CHAPTER 11
Culture, Ethnicity, and
Social Class
Roger D. Blackwell, Paul W. Miniard, and James F. Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition
Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
What is Culture?
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
What is Culture?
A set of values, ideas, artifacts, and
other meaningful symbols that help
individuals communicate, interpret, and
evaluate as members of society
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
What is Culture?
A set of values, ideas, artifacts, and
other meaningful symbols that help
individuals communicate, interpret, and
evaluate as members of society
Blueprint of human activity,
determining coordinates of social
action and productive activity
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
What is Culture?
A set of values, ideas, artifacts, and
other meaningful symbols that help
individuals communicate, interpret, and
evaluate as members of society
Blueprint of human activity,
determining coordinates of social
action and productive activity
A set of socially acquired behavior
patterns transmitted symbolically
through language and other means to
the members of a particular society
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Influences
Ethnicity
Race
Religion
Regional
or national
identity
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Influences
Ethnicity
Race
Religion
Regional
or national
identity
CULTURE
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Influences
Ethnicity
Race
Religion
Regional
or national
identity
CULTURE
Abstract/Behavioral
Values
Norms
Rituals
Symbols
Physical/Material
Artifacts
Technology
Infrastructure
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
What is Culture?
Abstract elements: values, attitudes,
ideas, personality types, and summary
constructs
Symbol may come to represent a
culture
Symbols (with three components of
language, aesthetic styles, and story
themes) often act as shorthand for a
culture
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
What is Culture?
Material components (cultural
artifacts): include such things as
books, computers, buildings and
specific products
Products provide symbols of meaning
Products may be used in ritual
behavior
Material components may become
icons
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Characteristics Influenced by Culture
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Characteristics Influenced by Culture
Sense of self and space
Communication and
language Dress and
appearance
Food and
feeding habits Time and time
consciousness Relationships
Values and
norms
Beliefs and
attitudes
Mental
processes and learning Work
habits and practices
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Characteristics Influenced by Culture
Sense of self and space
Communication and
language Dress and
appearance
Food and
feeding habits Time and time
consciousness Relationships
Values and
norms
Beliefs and
attitudes
Mental
processes and learning Work
habits and practices
Used to define and differentiate cultures
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Values and Norms
Norms: rules of behavior held by a
majority or at least a consensus of a
group about how individuals should
behave
Cultural values: values shared broadly
across groups of people
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Values and Norms
Norms: rules of behavior held by a
majority or at least a consensus of a
group about how individuals should
behave
Cultural values: values shared broadly
across groups of people
Macroculture: values and symbols that
apply to a society or most of its citizens
Microculture: values and symbols of a
restrictive group or segment of
consumers (also called subcultures)
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Values and Norms
Socialization: the process by which
people develop their values,
motivations, and habitual activity
The Values Transfusion Model
describes how and where people get
their values
Shows how people adopt values that
influence how they live, how they define
right and wrong, how they shop, and
what is important to them
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
The Values Transfusion Model
Values of Society
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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The Values Transfusion Model
Values of Society
Family
Religious
Institutions
Educational
Institutions
Early
Lifetime
Experiences
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
The Values Transfusion Model
Values of Society
Family
Religious
Institutions
Peers
Educational
Institutions
Individual
Internalized
Values
Early
Lifetime
Experiences
Media
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
The Values Transfusion Model
Values of Society
Family
Religious
Institutions
Peers
Educational
Institutions
Individual
Internalized
Values
Early
Lifetime
Experiences
Media
Society of
Future
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Cultural Transfusive Triad
Family
Religious
Institutions
Educational
Institutions
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Values and Norms
Culture is adaptive, and marketing
strategies based on values of
society must also be adaptive
Marketers must address consumer
socialization: the acquisition of
consumption-related cognitions,
attitudes, and behaviors.
Advertising and marketing efforts
have difficulty changing behaviors
or norms learned early in life
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
How Culture Affects Consumer
Behavior:
Pre-purchase and Purchase
Activities
Consumption and
Divestment Activities
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Culture Influences Pre-purchase
and Purchase Activities
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Culture Influences Pre-purchase
and Purchase Activities
Culture affects what consumers think
they need and what they perceive as
frivolous
Culture affects how and how much
they search for information
Culture affects the importance placed
on various attributes of alternatives
Culture affects the purchase process-how consumers buy, what they expect,
and even how they negotiate
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Culture Influences Consumption
and Divestment Activities
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Culture Influences Consumption
and Divestment Activities
Culture affects what consumers expect
from a product
Consumers’ expectations about form
and function are influenced by culture
Culture influences how consumers
dispose of products--how much is
consumed and whether or not
consumers recycle products or
packaging
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
How Core Values Affect
Marketing
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
How Core Values Affect
Marketing
Core values define how products
are used in a society
Core values provide positive and
negative valences for brands and
communication programs
Core values define acceptable
market relationships
Core values define ethical behavior
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Changing Values
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Changing Values
Life-cycle explanation: values change
according to life-cycle (people’s values
changes as they get older)
Theory of behavioral assimilation:
Children begin to “see things” like their
parents do as they get older
Generational change: gradual
replacement of existing values by those
of young people who form the “leading”
generation in value terms
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Changing Values
Will people become more like their
parents as they get older, or will
they carry with them the values of
their generation?
