CHAPTER 11

Culture, Ethnicity, and Social

Class

Roger D. Blackwell, Paul W. Miniard, and James F. Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth
Edition

What is Culture?

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

What is Culture?
A set of values, ideas, artifacts, and
other meaningful symbols that help
individuals communicate, interpret, and
evaluate as members of society

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

What is Culture?
A set of values, ideas, artifacts, and
other meaningful symbols that help
individuals communicate, interpret, and
evaluate as members of society
Blueprint of human activity,
determining coordinates of social
action and productive activity

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

What is Culture?
A set of values, ideas, artifacts, and
other meaningful symbols that help
individuals communicate, interpret, and
evaluate as members of society
Blueprint of human activity,
determining coordinates of social
action and productive activity
A set of socially acquired behavior
patterns transmitted symbolically
through language and other means to
the members of a particular society
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Influences
Ethnicity
Race
Religion
Regional or
national identity

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Influences
Ethnicity
Race
Religion
Regional or
national identity

CULTURE

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Influences
Ethnicity
Race
Religion
Regional or
national identity

CULTURE
Abstract/Behavioral
Values
Norms
Rituals
Symbols

Physical/Material
Artifacts
Technology
Infrastructure

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

What is Culture?
Abstract elements: values, attitudes,
ideas, personality types, and summary
constructs
Symbol may come to represent a
culture
Symbols (with three components of
language, aesthetic styles, and story
themes) often act as shorthand for a
culture

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

What is Culture?
Material components (cultural
artifacts): include such things as
books, computers, buildings and
specific products
Products provide symbols of meaning
Products may be used in ritual behavior
Material components may become
icons

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Characteristics Influenced by Culture

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Characteristics Influenced by Culture

Sense of self and space
Communication and language
Dress and appearance
Food and feeding habits
Time and time consciousness
Relationships
Values and norms
Beliefs and attitudes
Mental processes and learning
Work habits and practices

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Characteristics Influenced by Culture

Sense of self and space
Communication and language
Dress and appearance
Food and feeding habits
Time and time consciousness
Relationships
Values and norms
Beliefs and attitudes
Mental processes and learning
Work habits and practices
Used to define and differentiate cultures
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Values and Norms

Norms: rules of behavior held by a
majority or at least a consensus of a
group about how individuals should
behave
Cultural values: values shared broadly
across groups of people

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Values and Norms

Norms: rules of behavior held by a
majority or at least a consensus of a
group about how individuals should
behave
Cultural values: values shared broadly
across groups of people
Macroculture: values and symbols that
apply to a society or most of its citizens
Microculture: values and symbols of a
restrictive group or segment of
consumers (also called subcultures)
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Values and Norms

Socialization: the process by which
people develop their values,
motivations, and habitual activity
The Values Transfusion Model
describes how and where people get
their values
Shows how people adopt values that
influence how they live, how they define
right and wrong, how they shop, and
what is important to them

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

The Values Transfusion Model

Values of Society

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

The Values Transfusion Model

Values of Society

Family

Religious
Institutions

Educational
Institutions

Early
Lifetime
Experiences

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

The Values Transfusion Model

Values of Society

Family

Religious
Institutions

Peers

Educational
Institutions

Individual
Internalized
Values

Early
Lifetime
Experiences

Media

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

The Values Transfusion Model

Values of Society

Family

Religious
Institutions

Peers

Educational
Institutions

Individual
Internalized
Values

Early
Lifetime
Experiences

Media

Society of
Future
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Cultural Transfusive Triad

Family

Religious
Institutions

Educational
Institutions

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Values and Norms

Culture is adaptive, and marketing
strategies based on values of
society must also be adaptive
Marketers must address consumer
socialization: the acquisition of
consumption-related cognitions,
attitudes, and behaviors.
Advertising and marketing efforts
have difficulty changing behaviors
or norms learned early in life
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

How Culture Affects Consumer

Behavior:
Pre-purchase and Purchase
Activities
Consumption and
Divestment Activities

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Culture Influences Pre-purchase

and Purchase Activities

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Culture Influences Pre-purchase

and Purchase Activities
Culture affects what consumers think
they need and what they perceive as
frivolous
Culture affects how and how much
they search for information
Culture affects the importance placed
on various attributes of alternatives
Culture affects the purchase process-how consumers buy, what they expect,
and even how they negotiate
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Culture Influences Consumption

and Divestment Activities

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Culture Influences Consumption

and Divestment Activities
Culture affects what consumers expect
from a product
Consumers expectations about form
and function are influenced by culture
Culture influences how consumers
dispose of products--how much is
consumed and whether or not
consumers recycle products or
packaging
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

