14-1
Chapter 14
Ethnic, Racial, and
Religious Subcultures
Subcultures and Consumer
Identity
Ethnic
Subcultures
Racial
Subcultures
Religious
Subcultures
14-2
Subcultures are Groups
Whose Members Share
Beliefs and Common
Experiences That Set
Them Apart From Others.
Different Types
of Subcultures
Ethnicity and Marketing Strategies
14-3
Subcultures are Very Important in Shaping People’s
Needs and Wants and Membership is Often
Predictive of Consumer Variables Such As:
Level & Type of Media Exposure
Food Preferences
Wearing Distinctive Apparel
Political Behavior
Leisure Activities
Willingness to Try New Products
Ethnic and Racial Subcultures
14-4
• Ethnic and Racial Stereotypes
– Many subcultures have powerful stereotypes
associated with them which can be positive or
negative.
– The use of subtle (and sometimes not so subtle)
ethnic stereotypes in movies illustrates the media’s
involvement.
• New Ethnic Groups
– New immigrants are likely to be Asian or Hispanic
and are best marketed to in their native language.
– They tend to cluster together geographically which
makes them easy to reach.
14-5
Mixed-Raced Americans
• California census figures
show that 4.7 percent of
state residents, such as
Rani Spudich, identified
themselves as multiracial.
Spudich, a San Francisco
doctor, is Asian Indian and
white.
14-6
Mixed-Raced Americans
"Cablinasian"
– Blend of Caucasian, Black,
Indian, and Asian (Thai)
blood.
African American Subculture
14-7
• African Americans comprise a significant racial
subculture and account for 12% of the U.S.
population.
• Black/ White consumption differences that
marketers should be aware of include, African
Americans buying:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
only 2% of trucks and vans; 25% on mass transit,
10% of TV’s, radios, and sound equipment,
17% of all encyclopedias and reference books,
28% more than other American consumers on baby products,
27% more cooking ingredients than average,
more than 50% of the cognac,
19% of the market for toiletries and cosmetics and 34% for
hair care products,
Attitudes Among African Americans
14-8
http://sfgate.com/cgibin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2001/11/20/MN101820.DTL
African Americans and
Mainstream Media
Watch 10 Hours of TV a Day Usually on
Major and Cable Networks
Heavy Readers of Local Morning Daily
Newspapers
Have Not Been Well Represented in
Mainstream Advertising, But This is Changing
Now Account for 25% of the People Depicted in
Commercials Which are More Racially Integrated
14-9
14-10
Black-Oriented Media
Depict Blacks
More Positively
Than General
Media
Black Sports and
Celebrity Figures
are Increasing
Retailers are
Targeting
African Americans
Black-Oriented
Media
Have Specific
Romance Novels
New Generation
of Magazines
The Allure of the Hispanic
Market
14-11
• Demographically, two important characteristics of
the Hispanic market are worth noting:
– It is a young market - the median age is 23.6, while the U.S.
average is 32.
– The average Hispanic family contains 3.5 people, compared to
only 2.7 for other U.S. households.
• There are over 19 million Hispanic consumers in
the U.S. and a number of factors make this market
segment extremely attractive:
–
–
–
–
Large expenditures on groceries,
Brand loyal,
Concentrated geographically by national origin,
Education levels are increasing dramatically.
14-12
Diversity in California
Appealing to Hispanic Subcultures
Cuban
Americans Wealthiest
Mexican
Americans Fastest
Growing
Identity
From
Country of
Origin
A Need for
Status
Characteristics
of Hispanic
Consumers
Assertive
Role
Models
14-13
A Strong
Sense of
Pride
SelfExpression
Family
Devotion
Understanding Hispanic Identity
14-14
• Role of the Church
– Role of the Catholic church is very important to the average
Hispanic family.
– However, one in five now practices some form of evangelical
Protestantism.
• Role of the Family
– Preferences to spend time with family influence the structure
of many consumption activities.
– Product appeals that stress one’s ability to provide well for the
family are important in this subculture.
• Level of Acculturation
– Acculturation refers to the process of movement and
adaptation to one country’s cultural environment by a person
from another country.
– Progressive Learning Model - people gradually learn a new
culture as they increasingly come in contact with it.
Immigration and Acculturation
Individual
Differences
Consumer
Acculturation
Agents
1. Demographic
Variables
Culture of
Origin
2. Language Spanish/ English
Family
Friends
Media
Institutions
Culture of
Immigration
4. Ethnic Identity
5. Environmental
Factors
Consumer
Consumer
Acculturation Acculturation
Processes
Outcomes
Assimilation
Maintenance
Movement
Translation
Adaptation
3. Recency of
Arrival
Family
Friends
Media
Institutions
14-15
Resistance
Segregation
14-16
Asian Americans
Asian Americans are the Fastest Growing
Minority Group in the U.S.
Average Household
Income is $2,000
Greater Than Whites,
$7,000-$9,000 More
Than African Americans
and Hispanics.
College Graduation
Rate is Twice That of
Whites and Quadruple
That of African
Americans and
Hispanics.
Asian Demographics
14-17
Segmenting Asian Americans
Chinese is the Largest, Followed
by Filipino and Japanese
Diverse Languages
and Dialects
Increasing Birth Rate, But Still
Represent Only 2% of Population
Save More of Their Income,
Borrow Less, Conservative
Status Conscious, Buy
Premium Brands and
High-Tech Products
14-18
Reaching the Asian American
Consumer
Translating Advertising
Messages Into Asian
Media
Overlooked Complex
Differences Among
Asian Subcultures
Problems
Encountered
by American
Marketers
Lack of Media Available
to Reach Asian
Americans
Been Insensitive to
Cultural Practices
14-19
The Impact of Religion on
Consumption
Personality
Attitudes Toward Sexuality
Birthrates and Household Formation
Income
Political Attitudes
14-20
Characteristics of Religious
Subcultures
Catholic Subculture
Protestant Subculture
25% of Americans
10% of Americans
More Children
Stress Industriousness
and Hard Work
Lower Socioeconomic
Status
Part of the Power Elite
Collective Decision
Making
Many are Conservative
14-21
Many in Science,
Education, Government
& Military
Characteristics of Religious
Subcultures
Born-Again Subculture
Jewish Subculture
33% of Americans
2% of Americans
Mostly Women and Older
Citizens
Exceptionally Strong
Influence
Demarketing of Certain
Products
High Socioeconomic
Status
Protest Sex and Violence
Emphasis on Education
Consumption Patterns
Unclear
Family Size Relatively
Small
14-22
Characteristics of Religious
Subcultures
Muslim Subculture
3 - 4 Million Americans
Conservative
Value Close-Knit Family
Structure
Few Marketers Target This
Subculture
Practice is Growing Worldwide
14-23