14-1

Chapter 14

Ethnic, Racial, andReligious Subcultures

14-2Subcultures and ConsumerIdentity

Ethnic Subcultures

Racial Subcultures

Religious Subcultures

Different Types of Subcultures

SubculturesSubcultures are Groups Whose Members Share Beliefs and Common Experiences That Set

Them Apart From Others.

14-3Ethnicity and Marketing StrategiesSubculturesSubcultures are Very Important in Shaping People’s

Needs and Wants and Membership is Often Predictive of Consumer Variables Such As:

Level & Type of Media Exposure

Food Preferences

Wearing Distinctive Apparel

Political Behavior

Leisure Activities

Willingness to Try New Products

14-4Ethnic and Racial Subcultures

• Ethnic and Racial StereotypesEthnic and Racial Stereotypes– Many subcultures have powerful stereotypes

associated with them which can be positive or negative.

– The use of subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) ethnic stereotypes in movies illustrates the media’s involvement.

• New Ethnic GroupsNew Ethnic Groups– New immigrants are likely to be Asian or Hispanic

and are best marketed to in their native language.– They tend to cluster together geographically which

makes them easy to reach.

14-5

Mixed-Raced Americans

• California census figures show that 4.7 percent of state residents, such as Rani Spudich, identified themselves as multiracial. Spudich, a San Francisco doctor, is Asian Indian and white.

14-6

Mixed-Raced Americans

"Cablinasian"– Blend of Caucasian, Black,

Indian, and Asian (Thai) blood.

14-7African American Subculture

• African Americans comprise a significant racial subculture and account for 12% of the U.S. population.

• Black/ White consumption differences that marketers should be aware of include, African Americans buying:

– only 2% of trucks and vans; 25% on mass transit,– 10% of TV’s, radios, and sound equipment,– 17% of all encyclopedias and reference books,– 28% more than other American consumers on baby products,– 27% more cooking ingredients than average,– more than 50% of the cognac,– 19% of the market for toiletries and cosmetics and 34% for

hair care products,

14-8Attitudes Among African Americans

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2001/11/20/MN101820.DTL

14-9African Americans and Mainstream Media

Watch 10 Hours of TV a Day Usually on Major and Cable Networks

Heavy Readers of Local Morning Daily Newspapers

Have Not Been Well Represented in Mainstream Advertising, But This is Changing

Now Account for 25% of the People Depicted in Commercials Which are More Racially Integrated

14-10Black-Oriented Media Depict Blacks

More PositivelyThan General

Media

Have SpecificRomance Novels

New Generationof Magazines

Retailers are Targeting

African Americans

Black Sports and Celebrity Figures

are Increasing

Black-Oriented Media

14-11The Allure of the HispanicMarket

• Demographically, two important characteristics of the Hispanic market are worth noting:

– It is a young market - the median age is 23.6, while the U.S. average is 32.

– The average Hispanic family contains 3.5 people, compared to only 2.7 for other U.S. households.

• There are over 19 million Hispanic consumers in the U.S. and a number of factors make this market segment extremely attractive:

– Large expenditures on groceries,– Brand loyal,– Concentrated geographically by national origin,– Education levels are increasing dramatically.

14-12

Diversity in California

14-13Appealing to Hispanic Subcultures

FamilyDevotionAssertive

RoleModels

Mexican Americans -

FastestGrowing

Self-Expression

A StrongSense of

Pride

Identity From

Country ofOrigin

Cuban Americans -Wealthiest

A Need forStatus

Characteristicsof Hispanic Consumers

14-14Understanding Hispanic Identity

• Role of the ChurchRole of the Church– Role of the Catholic church is very important to the average

Hispanic family.– However, one in five now practices some form of evangelical

Protestantism.

• Role of the FamilyRole of the Family– Preferences to spend time with family influence the structure

of many consumption activities.– Product appeals that stress one’s ability to provide well for the

family are important in this subculture.

• Level of AcculturationLevel of Acculturation– AcculturationAcculturation refers to the process of movement and

adaptation to one country’s cultural environment by a person from another country.

– Progressive Learning Model Progressive Learning Model - people gradually learn a new culture as they increasingly come in contact with it.

14-15Immigration and AcculturationIndividual

DifferencesConsumer

Acculturation Agents

1. Demographic Variables

2. Language - Spanish/ English

3. Recency of Arrival

4. Ethnic Identity

5. Environmental Factors

Culture of Origin Family Friends Media Institutions

Movement Translation Adaptation

Assimilation

Maintenance

Resistance

Segregation

Consumer Acculturation

Outcomes

Consumer Acculturation

Processes

Culture of Immigration Family Friends Media Institutions

14-16Asian Americans

Asian Americans are the Fastest Growing Minority Group in the U.S.

College Graduation Rate is Twice That of

Whites and Quadruple That of African Americans and

Hispanics.

Average Household Income is $2,000

Greater Than Whites, $7,000-$9,000 More

Than African Americans and Hispanics.

14-17Asian Demographics

14-18Segmenting Asian AmericansChinese is the Largest, Followed

by Filipino and Japanese

Diverse Languages and Dialects

Increasing Birth Rate, But StillRepresent Only 2% of Population

Save More of Their Income, Borrow Less, Conservative

Status Conscious, Buy Premium Brands and High-Tech Products

14-19Reaching the Asian AmericanConsumer

Overlooked Complex Differences Among

Asian Subcultures

Translating AdvertisingMessages Into Asian

Media

Lack of Media Availableto Reach Asian

Americans

Been Insensitive to Cultural Practices

Problems Encountered by American

Marketers

14-20The Impact of Religion on Consumption

Personality

Attitudes Toward Sexuality

Political Attitudes

Birthrates and Household Formation

Income

14-21Characteristics of Religious Subcultures

25% of Americans

More Children

Lower Socioeconomic Status

Collective Decision Making

Many are Conservative

Catholic Subculture Protestant Subculture

10% of Americans

Stress Industriousness and Hard Work

Part of the Power Elite

Many in Science, Education,

Government & Military

14-22Characteristics of Religious Subcultures

33% of Americans

Mostly Women and Older Citizens

Demarketing of Certain Products

Protest Sex and Violence

Consumption Patterns Unclear

Born-Again Subculture Jewish Subculture

2% of Americans

Exceptionally Strong Influence

High Socioeconomic Status

Emphasis on Education

Family Size Relatively Small

14-23Characteristics of Religious Subcultures

3 - 4 Million Americans

Conservative

Value Close-Knit FamilyStructure

Few Marketers Target ThisSubculture

Practice is Growing Worldwide

Muslim Subculture