How Core Values Affect

Marketing

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

How Core Values Affect

Marketing
Core values define how products
are used in a society
Core values provide positive and
negative valences for brands and
communication programs
Core values define acceptable
market relationships
Core values define ethical behavior
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Changing Values

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Changing Values
Life-cycle explanation: values change
according to life-cycle (peoples values
changes as they get older)
Theory of behavioral assimilation:
Children begin to see things like their
parents do as they get older
Generational change: gradual
replacement of existing values by those
of young people who form the leading
generation in value terms

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Changing Values
Will people become more like their
parents as they get older, or will
they carry with them the values of
their generation?
Depends on elements in the
Cultural Transfusive Triad and early
lifetime experiences

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Cultural Transfusive Triad

Family

Religious
Institutions

Educational
Institutions

Early
Lifetime
Experiences

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Changing Family Influences

Less time for in-home or parentchild influence
Increasing divorce rates
Isolated nuclear family (geographic
separation of generations)

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Changing Religious Influences

Decline in loyalty to traditional
churches and religions
Increase in non-Christian religions
Shift from traditional religion to
spirituality
Women becoming more religious
The big-business of religion and
spirituality
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Changing Educational Influences

Increase in formal education
Teaching: from memorization to
questioning
Internet teaching and distance
learning

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Influence of Age-related
Microcultures
Cohorts: a group of individuals
linked as a group in some way-usually by age
Cohort analysis: focuses on the
actual changes in the behavior or
attitudes of a cohort, the changes
attributed to the process of aging,
and those associated with events
of a particular period
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Consumer Age Cohorts

The Depression
Cohort

The World War II

Cohort

The Postwar
Cohort

The Boomers I
Cohort

The Boomers II
Cohort

The Generation X
Cohort

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Consumer Age Cohorts

The Depression
Cohort

The World War II

Cohort

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Consumer Age Cohorts

The Depression
Cohort

The World War II

Cohort

The G.I. Generation

Depression Generation

Born 1912-1921

Born 1922-1927

Living through the

Depression has
deeply affected this
group--they save a
lot and spend little.

This group was unified

by a common goal and
enemy.

This was the first

group to be
influenced by
contemporary media.

It exhibits self-denial
characteristics that
have outlived the war,
especially among
veterans and their
families.

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Consumer Age Cohorts

The Postwar
Cohort

The Boomers I
Cohort

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Consumer Age Cohorts

The Postwar
Cohort

The Boomers I
Cohort

The Silent Generation

Woodstock Generation

Born 1928-1945

Born 1946-1954

Generation of war
babies benefited from
years of economic
growth and social
tranquility.

The Kennedy and King

assassinations meant
an end to status quo
and unified this vast
cohort.

The youngest were

the first to listen to
folk rock music.

Early boomers pushed

for lifestyles at least as
good as their parents.

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Consumer Age Cohorts

The Boomers II
Cohort

Generation X
Cohort

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Consumer Age Cohorts

The Boomers II
Cohort

Generation X
Cohort

Zoomers

Baby-busters

Born 1955-1965

Born 1966-1976

After Watergate, the

idealistic youth disappeared, giving rise
to the self-help movement.

A generation of kids
raised in daycare and
with divorce is born.
Searching for an
anchor, many resort to
retro behaviors.

In an age of
downward mobility,
debt became a way to
maintain lifestyle.

Whats in it for me
cynicism is prevalent.

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Philips
appeals
to a
young
age
cohort
with this
ad.

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

National Culture
Individualism versus collectivism

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Individualism
Self-construal

Defined by internal
attributes and
personal traits

Collectivism
Defined by family,
important others,
and friends

Role of Others

Self-evaluation

Self-definition

Values

Emphasis on individuality and

separateness

Emphasis on relationships and

connectedness

Motivational
drives

Differentiation,
need to be unique

Focus on similarity,
need to blend in

Behavior

Reflective of personal preferences

Reflective of personal preferences

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

National Culture
Individualism versus collectivism
Uncertainty avoidance: how
societies react to uncertainties
inherent in life
Power distance: the degree to
which a society accepts inequality
in power at different levels in
organizations and government
Masculinity-femininity
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

National Culture
Geographic culture: cultures may
exist for an entire country, but
regions within the country may
develop their own cultures
Climate, religious affiliations,
nationality influences, and other
variables can affect culture on a
regional level

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

North American Core Values

Foundation of American values
American values and advertising
Which core values provide appeals
for advertising?
Understanding values helps
advertisers avoid violating norms or
standards of society
Sometimes advertisers shock
consumers by breaking the rules
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Core Values Provide Appeals to

Marketers

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Core Values Provide Appeals to

