Relationship Between Culture and Subculture Subcultural Traits of Hispanic Americans Dominant Cultural Traits of U.S. Citizens Subcultural Traits of Asian Americans cb16

Subcultures Distinctive groups of people in a society that share common cultural meanings for: 1. Affective and Cognitive Responses (emotional reactions, beliefs, values, and goals) 2. Behaviors (customs, scripts and rituals, behavioral norms) 3. Environmental factors (living conditions, geographic location, important objects) cb16

Age subcultures Teen market The American teenage population has been gaining affluence and fluctuating in size Several studies have found that teenagers do a large portion of the grocery shopping Brand loyalty has been found to form early among teenage shoppers cb16

Age subcultures Baby Boomers People born between 1946 and 1964 Largest and most affluent group in history Characterized by having a blend of “me-generation” and old-fashioned family values Strongly influence the values of other groups The most lucrative and challenging group marketers have ever seen cb16

Age subcultures The mature market Consumers over the age of 55 One of the most rapidly growing subcultures in American society The economic character of this market deserves careful consideration Important to recognize how the market is changing Because many people in this subculture are retired, they have more time to enjoy entertainment and leisure activities cb16

Ethnic subcultures Marketers must recognize that ethnic diversity is not distributed equally across the U.S. The African-American subculture The largest minority group in the U.S. Economic conditions vary considerably in different metropolitan areas cb16

Ethnic subcultures The Hispanic subculture Unequally distributed across the U.S. Diverse Three broad segments Only Spanish speaking Bilingual, but favoring Spanish Bilingual, but favoring English Getting good information about Hispanic needs, values, and beliefs is difficult cb16

Purchase Comparisons African Hispanic White American American Men’s jeans in last 12 months 100 97 118 Men’s dress shoes 101 90 111 Women’s designer jeans 98 109 115 Women’s regular jeans 102 88 103 Have a bowling ball 109 42 58 cb16

Purchase Comparisons African Hispanic White American American Have a rifle 111 30 59 Non-cola soft drink 2+ per week 97 124 98 Diet cola soft drink 2+ per week 105 67 81 Cough syrup 2+ per week 92 162 103 Baby powder 5+ per week 97 128 93 Men’s hair coloring 96 128 116 cb16

Ethnic subcultures Asian subculture Asian-Americans are among the most rapidly increasing ethnic group in the U.S. Requires special marketing attention for many companies Asian-Americans are a prime market because they are more affluent than any other racial or ethnic group Very diverse subculture cb16

Gender as a subculture Ample evidence that men and women differ in important respects For some marketing purposes, gender differences may be significant enough to consider the two sexes as separate subcultures Today, women either make or greatly influence most purchasing decisions cb16

Income as a subculture People at different income levels tend to have quite different values, behaviors, and lifestyles Marketers often divide American households into three income categories Downscale Upscale Middle income cb16

Social Class as a subculture http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6H8v-Y0MUw Social Class as a subculture A national status hierarchy by which groups and individuals are distinguished in terms of esteem and prestige Four social class groups to use for consumer analysis in the U.S. Upper Middle Working Lower cb16

Social Class Groups General Consumer Behavior Social Class Quality merchandise is prized Special Attention is paid to prestige brands Spending with good taste Self expression Neighborhood is important UPPER AMERICANS (UPPER-UPPER, LOWER-UPPER, UPPER-MIDDLE) (14 % of population) cb16

Social Class Groups General Consumer Behavior Social Class Want to do the “right thing” Buy “what’s popular” Follow recommendations of “experts” Spending on “worthwhile experiences for children” Live in “better side of town” MIDDLE CLASS (32 % of population) cb16

Social Class Groups General Consumer Behavior Social Class Depend on relatives for economic and emotional support Emphasis on family ties Rising incomes in some cases “Keeping up with the times” Ease of labor and leisure WORKING CLASS (38 % of population) cb16

Social Class Groups General Consumer Behavior Social Class Some prone to instant gratification Others to resisting worldly temptations Diversity in values and consumption LOWER AMERICANS (16 % of population) cb16

Social Class cont. Identification with each social class is influenced most strongly by one’s level of education and occupation A composite of many personal and social attributes cb16

Social Class cont. Families in each social class can be further classified Overprivileged Average Underprivileged Social class and relative standing within a class are important sources of consumers’ beliefs, values, and behaviors cb16

Social Class cont. Social class vs. income Each variable has its advantages and disadvantages The choice between using social class, income, or a combination depends on the product and the situation cb16

Analyzing Subcultures Acculturation processes Begins when a person from one culture moves to a different culture or subculture to live and work Refers to how people in one culture or subculture understand and adapt to the meanings of another culture or subculture cb16

Analyzing Subcultures cont. How people acquire the ability and cultural knowledge to be skilled consumers in different cultures or subcultures Important in the modern world Important for people who move to different regions within the same country and must adapt to different subcultural meanings cb16

Analyzing Subcultures cont. Degree to which immigrants, movers, and marketers became acculturated into a new culture or subculture depends on their level of cultural interpenetration The amount and type of social interactions they have with people in the host culture cb16

Analyzing Subcultures cont. Four stages of acculturation corresponding to four levels of cultural interpenetration Honeymoon Rejection Tolerance Integration An important aspect is proficiency in the language of the new culture cb16