Consumer Behavior: Investigating Cultural Sensitivity

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Table of Contents

Importance of Investigating Cultural sensitivity
Ethical practices in marketing
Use of offensive brand messages
The problem of stereotyping
How marketers overcome such an issue
How understanding cultural values help a marketer
Reference List

Consumer behavior is determined by various factors that influence the response of goods and services in the market place. One of those factors is the cultural factors or influence, where beliefs, values and perceptions of different communities determine consumer behavior. With globalization, the world has become a global village and as such, international marketing has come into play.

Different cultures have different beliefs, values and perceptions on different products or brands. In general cultural sensitivity can be defined as the acknowledging of other cultural beliefs, values and their context (Dubrin 2009, p.43). To achieve cultural sensitivity in the market place it is imperative to have cultural awareness, values and beliefs of that culture and accepting them.

It involves the process of being aware of the degree of several cultures and developing an understanding of that culture (Dubrin 2009, p.43). Although this may seem to be a hard process, the understanding of a nation’s history, religious underpinnings, geography, present political and cultural circumstances forms the basis of appreciating consumer sensitivity.

Sensitivity is one of the factors related to culture that impact marketing of a new brand in a new marketplace. The aim of the paper is to understand the importance of investigating cultural sensitivity and what happens when a brand does not identify with the values of a given culture. It also explores unethical practices and the challenges and the impact they may pose to a particular brand or a product.

Importance of Investigating Cultural sensitivity

Before introducing a particular brand in a new market it is always advisable to investigate cultural sensitivity. This ensures that the company is well placed in the market and has large chance of capitalizing and gaining a market share. For instance, the introduction of a new brand requires that the values and beliefs of a particular society are put into consideration.

The falling and the success of a particular brand depend on the cultural sensitivity. For instance, the packaging of the product may have a different meaning in that particular geographical representation. According to Herbold (200, p. 116) some practices may be unacceptable in a community where a brand is being launched. So in order to remain relevant in the market place it is always advisable to investigate the market culture.

For example, Procter and Gamble lost millions of dollars because they had not investigated the cultural sensitivity of their products. Initially, they packaged the baseball balls in sets of four like they did in other internationals markets. However, the Japanese market resented this package. This is because according to the Japanese culture the number 4 is associated with 13 and to them, both are signs of bad luck.

So as to overcome this marketing hurdle the American company had to hire Japanese’s advertisers who had experience and cultural awareness of what was acceptable and what was not (Herbold 2007, p. 119). Products may be counterproductive if the marketing agency or department does not investigate the culture sensitivity (Hennig-Thurau 2000, p.429).

Some beliefs are upheld strongly by some societies and cannot be changed (Delner 1995, 90). For instance, when Procter and Gamble introduced Ariel a detergent in India in the late 1980s, the advert that followed was that rubbing a detergent in bar form “is not required to clean fabrics” Kumar (2007, p.6). The company had no idea that Indians households believed that rubbing using the detergent bars was a requirement for effective cleaning.

The company went overboard without putting the belief into consideration, leading to low sales. Kumar (2007, p.6) notes that the tendency to go against a particular belief can sometime become counterproductive to the brands. Leighton (1966, p.100) helps in understanding the changing trends in perception, beliefs, values, norms and other aspects that maybe crucial in marketing.

This helps the marketer in preparing for any change that may occur. Conducting of consumer cultural sensitivity before launching a product in a new market ensures that incidences of culture shock are minimized if not eliminated (Dubrin 2009, p.45), which lead to adaptation and effectiveness (Pieper 1990, p.248).

This is because culture sensitivity allows cultural awareness where the marketers are prepared to meet the hurdles in the new market (Moran Harris & Moran 2007, p.25). Cultural awareness involves the understanding of ones cultural beliefs values, and perceptions as well as those of other in the context. This enables the marketer to have a clear understanding of the expectations and how the people would respond.

According to Mabey, Salaman and Storey (1998, p.202) this is important when dealing with customers and suppliers of different cultural background as it promotes understanding and communication. Some of methods of cultural awareness can be achieved through the learning of that societys language, their beliefs, customs, values among other aspects attached to culture (Dubrin 2009, p.43).

This ensures that the markets with the new brand get into the culture of the community and get assimilated and understand what is acceptable and that is not acceptable in that setting. This improves the chances of getting a large market share and acceptance, because the peoples (consumers) expectations (in terms of beliefs and values) are considered and respected.

According to Vance and Paik (2011, p.46) globalization has led to diffusion and homogeneity. This can enable a company launch a product in different regions if it fully understands cultural sensitivity. When a brand does not obey the values important to a particular culture there is a likelihood of receiving negative response. For instance, some cultures prohibit sexually explicit materials from being displayed in the public.

So when a company introduces a brand in a market that uses sexual materials in advertising the new product consumers are likely to have a negative perception and response. This reduces the market share as well as reducing competition from other competitors because nobody is willing to buy the brand (Pieper 1990, p. 247). Also in the long run, the brand may be phased out completely out of the market.

Ethical practices in marketing

Ethics are assumptions based on the culture that determines what is culturally wrong or culturally right (Kurtz, Mackenzie & Snow 2009, and p.107). Some ethical aspects in some countries may be perceived unethical in others depending on the cultural background (Drummond & Ensor 2005, p.159). As such, marketing of a new brand must put into the consideration the ethical aspects before getting in the market.

Ethics have a great role play in ensuring the sustenance and the development of a good business customer relationship. Through the development of integrated marketing communications (Drummond & Ensor 2005, p.159), marketers are able understand the impact ethics may pose on the marketing communication strategies. It is imperative to have ethical questions before they are likely to influence the company success.