Marketers
Material Well-Being
Twofold Moralizing
Importance of Work over Play
Time is Money
Effort, Optimism, and Entrepreneurship
Mastery over Nature
Egalitarianism
Humanitarianism
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Ethnic Microcultures and Their

Influences on Consumer
Behavior

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Tommy
Hilfiger
features a
multiethnic
group of
young
people in
this ad to
represent
the real
America

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Americas Ethnic Microcultures

Immigrants bring with them new
religions, cultures, and languages
Acculturation: measures the
degree to which a consumer has
learned the ways of a different
culture compared to how they
were raised
Just as individuals adapt to
cultural changes, so do
companies
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Americas Ethnic Microcultures

Euro-descent Americans

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Americas Ethnic Microcultures

Euro-descent Americans
Most Euro-descent come from
England, Germany, and Ireland
European immigration declined for
many years, but increased in recent
years due to immigration from
former Eastern block countries
Group tends to have a fairly high
savings rate

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Americas Ethnic Microcultures

Euro-descent Americans
Most Euro-descent come from
England, Germany, and Ireland
European immigration declined for
many years, but increased in recent
years due to immigration from
former Eastern block countries
Group tends to have a fairly high
savings rate

Native American Culture

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Americas Ethnic Microcultures

Multiethnic Microcultures
Includes people from multiple ethnic
backgrounds
How will each of these influences
affect behavior and values?

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Americas Ethnic Microcultures

Multiethnic Microcultures
Includes people from multiple ethnic
backgrounds
How will each of these influences
affect behavior and values?

Transcultural marketing research:

gathers data from specific ethnic
groups and compares these data
to those collected from other
markets
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

U.S. Population by Race and Ethnic Group

Asian
Black
Hispanic
American Indian
White, Non-Hispanic

2000
4%
12%
11%
1%
72%

2025
6%
13%
18%
1%
62%

2050
8%
14%
24%
1%
53%

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

U.S. Households and Incomes

Number of
Households
(millions)

Median
Income

White

77.9

$40,600

African American

12.2

$25,100

Asian

3.1

$45,400

American Indian

0.7

$29,200

Hispanic

8.6

$26,600

Source: Population Reference Bureau, Population Bulletin, September 1999, 23 and 26.
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Black or African-American Culture

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Black or African-American Culture

Structural Influences
Black families have lower than
average incomes, although incomes
have risen in recent years
21% of black households had
incomes of $50,000 or more by 1997
33% still live under poverty line
Higher education has become a
priority for many African American
young people
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Black or African-American Culture

Structural Influences
A high proportion of families are
headed by women
Black women influence many
purchases that might otherwise be
purchased by men
Advertising often appeals to the
strength black women portray in life

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Black or African-American Culture

Consumption Patterns
African American consumers view
magazines such as Ebony and
Essence as credible sources
Firms target products to black
consumers (Jordan cologne) and for
the special needs of black consumers
(special make-up products)

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Jordan cologne,
advertised by
basketball
legend Michael
Jordan and his
wife, is not
targeted
exclusively to
black
consumers; yet
the appeal of
this product in
this segment is
substantial.
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Black or African-American Culture

Consumption Patterns
African American consumers view
magazines such as Ebony and
Essence as credible sources
Firms target products to black
consumers (Jordan cologne) and for
the special needs of black consumers
(special make-up products)
Advertisers have also increased the
number of black models and spokespersons used in campaigns
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Asian-American Culture

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Asian-American Culture
Includes: Chinese, Japanese,
Koreans, Vietnamese, Cambodians,
Laotians, Filipinos, Asian Indians,
Pakistanis, Hawaiians, Samoans,
Fiji Islanders, and others
This market is expected to
continue to grow in the future, and
may reach 20 million consumers in
the early part of the century
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Asian-American Culture
Structural Influences
Asian-Americans have higher than
average incomes and 53% of households have two income earners
Highest rate of education among any
U.S. population category
Emphasis on strong family ties, hard
work, and education

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Asian-American Culture
Consumption Patterns
Marketers find that it is effective to
reach Asian-Americans through
mass media, including cultural and
foreign language publications
Some consumers are accustomed to
negotiating prices

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Hispanic or Latino Culture

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Hispanic or Latino Culture

Rapid growth, size, and language
have fueled interest in this microculture
By 2015, experts believe Hispanics
will outnumber African-Americans
because of immigration and birth
rates
Great diversity among members of
this group make it a heterogeneous
segment of wants and needs
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Hispanic or Latino Culture

Who is Hispanic?
Language and identity, rather than
national origin, are key elements in
Hispanic culture
Hispanic describes Americans whose
origins are in the Spanish-speaking
countries of the Western world
Hispanic consumers are often segmented into four groups: Mexicans,
Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and others
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Hispanic or Latino Culture

