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.