MKT 420 Contemporary Issues in Marketing Chapter 8

MKT 420 Contemporary Issues in Marketing Chapter 8 Marketing across Cultures

What is Culture? n Link between individuals and societies: ¨ n Learned behavior and results of behavior shared and transmitted by the members of a particular society. (Linton, 1945) Useful to, but not a characteristic of, individuals: ¨ Culture is a set of beliefs or standards (control mechanisms), shared by a group of people, which help the individual decide what is, what can be, how to feel, what to do and how to go about doing it. (Goodenough, 1971) 2

Sources of Culture 3

Elements of Culture 1. 2. 3. 4. Language and communication Organization of people based on Institutions Material productions Symbolic and sacred productions 6

1. Language and Communication ¢ ¢ ¢ Primary mechanism to convey and share information Includes both explicit and implicit elements Approximately 6000 languages. l 389 are spoken by more than 1 million people. 7

2. Organization of people based on Institutions ¢ ¢ ¢ Territoriality (e. g. neighborhoods) Physiological (e. g. gender, age) Spontaneous (e. g. common interests/goals) Occupational (e. g. expertise) Hierarchy (e. g. status and rank) Totality (e. g. political processes). 8

4. Symbolic and Sacred Productions ¢ ¢ ¢ Religious beliefs Life after death Symbol conveys more than the object l ¢ Symbolic meaning in many things l ¢ (e. g. , road signs, wedding rings, skull and crossbones) (e. g. , color, shape, labels, brands, numbers) Quick understanding 10

An example of diverging symbolic interpretations

Interpreting Symbols ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ 7 is bad luck in Kenya. 7 is good luck in the Czech Republic. 7 is magical in Africa. 10 is bad luck in Korea. 4 is related to death in Japan. Red represents witchcraft and death in many African countries, but is a positive in Denmark. Avoid triangular shapes in Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan. It is a negative shape. Source: Business America, July 12, 1993 12

Symbolism: In every culture, things, numbers, even smells have meanings ¢ Black is not universal for mourning l l ¢ ¢ ¢ Death in Turkey Blue is the most masculine in USA l Pink is the most feminine in USA l Yellow is more feminine in many In many Asian countries it is other parts of the world white ¢ A candy wrapped in blue or green Brazil it is purple is probably a mint in the USA Mexico yellow l In Africa it would be wrapped in Ivory Coast dark red, in west it is for cinnamon. Red suggests good fortune in China l ¢ Red is in the United Kingdom or France Source: Copeland Griggs, 1986, p. 63 Lemon scent suggests freshness in the USA l ¢ It is associated with illness in the Philippines An owl is bad luck in India, like a black cat in West l In Japan a fox is associated with witches

Mc. Donald’s in Israel: an example of key nothing ¢ Ad showed a slice of cheese that was in direct contact with meat l Contrary to Jewish religious prescriptions • milk-based products should be separated from meat-based food ¢ Following massive consumer complaints, Mc. Donald’s withdrew the ad and to change the campaign.

Summary and Discussions 15