Transcript CultureAndMicroculture

Culture and Microcultures
Ethnic Advertising
What is Culture?
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A society’s distinctive and learned mode
of living, interacting, and responding to
environmental stimuli
This mode is transmitted and shared between
its members
The sum total of learned beliefs, values and
customs that serve to direct the consumer behavior
of members of a particular society
How Is Culture Learned?
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Culture is learned through socialization in
three ways:
Formal learning: adults and siblings
teaching children “how to behave”
Informal learning: children imitating the
behavior of selected others, such as family,
friends, TV characters, etc.
Technical learning: teachers instructing
children in an educational environment
Enculturation and Acculturation
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Enculturation: learning the norms, values
and behaviors of one’s own culture
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Acculturation: learning the norms, values
and behaviors of a new or foreign culture
Ethnocentrism
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“The tendency to make cross-cultural
evaluations based on one’s own beliefs and
values”
What is the American Culture?
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We are a diverse country with a variety of
subcultures, each of which may have its
own beliefs and values
America is a dynamic society that has
undergone almost constant change in
response to new technology
Many American values appear to be
contradictory
1. Achievement and Success
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Has historical roots in the traditional religious
belief in the Protestant work ethic
Although historically associated with men, it
is today important for women as well
Influences consumption by serving as a
justification for acquisition of goods and
services
2. Activity
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Americans attach an extraordinary amount of
importance to being active or involved;
keeping busy is accepted as a healthy and
even necessary part of our lifestyle
3. Efficiency and Practicality
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We admire anything that saves time and
effort
We are receptive to any new product that
makes tasks easier and solves problems
A related core value is the importance of time
4. Progress
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Americans respond favorably to the concept
of progress
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In a consumption-oriented society, this often
means the acceptance of new products
designed to fulfill unsatisfied needs
We respond favorably to promises that
products are new, longer-lasting, speedier,
quicker, increased strength, etc.
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5. Material comfort
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For most Americans, material comfort
signifies the attainment of the good life
Material comfort is a relative view
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i.e., consumers tend to define their own
satisfaction with the amount of material goods
they own in terms of a comparison to what others
have
6. Individualism
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We place a strong value on self-reliance, selfconfidence, self-esteem and self-fulfillment
We don’t like to rely on others
Products, such as clothing or automobiles,
that promise to set us apart from others are
appealing
7. Humanitarianism
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Americans are generous when it comes to
those in need
We contribute time and money to charitable
causes
We invest in “socially responsible” companies
and mutual funds
Cause Marketing
8. Youthfulness
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We place an almost sacred value on
youthfulness (as opposed to youth)
We are preoccupied with looking and acting
young
Microculture/Subculture
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“A distinct cultural group that exists as an
identifiable segment within a larger, more
complex society”
Thus the cultural profile of a society or nation
is a composite of:
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The central or core cultural themes that are
shared by most of the population; and
The unique beliefs, values and customs of
members of specific subcultures
Major subcultural categories
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Nationality (birthplace of ancestors)
Religion
Geographic region
Race
Age
Gender
Occupation
Social class
Religious Subcultures
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Certain products are symbolically and
ritualistically associated with the celebration
of religious holidays
Dietary laws have significant meaning in
certain religious subcultures
Other less predictable behaviors (e.g., travel)
seem to vary depending on religion
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Jews more likely than general population to
have:
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Traveled outside the US—more than 3:1
Taken a cruise—5:1
Belong to frequent flyer program—more than 7:1
Major microcultures in the U.S.
