Subcultures and Consumer Behavior

CHAPTERTWELVE

Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.

Learning Objectives

1. To Understand What Subculture Is, and Its Relationship to Culture.

2. To Understand Nationality as a Sub‐cultural Influence on Consumer Behavior.

3. To Understand Religious Affiliation as a Sub‐cultural Influence on Consumer Behavior.

4. To Understand Geographic and Regional Residences as Sub‐cultural Influences on Consumer Behavior.

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Learning Objectives (continued)

5. To Understand Racial Identity as a Sub‐cultural Influence on Consumer Behavior.

6. To Understand Age as a Sub‐cultural Influence on Consumer Behavior.

7. To Understand Gender as a Sub‐cultural Influence on Consumer Behavior.

8. To Understand How Multiple Sub‐cultural Memberships Jointly Influence Consumer Behavior.

Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.‐ 3Chapter Twelve Slide

Why Is State Farm  Running MagazineAds in Spanish? At Whom Are These Ads Directed?

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To Build their Market by Reaching the                Hispanic American Consumer

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SubcultureSubculture

A distinct cultural group that exists as an

identifiable segment within a larger, more

complex society.

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A subculture has beliefs, values, and customers that set them apart from the other members of the same society.

Discussion Questions

• Would you categorize yourself as belonging to any subcultures?

• How does it affect your consumer purchases? – Perhaps you belong to religious or ethnic subcultures.  

– Do these affect your grocery decisions

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Relationship Between Culture and Subculture ‐ Figure 12.2 

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Examples of Major Subcultural Categories Table 12.1 

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Nationality Subculture ‐ Hispanic

• Stronger preference for well‐established brands

• Prefer to shop at smaller stores

• Some are shifting food shopping to non‐ethnic American‐style supermarkets

• Youths are more fashion conscious than non‐Hispanic peers

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Why Is Days Inn Running Ads in Spanish, and Who Are the Consumers Targeted by Such Ads?

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Because Hispanic Americans who Speak Spanish as a First Language Tend to Prefer Spanish‐Language Advertising

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Nationality Subculture – HispanicU.S. Hispanic Population by Place of Origin

Figure 12.3

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Segmenting the Hispanic MarketFigure 12.5

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ethnic identity + the strength of the family unit

4 segments

Religious Subcultures

• 200+ organized religious groups in the U.S.• Primary organized faiths include:

– Protestant denominations– Roman Catholicism– Islam– Judaism

• Consumer behavior symbolically and ritualistically associated with the celebration of religious holidays.

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Regional Subcultures

• Many regional differences exist in consumption behavior– Westerners have a mug of black coffee– Easterners have a cup of coffee with milk and sugar– White bread is preferred in the South and Midwest– Rye and whole wheat are preferred on the East and West coasts

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Major Racial SubculturesAfrican American

• The African American Consumer– 13 percent of the U.S. population

– Purchasing power estimated at $845 billion

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Break Time

What Are theStrategic Goals of This Ad?

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This Ad is Placed in “Black Media” which is Very Important to Many African Americans.

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Major Racial SubculturesAfrican American

• Prefer leading brands over private‐label brands

• Brand loyal

• Higher than average trips to grocery store and higher spending

• Spend more then other segments on telephone services

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Hair care and telephone services are two other products that tend to be bought more than other segments.

Major Racial SubculturesAsian American

• Fastest growing racial segment

• Diverse group including 6 major ethnicities:– Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, 

and Japanese

• 95% live in metropolitan areas and business ownership is high

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Region of Residence for Selected Subcultural Groups – Figure 12.7

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Major Racial SubculturesAsian American

• Increasing buying power

• Diverse so few trends

• Many prefer ads in English as language is self reported as well spoken

Figure 12.8

Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. 24Chapter Twelve Slide

Major Age Subcultures

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Generation Y 

• According to sources, born 1977‐1994 OR 1982‐2000

• Three groups– Gen Y Adults – 19‐28

– Gen Y Teens – 13‐18

– Gen Y Tweens 8‐12

• Twixters – 21‐29 and live with parents

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Discussion Questions

• Is it ethical for marketers of high‐priced goods, an iPod for example, to target tweens?

• How might they market responsibly?

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Generation X

• Born between 1965 and 1979• Also referred to as Xers, busters, or slackers• Do not like labels, are cynical, and do not want to be

marketed to

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Baby Boomers

• Born between 1946 – 1964• More than 40 percent of the adult population• Motivated consumers• Not anxious to retire and handle it as:

– Opportunity for a new start– A continuation of preretirement life– Unwelcome disruption– Transition to old age

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Older Consumers

• Roughly 65 years and older

• Growing segment due to better medical care, declining birthrate and the aging of the large baby boomer segment

• Three segments by age– The Young‐Old (65‐74)

– The Old (75‐84)

– The Old‐Old (85 and older)

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Older Consumers

• Segmentation can also be done on motivations and quality‐of‐life orientation 

• Those who feel and act younger will purchase  consumer products that are generally consumed by a somewhat younger group

• Cyberseniors

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How Seniors Use the InternetFigure 12.9

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Discussion Questions

• How might the three senior segments differ in their consumption of food products?

• How might a marketer of a food product market differently to the three subgroups?

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Where might you find the three groups of seniors? What about dining out? What are their interests?

a grocery store and the variety of food categories.

Issues in Understanding Gender as a Subculture

• Sex Roles and Consumer Behavior– Masculine vs. Feminine Traits

• Consumer Products and Sex Roles– Men and women react differently toward print ads and have very 

different shopping motives 

• Women as depicted in Media

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Working Women

• Segments of ALL women– Stay‐at‐home

– Plan‐to‐work

– Just‐a‐job working

– Career‐oriented working

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Working women are important consumers and comprise about 60 percent of American women

Consumer Electronics Products Women Are Most Interested in Buying ‐ Figure 12.10

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SubculturalSubculturalInteractionInteraction

Marketers should strive to understand how multiple subcultural memberships

jointly influence consumers behavior

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An individual can belong to several of the subcultures

Considerations on how these influences will work together