Structural Influences
Fastest growing market in the U.S.
Buying power around $340 billion,
with Cuban-Americans having the
highest income in this group
Education level is increasing
This segment values family (has
higher birth rates and larger families)
Average age is younger than nonHispanic white population
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Toyota
appeals to
family and
safety for
children
with this
Spanish
language
ad

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Hispanic or Latino Culture

Consumption Patterns
Hispanic culture is affecting tastes
and preferences of the majority
culture (especially in food and music)
They watch almost as much television
as average American, but much time
is spent watching Spanish-language
programming
Tend to shy away from using coupons
they believe are for people who cant
afford to pay full price
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Hispanic or Latino Culture

Avoiding Marketing Blunders
Translation problems
Culture misunderstandings
Hispanic idiosyncrasies

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

French-Canadian Culture

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

French-Canadian Culture
One of the largest and most distinct
cultures in North America
Quebec accounts for more than 27
percent of the Canadian population
Firms marketing in Canada often
use two campaigns: one for
English- and one for FrenchCanadians
Other times they use the same ad
for both segments
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

Social class: relatively permanent
and homogeneous divisions in a
society into which individuals or
families sharing similar values,
lifestyles, interests, wealth,
status, education, economic
positions, and behavior can be
categorized
Social class is not the same thing
as income
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

Concrete variables that define
social classes include occupation,
education, friendships, ways of
speaking, and possessions
Perceive variables include power,
prestige, and class
Social class, in part, determines
which products consumers will
buy
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

Status groups: reflect communitys
expectations for style of life among
each class as well as the positive
or negative social estimation of
honor given to each class
Classes are stratified based on
relations to production and acquisition of goods, status groups
stratified based on lifestyles and
principles of consumption of
goods
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

What determines social class?

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

What determines social class?
Economic
Variables
Interaction
Variables
Political
Variables
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

What determines social class?
Economic
Variables

Occupation Income
Wealth

Interaction
Variables
Political
Variables
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

What determines social class?
Economic
Variables

Occupation Income
Wealth

Interaction
Variables

Personal Prestige
Association
Socialization

Political
Variables
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

What determines social class?
Economic
Variables

Occupation Income
Wealth

Interaction
Variables

Personal Prestige
Association
Socialization

Political
Variables

Power
Class consciousness
Mobility

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

Consumer analysts often focus on
six variables which determine
social class

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

Consumer analysts often focus on
six variables which determine
social class
Occupation
Personal performance
Interactions
Possessions
Value orientations
Class consciousness
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

Occupation: best single indicator
of social class
Personal performance: a persons
success relative to that of others
(often in the same occupation)
Interactions: the people with whom
one associates and socializes
Possessions: symbols of class
membership
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

Value orientations: values are
indicators of our social class
In some cultures, values are more
important than possessions and
social class is determined more by
achievements than by
possessions
Class consciousness: the degree
to which people in a social class
are aware of themselves as a
distinctive group

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

Social stratification: perceived
hierarchies in which consumers rate
others as higher or lower in social
status
Achieved status: earned by work or
study
Ascribed status: acquired status due to
luck (born wealthy)
Status inconsistency: when a person
rates high in one category and low in
another (some athletes)
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

Social mobility: process of
passing from one social class to
another
Parody display: the mockery of
status symbols and behavior
(upper class individuals wearing
old jeans with holes in them)
Some consumers rebel against
their social class by becoming part
of a counterculture (as shown in
Benetton ads)

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social class microcultures are featured

in these ads for Palm Pilot and Benetton

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

Products can be positioned as
brands appealing to upper social
classes (as Godiva and Mercedes
have done)

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Microcultures

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Market Segmentation

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Social Class Market Segmentation

Identification of social class usage of the
product
Comparison of social class variables for
segmentation with other variables
Description of social class
characteristics identified in target
markets
Development of marketing program to
maximize effectiveness of marketing mix
based on consistency with social class
attributes
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Positioning based on Social Class

Understanding social class helps
marketers create perceptions
about products or organizations in
consumers minds
Appeal to those in a social class
and those who aspire to be there
Brands such as Godiva and
Escada are positioned to upper
social class consumers with
simple, sleek ads
Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, Consumer Behavior , Ninth Edition, Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights

Consumer Behavior
Roger D. Blackwell
Paul W. Miniard
James F. Engel
Requests for permission to make copies of any part of the work should be
mailed to the following address:
Permissions Department, Harcourt, Inc.
6277 Sea Harbor Drive
Orlando, Florida 32887-6777
Copyright 2001 by Harcourt, Inc. All rights reserved.