Depends on elements in the
Cultural Transfusive Triad and early
lifetime experiences
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Cultural Transfusive Triad
Family
Religious
Institutions
Educational
Institutions
Early
Lifetime
Experiences
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Changing Family Influences
Less time for in-home or parentchild influence
Increasing divorce rates
Isolated nuclear family (geographic
separation of generations)
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Changing Religious Influences
Decline in loyalty to traditional
churches and religions
Increase in non-Christian religions
Shift from traditional religion to
spirituality
Women becoming more religious
The big-business of religion and
spirituality
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Changing Educational Influences
Increase in formal education
Teaching: from memorization to
questioning
Internet teaching and distance
learning
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Influence of Age-related
Microcultures
Cohorts: a group of individuals
linked as a group in some way-usually by age
Cohort analysis: focuses on the
actual changes in the behavior or
attitudes of a cohort, the changes
attributed to the process of aging,
and those associated with events
of a particular period
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Consumer Age Cohorts
The Depression
Cohort
The World War II
Cohort
The Postwar
Cohort
The Boomers I
Cohort
The Boomers II
Cohort
The Generation X
Cohort
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Consumer Age Cohorts
The Depression
Cohort
The World War II
Cohort
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Consumer Age Cohorts
The Depression
Cohort
The World War II
Cohort
The G.I. Generation
Depression Generation
Born 1912-1921
Born 1922-1927
Living through the
Depression has
deeply affected this
group--they save a
lot and spend little.
This group was unified
by a common goal and
enemy.
This was the first
group to be
influenced by
contemporary media.
It exhibits self-denial
characteristics that
have outlived the war,
especially among
veterans and their
families.
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Consumer Age Cohorts
The Postwar
Cohort
The Boomers I
Cohort
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Consumer Age Cohorts
The Postwar
Cohort
The Boomers I
Cohort
The Silent Generation
Woodstock Generation
Born 1928-1945
Born 1946-1954
Generation of war
babies benefited from
years of economic
growth and social
tranquility.
The Kennedy and King
assassinations meant
an end to status quo
and unified this vast
cohort.
The youngest were
the first to listen to
folk rock music.
Early boomers pushed
for lifestyles at least as
good as their parents.
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Consumer Age Cohorts
The Boomers II
Cohort
Generation X
Cohort
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Consumer Age Cohorts
The Boomers II
Cohort
Generation X
Cohort
Zoomers
Baby-busters
Born 1955-1965
Born 1966-1976
After Watergate, the
idealistic youth disappeared, giving rise
to the self-help movement.
A generation of kids
raised in daycare and
with divorce is born.
Searching for an
anchor, many resort to
“retro” behaviors.
In an age of
downward mobility,
debt became a way to
maintain lifestyle.
“What’s in it for me”
cynicism is prevalent.
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Philips
appeals
to a
young
age
cohort
with this
ad.
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
National Culture
Individualism versus collectivism
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Individualism
Self-construal
Defined by internal
attributes and
personal traits
Collectivism
Defined by family,
important others,
and friends
Role of Others
Self-evaluation
Self-definition
Values
Emphasis on individuality and
separateness
Emphasis on relationships and
connectedness
Motivational
drives
Differentiation,
need to be unique
Focus on similarity,
need to blend in
Behavior
Reflective of personal preferences
Reflective of personal preferences
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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National Culture
Individualism versus collectivism
Uncertainty avoidance: how
societies react to uncertainties
inherent in life
Power distance: the degree to
which a society accepts inequality
in power at different levels in
organizations and government
Masculinity-femininity
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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National Culture
Geographic culture: cultures may
exist for an entire country, but
regions within the country may
develop their own cultures
Climate, religious affiliations,
nationality influences, and other
variables can affect culture on a
regional level
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
North American Core Values
Foundation of American values
American values and advertising
Which core values provide appeals
for advertising?
