Chapter 13: Subcultures Flashcards
Subculture
A group whose members share beliefs and common experiences that set them apart from other members of a culture
Subcultural identification influences our everyday experience and consumption preferences
Every one of us belong to many subcultures related to our _____, _________, or the _______ where we live or call home
Age
Ethnic background
Region of Canada
Microculture
Communities of consumers who participate in or otherwise identify with specific art forms, popular culture movements, hobbies, etc.
Includes its own unique set of norms, vocabulary, and product insignia
Examples of microcultues
Mixed Martial Art fighters
Star Trek fans
Rally-car enthusiasts
Our age and consumer identities often guide our consumption behaviours
The bond you share will the million other people who have come to age during the same time period as you
All things being equal, we are more likely than not to have things in common with others of our own age than with those younger or older.
Bunch of 2008 teens all sharing joy at a Justin Bieber concert
Younger consumers, for example, don’t drink nearly as much coffee on a daily basis as older people. In addition, a marketer needs to communicate with members of an age group in their own language
Age Cohort
a group of consumers of the same or approximate age who have undergone similar experiences
Examples: They share many common memories about cultural heroes (e.g., Mario Lemieux versus Sidney Crosby), important historical events (e.g., World War II versus the 2020 Tokyo Olympics)
Marketers often target products and services to a specific age cohort,3 because our possessions play a key role in letting us ______ with others of a certain age and express the priorities and needs we encounter at each ________.
identify
life stage
One rough generation approximation looks like this:
The Interbellum Generation—people born at the beginning of the twentieth century
The Silent Generation—people born between the two World Wars
The War Baby Generation—people born during World War II
Baby Boomers—people born 1946–1964
Generation X—people born 1965–1985
Generation Y (Millennials)—people born 1986–2002
Generation Z—people born 2003 and later
Because consumers within an age group confront crucial life changes at roughly the same time, the values and symbolism used to appeal to them can evoke powerful feelings of_______
nostalgia
Multi-generational marketing strategy
An appeal to people of different ages with imagery form an older generation that also draws in younger consumers
The global market for children’s wear is expected to be over _____ billion by 2024
$339
A recent study found that kids whose parents use products to shape behaviour are more likely to be ______ as adults
materialistic
Parental yielding
When the parent surrenders or gives into a child’s request
The global youth market, which includes Gen ____ and part of Gen ____, is massive
Z
Y
At this age (the age when one hits puberty’s), our choices of activities, friends, and clothes are crucial
Teens constantly search for cues for the “right” way to look and behave from their peers and from advertising
According to Teenage Research Unlimited, the five most important social issues for teens are:
AIDS, race relations, child abuse, abortion, and the environment
The Saatchi & Saatchi advertising agency identified four basic conflicts common to all teens:
1) AUTONOMY VERSUS BELONGING.
2) REBELLION VERSUS CONFORMITY
3) IDEALISM VERSUS PRAGMATISM
4) NARCISSISM VERSUS INTIMACY
1) AUTONOMY VERSUS BELONGING.
Teens need to acquire independence, so they try to break away from their families. However, they need to attach themselves to a support structure, such as peers, to avoid being alone.
2) REBELLION VERSUS CONFORMITY
Teens need to rebel against social standards of appearance and behaviour, yet they still need to fit in and be accepted by others. They prize “in-your-face” products that cultivate a rebellious image.
3) IDEALISM VERSUS PRAGMATISM
Teens tend to view adults as hypocrites, whereas they see themselves as being sincere. They have to struggle to reconcile their view of how the world should be with the realities they perceive around them.
4) NARCISSISM VERSUS INTIMACY
Teens tend to obsess about their appearance and needs. However, they also feel the desire to connect with others on a meaningful level.
The effects of bullying, ridicule, haze, and admonish
For example, one of the kids in the study quickly exchanged a pair of white sneakers for more stylish black ones after his peers ridiculed him
Gen Z
Rough age range from kids who were born beginning in the late 1990s to early 2000s, so the oldest are just entering college and university
And, of course, they are digital natives, which means they grew up in a culture where technology was always present. Given that they spend a big chunk of their time online, they expect brands to engage them in two-way digital conversations.
