Chapter 13Culture and Popular Culture

Consumer Behavior: A FrameworkJohn C. MowenMichael S. Minor

Key Concepts Culture Role of consumer

goods in culture Core American

values Belief systems,

global and domain-specific values, evaluating product attributes

Rituals Popular culture Examples of

popular culture Fashion and

fashion trends Formation of

popular culture

Culture Includes:

The Material Objects of a Society Ideas and Values Institutions Symbols The Ways We Dress, Think, Eat, and

Spend Our Leisure Time

Culture . . .

. . . is a learned behavior.

Enculturation is learning one’s own culture.Acculturation is learning a new culture.

Cultural Identification . . .

. . . refers to the society in which a person prefers to live.

It is attitudinal in contrast to acculturation, which is behavioral.

Culture . . .

. . . is adaptive, i.e. it changes as a society faces new problems and opportunities.... . . satisfies needs by providing norms (rules of behavior).... . . provides values which delineate what is right, good, and important to a society.

Components of Culture Norms are more specific than values

and dictate acceptable and unacceptable behaviors

Two General Types of Norms Exist: Enacted Norms are those norms that are

explicitly expressed, sometimes as laws. Cresive Norms are embedded into culture

and are learned through interaction with the people of the culture.

Three Types of Cresive Norms

Customs

Mores

Conventions

Myths . . .

. . . are stories that express key values and ideals of a society.

Myths help to: Explain the origins of existence Reveal a set of values for the society Provide models for personal conduct

The Cultural Matrix...

Cultural Values

MaterialEnvironment

Institutional/Social Environment

Cultural Meanings . . .

. . . refer to the values, norms, and shared beliefs that are symbolically communicated

Transferring Cultural Meanings

CultureAdvertising,FashionSystems

Consumer Goods

Rituals Individuals

Cultural Values . . .

. . . represent the shared meanings of ideal end states and modes of conduct

Types of Cultural Values...

Global values consist of enduring beliefs about desired states of existence.

Domain-specific values are beliefs pertaining to more concrete consumption activities.

Value-Attitude System

Global Values(dozens)

Domain-Specific Values (hundreds)

Evaluations ofProduct Attributes(thousands)

Central-Peripheral Continuum

More Centrally Held Less Centrally Held

Values-Attitudes continued. . . Means-end Chain Models

Linkages between consumer desires for features and abstract concepts - benefits, values.

Laddering Linkages between means (attributes) and

terminal values (end states).

The LOV Scale Values:

are consistent over time. influence attitudes, which influence

behavior. may change more among females than

among males. change more among the young. the need to be “well-respected” may have

decreased over time.

Materialism Values Materialistic themes are stable over time. Types of materialism:

Instrumental – desire to possess a good to perform some activity.

Terminal – desire to possess good as end in itself.

Women are more sharing, less materialistic.

Cross-cultural differences in materialism exist.

Cultural Rituals . . .

. . . are socially standardized sequences of actions that are periodically repeated, provide meaning, and involve the use of cultural symbols.

Rituals vs. Habits...

Rituals are prescribed by society, habits by the individual.

People are more consciously aware of rituals.

Rituals embody more symbolic meaning and affect.

A Typology of Ritual Experience...

Cosmological - religious, aesthetic Cultural - graduation, marriage Group - Memorial Day parade, fraternity

initiation, business negotiations Individual - Grooming, household rituals Biological - Greeting, mating

Elements of a Ritual...

Artifacts Scripts Performance Roles Audience

Four Specific Types of Rituals: Exchange Rituals

Possession Rituals

Grooming Rituals

Divestment Rituals

Rituals and products... Beauty Ritual

Attempts are being made to get men to accept multiple cosmetic products.

The “small worlds” of rituals – Rituals are catalysts for construction of

social relationships. Facilities and events facilitating

interconnections between customers have a better chance of success.

Cultural Symbols

Symbols are entities that represent ideas and concepts

It can be argued that people “consume” symbols

Popular Culture . . .

. . . is the culture of mass appeal and has the following characteristics: It taps into the experiences and values of a

significant portion of the population It does not require any special knowledge to

understand it It is produced so that large numbers of

people have easy access to it It most frequently influences behavior that

does not involve work or sleep

Examples of Popular Culture

Advertising Television Music Fashion

Fashion Trend Characteristics

Type• Cyclical• Classic

Speed• Fad or longer-

lasting Turning Points

• Technological or cultural barriers

Degree of Adherence

Managerial Implications Positioning. Link products with cultural

symbols. Environmental Analysis. Scanning is

critical to understanding changes in culture and popular culture, both here and abroad.

Research. Marketing research can help identify changes in values and resulting needs for changes in promotion.

Implications continued Marketing Mix. Identify core values and

anticipate which core values won’t translate well abroad.

Segmentation. Identify segments of consumers who respond well to a certain product and positioning strategy. Cultural icons such as popular singers don’t appeal to all segments.