Understanding values helps
advertisers avoid violating norms or
standards of society
Sometimes advertisers shock
consumers by “breaking the rules”
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Core Values Provide Appeals to
Marketers
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Core Values Provide Appeals to
Marketers
Material Well-Being
Twofold Moralizing
Importance of Work over Play
Time is Money
Effort, Optimism, and Entrepreneurship
Mastery over Nature
Egalitarianism
Humanitarianism
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Ethnic Microcultures and Their
Influences on Consumer
Behavior
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Tommy
Hilfiger
features a
multiethnic
group of
young
people in
this ad to
represent
“the real
America”
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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America’s Ethnic Microcultures
Immigrants bring with them new
religions, cultures, and languages
Acculturation: measures the
degree to which a consumer has
learned the ways of a different
culture compared to how they
were raised
Just as individuals adapt to
cultural changes, so do
companies
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
America’s Ethnic Microcultures
Euro-descent Americans
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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America’s Ethnic Microcultures
Euro-descent Americans
Most Euro-descent come from
England, Germany, and Ireland
European immigration declined for
many years, but increased in recent
years due to immigration from
former Eastern block countries
Group tends to have a fairly high
savings rate
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
America’s Ethnic Microcultures
Euro-descent Americans
Most Euro-descent come from
England, Germany, and Ireland
European immigration declined for
many years, but increased in recent
years due to immigration from
former Eastern block countries
Group tends to have a fairly high
savings rate
Native American Culture
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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America’s Ethnic Microcultures
Multiethnic Microcultures
Includes people from multiple ethnic
backgrounds
How will each of these influences
affect behavior and values?
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
America’s Ethnic Microcultures
Multiethnic Microcultures
Includes people from multiple ethnic
backgrounds
How will each of these influences
affect behavior and values?
Transcultural marketing research:
gathers data from specific ethnic
groups and compares these data
to those collected from other
markets
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
U.S. Population by Race and Ethnic Group
Asian
Black
Hispanic
American Indian
White, Non-Hispanic
2000
4%
12%
11%
1%
72%
2025
6%
13%
18%
1%
62%
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
2050
8%
14%
24%
1%
53%
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U.S. Households and Incomes
Number of
Households
(millions)
Median
Income
White
77.9
$40,600
African American
12.2
$25,100
Asian
3.1
$45,400
American Indian
0.7
$29,200
Hispanic
8.6
$26,600
Source: Population Reference Bureau, Population Bulletin, September 1999, 23 and 26.
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Black or African-American Culture
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Black or African-American Culture
Structural Influences
Black families have lower than
average incomes, although incomes
have risen in recent years
21% of black households had
incomes of $50,000 or more by 1997
33% still live under poverty line
Higher education has become a
priority for many African American
young people
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Black or African-American Culture
Structural Influences
A high proportion of families are
headed by women
Black women influence many
purchases that might otherwise be
purchased by men
Advertising often appeals to the
strength black women portray in life
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Black or African-American Culture
Consumption Patterns
African American consumers view
magazines such as Ebony and
Essence as credible sources
Firms target products to black
consumers (Jordan cologne) and for
the special needs of black consumers
(special make-up products)
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Jordan cologne,
advertised by
basketball
legend Michael
Jordan and his
wife, is not
targeted
exclusively to
black
consumers; yet
the appeal of
this product in
this segment is
substantial.
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Black or African-American Culture
Consumption Patterns
African American consumers view
magazines such as Ebony and
Essence as credible sources
Firms target products to black
consumers (Jordan cologne) and for
the special needs of black consumers
(special make-up products)
Advertisers have also increased the
number of black models and spokespersons used in campaigns
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Asian-American Culture
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Asian-American Culture
Includes: Chinese, Japanese,
Koreans, Vietnamese, Cambodians,
Laotians, Filipinos, Asian Indians,
Pakistanis, Hawaiians, Samoans,
Fiji Islanders, and others
This market is expected to continue
to grow in the future, and may
reach 20 million consumers in the
early part of the century
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Asian-American Culture
Structural Influences
Asian-Americans have higher than
average incomes and 53% of households have two income earners
Highest rate of education among any
U.S. population category
Emphasis on strong family ties, hard
work, and education
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Asian-American Culture
Consumption Patterns
Marketers find that it is effective to
reach Asian-Americans through
mass media, including cultural and
foreign language publications
Some consumers are accustomed to
negotiating prices
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Hispanic or Latino Culture
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Hispanic or Latino Culture
Rapid growth, size, and language
have fueled interest in this microculture
By 2015, experts believe Hispanics
will outnumber African-Americans
because of immigration and birth
rates
Great diversity among members of
this group make it a heterogeneous
segment of wants and needs
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Hispanic or Latino Culture
Who is Hispanic?