For example if it is culturally acceptable to use sexual materials should the company go ahead and apply them or if some part of the society accepts harmful substances like alcohol, should it be ethical to develop marketing strategy that targets this group directly?

Ethical challenges that marketers face, impacts made and the effects on the brand

Ethics concept in marketing is important but very hard to practice, understand, and manage because it is very subjective. This is because different societies have different ethical orientations that are culturally determined by either on societal basis or on individual basis. In order to manage the different ethical conducts in various societies it is important to put into considerations some of the marketing mix aspects that may cause ethical challenges (Drummond & Ensor 2005, p.159)

Deciding on vulnerable groups

The decision on whether the targeted group targeted is vulnerable puts most companies on a dilemma. The vulnerable groups are the minorities, children, developing countries and the elderly. A company should decide whether the adverts target this group for profit making or it’s a genuine advert. These groups are susceptible to persuasions and their inherent behaviors may be seen as an easy target.

Marketing adverts using a minority group may be profitable but at the same time may be unethical for example, marketing alcohol using the Hispanic community which is a minority and known to use alcohol in large quantities would be perceived as unethical and lead to the loss of the loyalty of the customer leading to poor performance of the brand in the market in the long run. Drummond and Ensor (2005, p.159) note that use of children may cause ethical issues because children are susceptible and are target that has a large market share.

Use of offensive brand messages

Some messages used in the advertisement of a brand may be used by a company with the right intentions but perceived as unethical by the society. Marketers are usually faced with this dilemma where they have to on deciding on the marketing communication content (Drummond & Ensor 2005, p.159.

With globalization and the increase in competition, different companies apply different methods to gain market share. Sexual appeal and material are commonly used in advertising and promotion of new products or brands and may lead to ethical issues (Drummond & Ensor 2005, p.159). The use of this method of advertisement can lead to protest from the targeted people leading to implications like loss of consumer loyalty (Maddock & Fulton 1996, p.160).

In other instances a company may use materials that may be seen in appropriate to the people, but render counterproductive (Kurtz, Mackenzie and Snow 2009, p.510). These materials may be labeled as taboo to the society thus affecting the sales output as well as affecting the make ting strategy that also affects the market segmentation.

To counter these companies should decide on what is ethical and what is not so as to make profits and increase the consumers’ market share. For example the Calvin Klein ads of 1975 were seen as “kiddie porn” that led to withdrawal of the adverts and criminal investigations launched (Maddock & Fulton 1996, p.160). This was an ethical issue that offended many people in the society.

The problem of stereotyping

This is huge problem in marketing especially when targeted community is diversified. This is because there will be that perceptions that a particular group is target while the other is neglected while another is targeted. The challenge lies in deciding on an advert that drives the massage home without being seen implying negative stereotypes.

For the companies, they must put into consideration the effect it may have if it is seen as negative stereotype. Any misinterpretation of the advertisements may lead to a definite loss of a market share or even the brand may become absolute because of the perceived negative image (Kline 2010, p.165).

For example in India some years back a cream advertising company used a black Indian to advertise its products. The advert depicted that after the woman used the white cream she was able to get a dream job that was entirely out of have choice. This was not well received in the market and instead of positive response there was a backlash. The advert was scrapped off and termed as exploitation using the social paradigm and stereotype.

This was a negative response because of the targeted group. Kline (2010, p.165) observes that racial prejudice can also be viewed as a stereotype. For example in India whiteners are on high demand but should a company use this on their advantage knowing that it is a racial prejudice that shouts negative stereotyping (Kline 2010, p.168).

How marketers overcome such an issue

Andreasen (2001, p. 126) notes that making decisions concerning ethical issues may be difficult but they help prevent issues like, loss of consumer loyalty, legal complications and even the loss of market share. Marketers can overcome unethical issues by ensuring that ethical practices in that particular geographical representation are maintained.

According to Kurtz, Mackenzie and Snow (2009, p.107) ensuring ethical practices means being able to promise the consumers and do there business partners that that the quality and fairness is not sacrificed in order to achieve profits. This increases customer’s loyalty as well as increasing the market shares in the region.

The issues can also be overcome through the establishment of ethics programs in the workplace (Kurtz, Mackenzie & Snow 2009, p. 107). Pride and Ferrell (2006, p.103) notes that management can get rid of unethical employees and employ ethical ones. The recognition of ethical sensitivity is the beginning of overcoming ethical issues (Andreasen 2001, p. 127)

How understanding cultural values help a marketer

By understanding the cultural values of a particular target group, a marketer is able to influence the perception, attitude as well as the opinion of the consumers. By understanding the values, marketers are able to adapt to their marketing strategies. This enables them spot any cultural shifts that may enable the discovery of new products that may be on demand.

For example if a community had obese people and had negative disregard to fitness and allover a sudden they shift towards fitness and health then the marketer can introduce these products and equipments in the market scenes. Raju (n.d, p.52) understanding of the cultural values can help marketer know the current consumer base and project of the expansions.

It can also help understand the consumer behaviors as well potential customers in the market. It also gives the marketer the chance to know and approach the consumer more. According to Ting-Toomey (1999, p.267) it helps in understanding the behavior of the consumers of a particular product.

In conclusion, consumer behavior is determined by cultural aspect that has many aspects including cultural sensitivity. Cultural sensitivity ensures that a marketer is well informed of the traditions, norms, values and beliefs of a particular society. These are important in establishing communication, gaining market share as well as understanding and behavior of that society.

Marketing ethical issues can some times be seen as right or wrong depending on the cultural beliefs perceptions or norms. Understanding ethical issues is important in helping a marketer understand the behavior, values that can be helpful in the marketing strategies.

Reference List

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