MGTUMS1

Culture& Branding

 Social glue
The collective memory of a society
dynamic blueprints for action and
interpretations that enable a person
to operate in a manner acceptable to
other members of the culture
(Arnould et al 2004)
Culture is an interpretation
system

 Accumulation of
Cultural principles:
Values, ideals, norms, and beliefs
Cultural indicators:
Language, dress, practices, social
institutions
Cultural manifestations:
Rights of passage, myths (stories with
symbolic elements), rituals, the sacred and
profane
Is marketing a reflection of culture or
is culture a reflection of marketing?

 Brands
A brand is a mixture of tangible and
intangible attributes, symbolized in a
trade mark which, if properly
managed, creates, influences and
generates value (Interbrand)
Brands are interpreted by people
(through cultural lens?)
They mean different things to
different people in different places
across different times

 Benefits of branding (1)

For consumers
easier product identification
communicates features and benefits
helps product evaluation
establishes products position in the
market
reduces risk in purchasing
creates interest/character for the
product
symbolic devices

Benefits of branding (2)

For manufacturers
helps create loyalty
defends against competition
creates differential advantage
allows premium pricing
helps targeting/positioning
increases power over retailer

Benefits of branding (3)

Benefits for retailers
benefits from brand marketing
support
attracts customers

 What can be branded?

Is there anything that cant be
branded????

Hofstedes Cultural
Dimensions
Individualism-collectivism
Masculinity-femininity
Power distance
Uncertainty avoidance

Hofstedes Cultural
Dimensions (contd)
Work-related value dimensions
Most influential effort to group by
cultural values
Surveyed over 116,000 employees in
more than 70 countries
Created maps of pairs of dimensions

Individualism-Collectivism
Self-perception as individual or part
of a group
Most widely studied
Most complex
Dimensions different across cultures
i.e., Asian vs Latin American collectivism

Individualism-Collectivism
(contd)
Individualism
High value on
autonomy
Individual
achievement
Privacy

Collectivism
High value on
group
Family, clan,
organization

Loyalty
Devotion
Conformity

Masculinity-Femininity
Describes Importance of
Achievement versus
Relationships

Success

Assertive
acquisition of
money/power
achievement

Equality of genders
Caring for
disadvantaged
harmony

Power Distance
Acceptance of differences in
power
High-Power Distance
Accept position
Follow authority
Concentrated &
centralized authority
Hierarchical

Low-Power Distance
Avoid concentration of
authority
Decentralized
Fewer layers of
management

Uncertainty Avoidance
Reaction to ambiguous
events
Low Uncertainty
Avoidance
Embrace
unpredictable
Less adherence to
rules, procedures,
or hierarchies
Risk taking
desirable

High Uncertainty
Avoidance
Threatened by
ambiguity
Need stable &
predictable
workplace
Reliance on rules