Chapter 14 Ethnic Racial and Religious Subcultures By
Chapter 14 Ethnic, Racial, and Religious Subcultures By Michael R. Solomon Consumer Behavior Buying, Having, and Being Sixth Edition 14 - 1
Opening Vignette: Maria • Why does Maria’s mother refuse to use convenience products? • What would you guess is Maria’s ethnic background? • Is the family gathering indicative at all of her culture? • What activities does she undertake that identify her with a culture? 14 - 2
Subcultures and Consumer Identity • Subcultures – Group memberships within society at large • Ethnic and Racial Subcultures – Ethnic Subculture: A self-perpetuating group of consumers who are held together by common cultural or genetic ties, and is identified both by its members and by others as being a distinguishable category. • Ethnicity and Marketing Strategies – High-context Culture: Group members tend to be tightly knit, and they are likely to infer meanings that go beyond the spoken word. 14 - 3
Mountain Men • Contemporary Mountain Men share a strong sense of identity and community. 14 - 4
Marketing to Subcultures 14 - 5
Ethnic Products • Tex-Mex cuisine is popular in Scandinavia. This ad appeared in a Swedish magazine. 14 - 6
Is Ethnicity a Moving Target? • De-ethnicization – Refers to the process whereby a product formerly associated with a specific ethnic group is detached from its roots and marketed to other subcultures. • The “Big Three” American Subcultures – African Americans – Hispanic Americans – Asian Americans • New Ethnic Groups • Ethnic and Racial Stereotypes 14 - 7
Tiger Woods • Tiger Woods’ multiracial background illustrates the complexity of ethnic identity in the United States. 14 - 8
De-ethnicization of Bagels • Bagels have been deethnicized and are now part of mainstream culture. 14 - 9
Discussion Question • Advertisers frequently try to depict the “big three” consuming their products as this ad for The Children’s Place clothing does. • What are the benefits of using multi-ethnic models in advertisements? Does this advertisement do a good job reflecting ethnic diversity of the target audience? 14 - 10
African Americans and Hispanic Americans • African Americans: – 12. 3 percent of the U. S. population (2000 Census) – Differences between blacks and whites in consumption are very subtle • Hispanic Americans: – “Hispanic” describes people of many backgrounds – 60 percent of Hispanic Americans are Mexican – Puerto Ricans are the next biggest group at 10% 14 - 11
African Americans in Advertising • Many national brands routinely use African American models. 14 - 12
Distinguishing Characteristics of the Hispanic Market • Youth: – Median Age is 23. 6 (U. S. average: 32) • Family Size: – Average household is 3. 5 people (U. S. average: 2. 7) • Importance of Family: – Preference to spend time with family affects consumption activities – Going to the movies is a family event – Convenience products are not as important 14 - 13
Ethnic Products • Hispanic celebrities such as Shakira, Ricky Martin, and Gloria Estefan are increasingly successful in popular music. 14 - 14
Levels of Acculturation: Understanding Hispanic Identity • Acculturation: – Refers to the process of movement and adaptation to one country’s cultural environment by a person from another country. • Ethnography: – The study of immigrants as they adapt to life in a new country. • Acculturation Agents: – People and institutions that teach the ways of a culture. • Culture of Origin • Culture of Immigration 14 - 15
Segmenting Hispanics by Acculturation 14 - 16
A Model of Consumer Acculturation Figure 14. 2 14 - 17
Processes of Immigrant Adaptation • Movement: – Refers to the factors motivating people to physically uproot themselves from one location to another. • Translation: – Attempting to master a set of rules for operating in the new environment. • Adaptation: – Cultural learning that leads to new consumption patterns • Assimilation: – When immigrants adopt products, habits, and values that are identified with the mainstream culture. • Maintenance • Resistance • Segregation 14 - 18
Perspectives on Ethnic Adaptation • Ethnic Pluralism: – Argues that ethnic groups differ from the mainstream in varying degrees, and that adaptation to the larger society occurs selectively. • Progressive Learning Model: – Assumes that people gradually learn a new culture as they increasingly come in contact with it. • Host Culture 14 - 19
Asian Americans • Chi: – An invisible energy current that is believed to bring good or bad luck • Feng Shui: – Translated literally as “the wind and the water” • Fastest growing minority group in the U. S. – The most affluent, best educated, and most likely to hold technology jobs of any ethnic subculture – Prosperous Asians tend to be very status conscious • Advertising featuring celebrities can be very effective in reaching this group 14 - 20
Yes. Asia. com 14 - 21
Discussion Question • Asians are often depicted using high-technology products as in this ad for Mc. Afee Security software. • Why are Asians a good target audience for this product? What other products would do well to target the Asian segment of the population? 14 - 22
Religious Subcultures • The Rise of Spirituality: – Explosion of religion in popular culture • Old and New Religions • The Impact of Religion on Consumption: – Not studied extensively in marketing (too “taboo”) – Religious affiliation has the potential to be a valuable predictor of consumer behavior 14 - 23
Megachurches • Some U. S. megachurches have more than 20, 000 members. 14 - 24
Meeting the Needs of Subcultures • Specialized ethnic media, like this magazine for Muslim women, are springing up to meet the needs of underserved American subcultures. 14 - 25
Influence of Religious Groups • Religious groups can influence companies’ decisions by encouraging their members to boycott products or stage protests. 14 - 26
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