Assael (1998, p.495) supports the importance of culture and social acceptance,
“In many Asian countries it is more important to have social acceptance than individual choice.”
However different the culture may be, certain values may be similar throughout. Values such as desire for beauty, respect from peers, success and nurturing of children allow marketers to homogenize strategies.
The affect of culture on my own consumer behavior may be seen in the clothes I purchase. Being from Australia I purchase items which are generally suitable for warmer climates. The UK has a much colder climate but because my culture is such a large part of my identity it affects my consumer behavior in such a way as to make me purchase clothes which are not suitable.
Engel et al.(1995) considers that social class may be determined by diverse factors not limited to occupation, wealth, income, prestige, age and social interactions. Within each social class these factors have varying importance. Social classes are broken down by each class having similar values, interests and behaviors.
“Social class is defined as relatively permanent and homogenous divisions in a society into which individuals or families sharing similar values, lifestyles, interests, and behavior can be categorized”, Engel et al (1995, p.681)
In Europe and America, social class may be broken down into upper, middle and lower classes, with further divisions in each. Distinctions within social classes can determine the behavior of a consumer for many products ranging from necessities such as food and clothing to luxuries such as holidays and motor vehicles as confirmed by Assael (1998, p.381)
“Ones age and income can affect purchases of everything from autos to deodorants”
Brands may be marketed directly at a class division as well as being marketed as a product in which to be aspired to by lower classes. An example of a product which uses social class as a marketing tool is the TESCO’s Finest range of food products. Consumers lower in the social classes may purchase an item of the Finest range, which is within their price range, and feel higher up in the social order. During many shopping trips to TESCO, I have experienced the urge to either purchase a more expensive food product or not purchase a lesser product, simply because I do not feel in the particular social class conveyed by a product. To this extent my personality may take over in the decision making process by not letting my consumer behavior be led by this marketing ploy.
Personality is an individual and personal behavior which may cross social class and cultural boundaries. Assael (1998 p.421) defines personality as;
“…patterns of individual behavior that are consistent and enduring.”
There are four main theories, as seen by Assael (1998), used to describe consumer personality, self-concept, psychoanalytic, social/cultural and trait theory. These theories measure different aspects of personality and are so used by marketers.
“Self-concept personality theory is arguably the most relevant for marketers because it focuses on how an individuals self image affects his or her purchasing behavior. It recognizes the way we buy and own is a reflection of who we are” Assael (1998, p.443)
I feel that personality influences my own patterns of consumer behavior more than the previous two factors discussed. I am an impulse buyer and as such will purchase an item on a whim rather than a well thought out consumer decision. At a bar I may be faced with the decision between a large, cold beer which will appeal to both my cultural and social class influences, and will order a Jack Daniels and Coke because it appeals to my personal taste. Thus showing that personality is the overriding factor in my consumer behavior.
An item that is marketed as having instantaneous effects, pleasure, excitement or gratification will find an easy target with me.
Whether culture, social class or personality are focused on by a marketer it would be shrewd to use a mixture of the aforementioned influences to reach the broadest possible audience.
References:
James F Engel
Roger D Blackwell
Paul W Miniard
1995
Consumer Behavior – International Edition
Eighth Edition
The Dryden Press
New York
p.681
Henry Assael
1998
Consumer Behavior and Marketing Action
Sixth Edition
South-Western College Publishing
Ohio
p.495, p.457, p.381, p.421, p.443
Gerrit Antonides
W Fred van Raaij
1998
Consumer Behavior – A European Perspective
First Edition
John Wiley & Sons Ltd
England
Michael Solomon
Gary Bamossy
Soren Askegaard
2002
Consumer Behavior – A European Perspective
Second Edition
Prentice Hall
Europe