This group learns about new styles via social media
Gen Y (AKA Echo boomers and Millennials)
Those born between 1986-2202
Pepsi also found that____ percent of Millennials have positive associations with the word change and that they link the word to others like new, progress, hope, and excitement
95
Gen _______ love brands like Nike, Sephora, Apple, Lululemon, and Victoria’s Secret
Yers
This can be difficult because these consumers like to “trade up and down” (i.e., they fluctuate between upscale brands and less expensive ones)
3 Major forces that have shaped Millennials Experiences
1) Economy
2) Globalization
3) Social Media
1) Economy
The company identified a subgroup of ambitious go-getters. Women in particular seem very aware of their “self-brand” and work hard to project a professional image via clothing and home decor. Men tend to identify with a “frat boy” culture and spend a lot of time and money on technology, gaming, and sports. However, these Millennials are a minority. Many are stuck in “economic purgatory”; they are overeducated but underemployed and focus on economizing by living with roommates and clipping coupons. Even this more frugal group, however, considers technology, like smartphones, a must-have.
2) Globalization
Millennials are eager to experience other cultures, but they do this in different ways. Ironically, those who are underemployed and thus less invested in their current jobs are more likely to travel to foreign countries. Many of those who are on a desired career path settle for being “foodies” who like to patronize restaurants that serve exotic cuisine so that they can vicariously collect these experiences.
3) Social Media
Gen Y is constantly open to public observation because every new post or status update reveals something about themselves. Some are what the report terms “exuberants,” who are avid posters and constantly blog about their experiences. However, most are “collectors,” who passively absorb others’ experiences. A smaller number—like YouTube star Bethany Mota—are digital gatekeepers, who curate or edit style from a huge number of options, and then advise their followers on what to buy.
Gen X (baby busters)
First affected by the economic downturn in the first part of the 1990’s
Those born between 1965 and 1985
Baby Boomers
A large cohort of people born between the years of 1946-1964 who are the source of many important cultural and economic changes
Grey Market
The economic potential created by the increasing number of affluent mature consumers
Usually refers to those over the age of 65 ‘senior citizens’
Chronological age
The actual number of years lived
Perceived age
How old a person feels rather than his or her true age
Feel-age
How old a person feels
Look-age
How old a person looks
Regional segmentation
Method of segmenting the market that is based on geographic location
_______ share the same national identity, but the regions of Canada differ in weather patterns, concentration and growth of their populations, age composition, ethnic mix, resources, customs, and the availability of some diversions over others, all of which affect regional lifestyles and product and service preferences
Citizens of Canada
The four regions of Canada are often identified as
Atlantic Canada (or the East Coast), Quebec, Ontario, and the West
Examples of geographic misnomers
Most Canadians watch television while sitting on a couch, except on the Prairies, where they sit on a chesterfield.
Most Canadians get water from a faucet, except on the Prairies, where it comes from a tap.
Montrealers drink soft drinks; other Canadians drink pop.
British Columbian and Atlantic Canadian children play on a teeter-totter; Montreal kids play on a see-saw.
Students in Atlantic Canada use scribblers and book bags, while Vancouver kids use notebooks and backpacks.
Eavestroughs keep the rain off the roof in Ontario, but in other parts of Canada gutters do the trick.
Fitness enthusiasts in British Columbia and on the Prairies wear runners, central Canadians wear running shoes, and Atlantic Canadians wear sneakers
“New” Canadians have much in common with members of other ethnic groups who live in Canada
They observe the same national holidays, their expenditures are affected by the country’s economic health, and they may join together in rooting for Canadian Olympians
Ethnic subculture
A self-perpetuating group of consumers held together by common cultural ties
Ethnic identity
was measured by language use in various social communication settings, religious beliefs, social interaction, upbringing/background, and spouse’s ethnic identity
The study suggests that the best measure of ethnicity is ______ use and the weakest measure is _______
language
religion
Dimensions of ethnicity that are important to marketers include
heritage, life experiences, religion, and beliefs
Membership in ethnic groups is often predictive of such consumer variables as
level and type of media exposure, food preferences, the wearing of distinctive apparel, political behaviour, leisure activities, and willingness to try new products
Furthermore, research evidence indicates that _______ groups find an advertising spokesperson from their own group to be trustworthy, and this enhanced credibility translates into more positive brand attitudes
members of minority
The popularity around halal food
Examples:
Colgate-Palmolive claims to be the first international company to have obtained halal certification in Malaysia for toothpaste and mouthwash products. Some mouthwashes may contain alcohol, which would be forbidden under halal guidelines. Colgate’s products now bear the halal logo, which also is featured in the company’s television commercials.
High-context culture
A culture in which group members tend to be tightly knit and infer meanings that go beyond the spoken word
Low-context culture
A culture where communication is more literal in nature and meanings are not inferred
Canadian advertisers are targeting ethnic consumers in two ways:
(1) by fostering inclusiveness through putting more individuals from visible minorities into mainstream advertising, and
(2) by “speaking” to specific ethnic groups in their mother tongue
Example from card 52
Campbell Company, for example, has translated its well-known tagline, “M’m! M’m! Good!” into Gujarati, Chinese, Hebrew, and French.
