Chapter 13 Ethnic, Racial, and Religious Subcultures CONSUMER BEHAVIOR, 9e Michael R. Solomon Dr. Rika Houston CSU-Los Angeles MKT 342: Consumer Behavior

Subcultures and Consumer Identity Consumer lifestyles are affected by group membership within the society-at-large We all belong to many subcultures Subcultures of age, race/ethnicity, place of residence Microcultures share a strong identification with an activity, lifestyle, or aesthetics

Ethnic and Racial Subcultures A self-perpetuating group of consumers who share common cultural or genetic ties where both its members and others recognize it as a distinct category

Marketing Strategies Target Ethnicity Ethnic subculture membership shapes consumer needs and wants Marketers design marketing strategies to target the shared cultural needs and wants of ethnic subcultural groups

The Context of Culture High-Context Low-Context

Is Ethnicity a Moving Target? Defining/targeting an ethnic group is not always so easy! Is the United States really a “melting pot” society? De-ethnicization

Figure 13.1 America’s Newest Markets

What is Acculturation? The process of movement and adaptation to one country’s cultural environment by a person from another country Acculturation occurs, at least in part, with the influence of acculturation agents: Family Friends Schools Religious organizations Media

Figure 13.2 A Model of Consumer Acculturation

The “Big Three” American Ethnic Subcultures African Americans Hispanic Americans Asian Americans Hispanic population is now the largest ethnic subculture (12.5%) Asian Americans (3.6%) are the fastest-growing racial group (due to immigration)

Limitations of Ethnicity-Based Target Marketing Very controversial practice Rife with stereotypes about race/ethnicity Fine line between targeting and offending

African Americans Overall spending patterns of blacks and whites are roughly similar Household income and educational levels rising Differences in consumption behaviors subtle but important

Hispanic Americans What does “Hispanic” mean? Consumer behavior Brand loyal Easy to reach Highly concentrated geographically by country of origin

Distinguishing Characteristics of the Hispanic Market Interests Spirituality Stronger family ties More color in their lives Larger family size Spend more on groceries Shopping is a family affair Clothing children is matter of pride Convenience is not important to homemakers

Asian Americans One of the fastest-growing groups Most affluent, best educated Most likely to hold technology-related jobs Most brand-conscious but least brand loyal Made up of culturally diverse subgroups that speak many different languages/dialects

Religious Subcultures Religious themes impact everyday consumption “Cult products” Many marketing opportunities Food Clothing Books Music

Chapter 13: Ethnic, Racial, and Religious Subcultures Key Concepts Subcultures and consumer identity Ethnic and racial subcultures Context of culture De-ethnicization Acculturation Model of Consumer Acculturation “Big Three” American Ethnic Subcultures Religious subcultures We’ve reviewed many concepts in this chapter. The key points are noted in the slide.