression.
• -shows status and identity, and raises
• ones self esteem.

37
Maslows Hierarchy Of Needs

• Proposed by the psychologist Abraham Maslow.
• A certain level must be attained before the next,
  higher one is activated.
• One must first satisfy basic needs before
  progressing up the ladder.
• Figure 4-2 Page 118.

38
Maslows Hierarchy Of Needs (continued)

• Clothing can satisfy needs at nearly every level
• - Physiological
• clothing covers the body and protects
• us from the elements.
• - Safety
• clothing sold in US must pass
• flammability standards.

39
Maslows Hierarchy Of Needs (continued)

• Clothing can satisfy needs at nearly every level
• - Social
• fashion is something to share with and
• be seen in by others.
• - Esteem
• wearing the latest fashion make us feel
• good and give us a sense of status.
• - Self actualization
• my clothes are an expression of the total
  me.

40
Consumer Involvement

• Do consumers form strong relationship with
  products and services?
• Involvement
• a persons perceived relevance of object based
  on their inherent needs, values, and interests.

41
Consumer Involvement (continued)

• Involvement can be viewed as the motivation to
  process information.

42
Strategies To Increase Involvement

• Consumers differ in their level of involvement
  with respect to a product message.
• A consumers motivation to process relevant
  information can be enhanced by one or more
  techniques
• 1. Appeal to the consumers hedonic need.
• 2. Use novel stimuli.
• 3. Use prominent stimuli.
• 4. Include celebrity endorsers.
• 5. Build a bond with consumers.

43
Values

• Values are fundamental beliefs that direct or
  motivate our behavior and decision making.
• A persons set of values plays an important role
  in consumption activities, since many products
  and services are purchased because people believe
  they will help to attain a value related goal.

44
Core Values

• Every culture has a set of values that it imparts
  to its members.

45
Tasks

• No.4 Page 136.
• Collect a sample of fashion ads that appear to
  appeal to consumer values. What value is being
  communicated in each, and how is this done? Is
  this an effective approach to designing a
  marketing communication?

46
Demographic, Subcultures (Age, Race, Ethnicity)
47

• Consumer lifestyles are affected by group
  memberships within the society at large.

48
Age And Consumer Identity

• People have many things in common with others
  merely because they are about the same age (or
  live in the same part of country).
• Consumers who grew up at the same time share many
  cultural memories.

49
Age And Consumer Identity (continued)

• Four important age cohort
• 1. Teens.
• 2. College students.
• 3. Baby boomers.
• 4. elderly.

50
Age And Consumer Identity (continued)

• Teenagers
• - making transition from childhood to
• adulthood.
• - their self concepts tend to be unstable.
• - they are receptive to products,
• especially fashion.

51
The Gray Market

• Attempting to cater to all ages, ethnic group,
  and sizes.

52
Race And Ethnic Subcultures

• A group of consumers who are held together by
  common cultural and/or genetic ties.
• Marketers can no longer ignore the stunning
  diversity of cultures.

53
Race And Ethnic Subcultures (continued)

• Recently, several minority groups have caught the
  attention of marketers.

54
Tasks

• No. 7 Page 212
• What are some important variables to keep in
  mind when tailoring marketing strategies to the
  elderly? How do these affect clothing they
  purchase?

55
Demographic Subcultures (Income And Social Class)
56
Consumer Spending And Economic Behavior

• Social class (status symbol).
• Money and how consumption (income pattern).

57
To Spend Or Not To Spend?

• Consumer demand depends on both ability to buy
  and willingness to buy.
• Discretionary spending
• the money available to a household after
  necessities are paid of

58
Individual Attitudes Toward Money

• Profiles
• Takes risks to get a head
• Is better safe than sorry
• (thrifty, and tries to minimize borrowing).
• Puts others first
• (money is a means of protecting loved ones).

59
Individual Attitudes Toward Money (continued)

• Profiles (continued)
• Travels first class or not at all
• (buy luxury items)
• Is controlled by money
• (equates money with power).
• Needs just enough to take care of self
• (is not very interested in money).
• Believe theres more to life than money.

60
Consumer Confidence

• Beliefs about what the future hold is an
  indicator of consumer confidence.
• Which reflects optimistic or pessimistic about
  the future.
• These belief influence how much money
  consumers will pump into the economy.

61
Social Class

• Economic conditions and social status often
  determine the type of clothing we select.
• Social class, determined by a complex set of
  variables including
• - income
• - family background
• - occupation

62
Clothing Used To Regulate Distinction Between
Class

• Clothing is one means of the control.

63
Social Classes Structure

1. Upper Upper
2. Lower Upper
3. Upper Middle
4. Lower Middle
5. Upper Lower
6. Lower Lower

64
Components Of Social Class

• Three major ones are
• Occupational prestige
• Income
• Educational achievement.

65

• Fashion excess can occur at many levels, such as
• - high price
• - designer labels
• - superfluous waste
• - quantity of clothes for many occasions
• - for every season
• - in every color.

66

• Fashion is often used as a status symbols to
  communicate real or desired social class.

67
Task

• No. 11. Page 246
• Compile a collection of ads that depict
  consumers of different social classes. What
  generalizations can you make about the reality of
  these ads and about the media in which they
  appear?

68
Psychographic(Personality, Attitudes, And
Lifestyle)
69
Personality

• Which refers to a persons unique psychological
  makeup and how it consistently influences the way
  responds to his or her environment.

70
Fashion Theories (Based on Freud)

• Based on a psychoanalytic approach focus.
• Individuals subconsciously adopt and wear sexual
  symbols.

71
Brand Personality

• Refers to brand equity.
• The extent that a consumer holds strong,
  favorable, and unique association about a brand
  in memory.

72
Brand Personality (continued)

• Some apparel and accessory brands are easy to
  visualize with personalities. Example
• - Eddie Bauer (outdoors oriented).
• - Gap (casual)
• - Nike (sports)
• - Rolex (expensive)
• - Victorias Secret (romantic, sensual, and
• sexy).