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African Americans
Hispanic Americans
Asian Americans
Native Americans
African American Consumers
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34.5 million people
13% of U.S. population
Younger than the white population
Purchasing power of $469 billion
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Efforts to market to blacks is relatively recent
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Began in 1960’s
Began in earnest in 1980’s
By 1992 half of Fortune 1000 companies had
ethnic-marketing campaigns
$1 billion in advertising is spent targeting the
market
Often treated as a monolithic group, but there
are significant differences based on age,
economic status and region
Consumer behavior characteristics
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Tend to prefer popular or leading brands
Are brand loyal
Unlikely to purchase generic or private-label
products
Are more likely to pay more to get “the best”
Reaching the Audience
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“Black people are not dark-skinned white
people—there are cultural values which
cause us to be subtly different from the
majority population”
Marketers have followed one of two distinct
marketing strategies:
All advertising in general mass media in the
belief that African Americans have the same
media habits as whites
Running advertising in selected media
directed exclusively to African Americans
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Products of broad appeal (e.g., aspirin) mass
media may effectively reach all relevant
consumers
For other products (e.g., personal grooming
products) mass media may not communicate
effectively with the African American market
The majority of African Americans believe
that most advertising is designed for white
people
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Many marketers supplement their general
advertising with ads specifically directed to
African Americans
Major advertisers have increasingly used the
services of African American advertising
agencies
Hispanic American Consumers
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29 million
Almost 11% of the population
Growing 6.5 times faster than the general market
By 2005 will be the largest minority in the US
Buying power of $500 billion in 2001
Median age is about 10 years younger than whites
Larger, extended families (more children)
Are not a monolithic group—separate subcultural
markets based on countries of origin
Heavily concentrated in a few states
Consumer behavior characteristics
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Prefer name brands
Brand loyal
Shop at smaller stores
Eat at home more often
Less likely to be impulse purchasers
Prefer fresh to frozen or prepared items
Tend to be more fashion conscious
However, do appear to be acculturating
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Less than half speak fluent English
83% speak Spanish in their homes (where they
receive their advertising messages)
Make purchases from firms that
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Are sensitive to the language
involved in the community
Many businesses adopted major Spanish-language
campaigns
Others sponsored major promotional campaigns
around Latino holidays
Reaching the audience
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Spanish language television is very popular,
even for Hispanics whose first language is
English
Some marketers have created messages
targeted directly to Hispanics
Some have even created specifically for this
market
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products (e.g., hair products)
services (e.g., phone services)
food (e.g., plantain chips)
Asian American consumers
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10 million
Represent 17 nations of origin
Fastest-growing minority (gain of roughly 50% last
decade)
Predominantly urban
Family oriented
Strongly driven to achieve middle class lifestyle
Median income exceeds that of white households
Consumer behavior characteristics
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Value quality and are willing to pay for it
Tend to be brand loyal
More likely to consider shopping as a leisure
activity than the general population
Are more likely to own consumer electronics
Tend to travel to and call their country of
origin
Reaching the audience
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Use of Asian American models in advertising
is effective
Many don’t speak English well
There are no major Asian cable TV networks
Native American consumers
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Least affluent of all ethnic groups
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Marketers do not target them due to
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Median income is $10,000 lower than average
Unemployment rate is 35%
Geographic isolation
small numbers
One exception is alcohol advertising
1. Images of Minorities in Advertising
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Prior to the civil rights movement, few images
of blacks in advertising
Exception: “Aunt Jemima” caricature
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Subservient, dark, heavy, asexual, inarticulate
Stereotyped black women as belonging only in the
kitchen
Complaints about use of the stereotype heard
as late as mid-80’s
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As late as 1990, only 3% of people featured in
national advertising were black
GQ, Vogue and Esquire featured the fewest black
models
Sports Illustrated featured the most black models
Blacks appearing in ads tended to be athletes,
entertainers, laborers or children
Less than 20% of ads with blacks used women in
the ads
Ethnic minority models are often selected based on
how they conform to standards of white beauty
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Blacks were used in 17% of 904 commercials
studied
But only 31% of ads with blacks put them in major
roles
Blacks and Latinos tend to appear in groups in ads
(6.9 persons on average)
Most likely to cast in ads for
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Beer or malt liquor
Cigarettes
Hair care products
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Latinos even more under-represented than blacks
Virtually unused in ads prior to 1980
In late 1980’s
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5.8% of television commercials
Speaking roles in 1.5% of network television ads
Tend to appear in background roles as part of a
group
Generally not seen in mainstream roles
One exception appears to be the stereotyped Latina
sex object
2. “Children, Race and Advertising”
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Children who watch positive multiracial
interactions on shows such as Sesame Street
show more positive attitudes towards people
of color and other cultures
Kids who watch shows that routinely
stereotype people of color have less
favorable attitudes towards those who may
be different
Advertising has the same ability as television
programming to impact children’s perceptions
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Often cast white kids as leaders and gogetters
Minority children play passive or ignorant
roles
White kids outnumber children of color
Minorities generally appear in group shots
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Some of the worst stereotypes were disappearing:
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“Lively Latins”
Mexican bandits
Pigtailed Chinese
Subservient blacks
Some remain:
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Asians are computer geeks
African American boys play ball
African American girls dance
All African American kids rap
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“What images are created when toys that
encourage creativity, learning and thinking
are associated with white children, while rap
and sports are regularly associated with
ethnic minorities?”
3. “No Urban/Spanish” Dictates and
“Minority Discounts”
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1999 FCC asked to investigate practices in
advertising industry that created barriers to
competition in broadcasting
Studied data from 3,745 radio stations
Confirmed existence of these practices:
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“No Urban/Spanish dictates”
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Practice of not advertising on radio stations that
target programming to ethnic/racial minorities
“Minority discounts”
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Paying minority-formatted radio stations less than
what is paid to general market stations with
comparable audience size
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Study further found that in some cases the
media buying process is guided by
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Ethnic/racial stereotyping
Underestimations of disposable income
Desire to control product image
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Study concluded that the practice
Adversely affects minority-owned radio
stations
Defeats the interest of all Americans in
having a broad and diverse range of
informational and entertainment programming
Should be outlawed