Canada is becoming mainstream and that ethnicity needs to be brought into mainstream ads, as the following examples indicate:
In trading areas where one ethnic group comprises at least 15 percent of the customer base, Loblaw develops a specific ethnic offering in each department.111
T & T Supermarket is the largest chain of Asian supermarkets in Canada, with about 20 stores in Greater Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, and Greater Toronto. To celebrate the opening of the sixteenth store in downtown Toronto, the store gave out chopsticks and 10- and 18-pound bags of jasmine rice to those who spent $28, $48, and $88, respectively.112
Galleria Supermarket in Toronto targets the Korean market, but 40 percent of its shoppers are from outside the community because of its tea shop, bakery, restaurant, and English-speaking staff and tours.
Dethnicization
Occurs when a product we formerly associated with a specific ethnic group detaches from its roots and appeals to other subcultures
There is potential for _____-plus ethnic niche markets in Canada
250
French Canadians
- account for about 14 percent of the Canadian population based on ethnic origin
- In other words, the French-Canadian market provides the advantage of geographic concentration
- French Canadians put more emphasis on being well respected and less on intellectual and cultural activities than English Canadians
Chinese Canadians
- At almost 1.8 million, Chinese Canadians are one of the fastest-growing minority groups in Canada
- After English and French, Mandarin is the next commonly used language that is spoken by those living in Canada
- This subculture is attractive to marketers because Asian Canadians are typically hardworking and many have above-average incomes
- The attitudes and behaviours of these consumers are influenced by age, education, gender, household composition, knowledge of English, length of time in Canada, reason for immigration, working status prior to and after immigration, family size, geographic location, and marital and financial status
- The use of the colour red and Chinese characters, the careful use of numbers (avoid 4), and the delivery of high-quality service are all appreciated by Asian consumers
Indigenous Peoples in Canada
- includes three groups as defined in the Census as First Nations peoples, Métis, and Inuit
- Little is known about their consumer behaviour in a scientific sense; however, work is being done to adapt the 631 characters in 19 Indigenous languages and five dialects so that communication by computer is possible
South Asian Canadians
- South Asia includes India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Punjab, Tamil, Bangladesh, and so on
- Most live in the suburban areas of Toronto and Vancouver
- The Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire has been a catalyst for bringing Bollywood into the mainstream.
- TELUS placed the BlackBerry Curve into a Bollywood film, and Scotiabank sponsored a weekly broadcast of CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada in Punjabi
According to a survey conducted by Environics Institute, 8 in 10 Canadians indicate that ________ has a positive impact on the economy
immigration
It’s best to market to new arrivals in their _______
native languages
______ themes that seem effective among recent immigrants are based on messages of comfort, familiarity, and appropriateness of language (in response to feelings of fear and insecurity on coming to a new country).
Advertising
Our age and consumer identities often guide our consumption behaviours Over view from chapter summary
Consumers who grew up at the same time share many cultural memories because they belong to a common age cohort, so they may respond well to marketers’ nostalgia appeals that remind them of these experiences.
The global youth market is massive and includes those from Gen Z and Gen Y. Gen Z are true digital natives, and they learn about styles through social media. Gen Y is sometimes referred to as the “Baby Boom echo” or the “Millennial generation.” It is of importance to marketers because of its relative size. Unlike their older siblings, Gen Yers tend to hold relatively traditional values, and they prefer to fit in rather than rebel.
Baby Boomers are the most powerful age segment because of their size and economic clout. Boomers continue to affect demands for housing, child care, automobiles, clothing, and many other products.
Many marketing messages appeal to ethnic identity Over view from chapter summary
There are several large ethnic subcultures in Canada. Consumers with many diverse backgrounds are considered by marketers.
Both French Canadians and Chinese Canadians tend to be extremely family-oriented, and they are receptive to advertising that understands their heritage and reinforces traditional family values.
Chinese Canadians are courted actively by marketers. The size of this group is increasing rapidly, and they dominate some major markets.
Care must be taken not to rely on inaccurate (and sometimes offensive) ethnic stereotypes.
Culture =
Material Condition
Culture CAN change, you have to cope with your environment
Culture can change with your income status - aka your lifestyle changes
Myths
Can be true or not true
- They reflect beliefs and influence buying habits
- DO NOT have anything to do with facts or history
IF you are not first nations, you are an ______
Immigrant
An ad that draws on virtue or temptation is what?
A Myth
Over privileged
Think of a spoiled brat
Fake medicine is valued over $75 billion
TRUE
