Ch. 5: Subcultures and Consumer Behavior
– A distinct cultural group that exists as an identifiable
segment within a larger, more complex society.
Ex:
Subcultural
Traits
of Hispanic
Americans
Dominant
Cultural
Traits of
U.S. Citizens
Subcultural
Traits
of Asian
Americans
Importance of Subcultures
Identification
with core
culture
Core culture
values and
norms
Identification
with a
subculture
Subculture
values and
norms
Mass market
behaviors
Individuals
Unique
market
behaviors
Types of Subcultures
Categories
Examples of Subcultures
Age
Adolescent, young adult, middleaged, elderly
Ethnic Origin
African, Hispanic, Asian, European
Gender
Female, male
Income Level
Affluent, middle income, poor,
destitute
Nationality
French, Malaysian, Australian
Types of Subcultures (cont.)
Categories
Examples of Subcultures
Religion
Jewish, Catholic, Mormon, Buddhist
Family Type
Single parent, divorced/no kids,
two parents/kids
Occupation
Mechanic, accountant, priest, clerk
Geographic
region
New England, Southwest, Midwest
Community
Rural, small town, suburban, city
Traditional Characteristics of the
Hispanic American Market
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Prefer well-known or familiar brands
Buy brands perceived to be more prestigious
Are fashion-conscious
Historically prefer to shop at smaller personal stores
Buy brands advertised by their ethnic-group stores
Tend not to be impulse buyers (i.e., are deliberate)
Increasingly clipping and using cents-off coupons
Likely to buy what their parents bought
Prefer fresh to frozen or prepared items
Tend to be negative about marketing practices and
government intervention in business
Ways in Which “Hispanic” Has Been Defined
NAME OF
INDICATOR
NATURE/SCOPE AND COMMENTARY
Spanish
surname
Not a definitive; since a non-Hispanic person might have a Spanish
surname, or an Hispanic person might have a non-Spanish
surname.
Country of
origin
The birthplace of persons born in the Untied States of Hispanic
parents would not reveal their Hispanic background.
Country of
family ancestry
Includes those individuals who may not be Hispanic despite coming
form a particular Spanish-Latin country.
Spanish spoken
at home
A significant minority of Hispanic households may speak English at
home, yet consider themselves to be cultural Hispanic.
Selfidentification
It is reasonable that if an adequate number of self-report choices
are offered, a person might identify himself or herself as
“Hispanic.”
Degree of
identification
This measure captures the “degree” of personal identification as
“Hispanic” and augments the self-identification measure.
Travel-Related Behavior
of Jewish vs. and General Population
BEHAVIOR
JEWISH TOTAL
MEDIA
U.S.
READER AVERAGE
Taken a trip outside the U.S. within the past
3 years
60.3%
18.4%
Taken 10 or more trips outside the U.S.
within the last 3 years
Taken a cruise within the past 3 years
Belong to a frequent flier program
6.9%
31.4%
67.5%
1.2%
6.4%
9.1%
Personally rented a car within the past 12
months
48.1%
11.4%
Regional Consumption Differences
Northeast
Media
Cosmopolitan
Outdoor Life
Vibe
Premiere
Religious radio
“Nick at Nite”
North Central South
West
96
97
179
83
54
122
84
131
100
105
109
110
106
89
67
83
143
90
111
88
81
138
63
85
Hobbies/Activities
Hunting (with rifle)
96
Tennis
100
Movie attendance
107
Attend high school sports 82
132
78
82
148
92
84
81
93
81
151
145
75
Regional Consumption Differences (cont.)
Northeast
North Central South
West
Product Use
Imported wine
Domestic wine
Diet cola drinks
Regular cola drinks
Mouthwash
Laptop/notebook
136
118
94
75
111
111
95
68
129
87
100
72
90
68
95
134
99
75
87
171
82
81
92
161
Restaurants/Shopping
Fast-food restaurants
Kmart
The Gap
Eddie Bauer
Banana Republic
74
93
162
103
134
110
123
93
123
82
113
91
74
59
75
92
95
93
139
128
Acculturation
The process by which people in one culture or subculture
come to understand and adapt to the cultural meanings
used in another culture or subculture.
Consumer acculturation – how people acquire the ability and
cultural knowledge to be a skilled consumer in a different
culture or subculture.
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Honeymoon stage
Rejection stage
Tolerance stage
Integration stage