Language and identity, rather than
national origin, are key elements in
Hispanic culture
Hispanic describes Americans whose
origins are in the Spanish-speaking
countries of the Western world
Hispanic consumers are often segmented into four groups: Mexicans,
Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and others
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Hispanic or Latino Culture
Structural Influences
Fastest growing market in the U.S.
Buying power around $340 billion,
with Cuban-Americans having the
highest income in this group
Education level is increasing
This segment values family (has
higher birth rates and larger families)
Average age is younger than nonHispanic white population
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
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Toyota
appeals to
family and
safety for
children
with this
Spanish
language
ad
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All rights reserved.
Hispanic or Latino Culture
Consumption Patterns
Hispanic culture is affecting tastes
and preferences of the majority
culture (especially in food and music)
They watch almost as much television
as average American, but much time
is spent watching Spanish-language
programming
Tend to shy away from using coupons
they believe are for “people who can’t
afford to pay full price”
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Hispanic or Latino Culture
Avoiding Marketing Blunders
Translation problems
Culture misunderstandings
Hispanic idiosyncrasies
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French-Canadian Culture
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French-Canadian Culture
One of the largest and most distinct
cultures in North America
Quebec accounts for more than 27
percent of the Canadian population
Firms marketing in Canada often
use two campaigns: one for
English- and one for FrenchCanadians
Other times they use the same ad
for both segments
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
Social class: relatively permanent
and homogeneous divisions in a
society into which individuals or
families sharing similar values,
lifestyles, interests, wealth, status,
education, economic positions,
and behavior can be categorized
Social class is not the same thing
as income
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
Concrete variables that define
social classes include occupation,
education, friendships, ways of
speaking, and possessions
Perceive variables include power,
prestige, and class
Social class, in part, determines
which products consumers will
buy
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
Status groups: reflect community’s
expectations for style of life among
each class as well as the positive
or negative social estimation of
honor given to each class
Classes are stratified based on
relations to production and acquisition of goods, status groups
stratified based on lifestyles and
principles of consumption of goods
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
What determines social class?
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
What determines social class?
Economic
Variables
Interaction
Variables
Political
Variables
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
What determines social class?
Economic
Variables
Occupation Income
Wealth
Interaction
Variables
Political
Variables
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
What determines social class?
Economic
Variables
Occupation Income
Wealth
Interaction
Variables
Personal Prestige
Association
Socialization
Political
Variables
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
What determines social class?
Economic
Variables
Occupation Income
Wealth
Interaction
Variables
Personal Prestige
Association
Socialization
Political
Variables
Power
Class
consciousness
Mobility
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
Consumer analysts often focus on
six variables which determine
social class
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
Consumer analysts often focus on
six variables which determine
social class
Occupation
Personal performance
Interactions
Possessions
Value orientations
Class consciousness
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
Occupation: best single indicator
of social class
Personal performance: a person’s
success relative to that of others
(often in the same occupation)
Interactions: the people with whom
one associates and socializes
Possessions: symbols of class
membership
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
Value orientations: values are
indicators of our social class
In some cultures, values are more
important than possessions and
social class is determined more by
achievements than by possessions
Class consciousness: the degree
to which people in a social class
are aware of themselves as a
distinctive group
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
Social stratification: perceived
hierarchies in which consumers rate
others as higher or lower in social
status
Achieved status: earned by work or
study
Ascribed status: acquired status due to
luck (born wealthy)
Status inconsistency: when a person
rates high in one category and low in
another (some athletes)
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
Social mobility: process of passing
from one social class to another
Parody display: the mockery of
status symbols and behavior
(upper class individuals wearing
old jeans with holes in them)
Some consumers rebel against
their social class by becoming part
of a counterculture (as shown in
Benetton ads)
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social class microcultures are featured
in these ads for Palm Pilot and Benetton
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
Products can be positioned as
brands appealing to upper social
classes (as Godiva and Mercedes
have done)
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Microcultures
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Market Segmentation
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Social Class Market Segmentation
Identification of social class usage of the
product
Comparison of social class variables for
segmentation with other variables
Description of social class
characteristics identified in target
markets
Development of marketing program to
maximize effectiveness of marketing mix
based on consistency with social class
attributes
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Positioning based on Social Class
Understanding social class helps
marketers create perceptions
about products or organizations in
consumers’ minds
Appeal to those in a social class
and those who aspire to be there
Brands such as Godiva and
Escada are positioned to upper
social class consumers with
simple, sleek ads
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior, Ninth Edition, Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Consumer Behavior
Roger D. Blackwell
Paul W. Miniard
James F. Engel
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Copyright© 2001 by Harcourt, Inc. All rights reserved.