Consumer Behavior.

The consumers culture Consumer diversity

Bruno Silva
MSc, BA (Hons) B. Admin, ACIM, Dip Mkt, IT dip MIS

Consumer Diversity.
This section opens with US age trends and continues with an examination of four major age groups being targeted by marketers, 1. Teens and generation Y (millenniums) 2. Generation Y 3. Boomers 4. Seniors Teens and generation Y (millenniums)  Teenagers have more influence on household purchasing (two career families and single parenting)  Shopping for themselves and mostly done on the weekends (females shop more)  Friends - major source of info about products.  Socializing as major reasons teens like to shop.  Having grown up with recycling, many teens will weigh a products environmental impact before buying.
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Consumer Diversity.
The thrill and chills segment Teens in the US , Germany, UK and European countries consist of fun seeking, free spending from many middle class or upper class backgrounds. Resigned Segment Denmark, Sweden, Korea and other countries have low expectations of the future and of material success Teen world savers savers Hungary, Philippines, Venezuela are characterized by altruism, good grades and high career aspirations Teen quiet achievers Thailand, China, Hong Kong conforms to societal norms and are ambitious for success
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Consumer Diversity.
Bootstrappers Nigeria, Mexico, India, US are family oriented, achievement seekers with hope and dreams for the future. Upholders Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan are dutiful conforming, seeking a rewarding family life and upholding traditional values * Generation Y Is Media savvy, using PCs and the Internet, high tech products. Are born in 1979 through to 1994 Exhibit 13.3 p303 US population by Age

Consumer Diversity.
Brand loyalty (creating from the younger days) Positioning Advertising messages Media (through certain TV programs , Magazines etc) Generation X Born from 1965 1976 Boomerang kids returning home to live after college or to save money, not moving out until well into their thirties. (more discretionary income)

Consumer Diversity.
Boomers  Born from 1946 1964 (makes up the largest demographic group in the US)  Have considerable buying power and are an influential consumer segment.  Greatly value individualism and want the freedom to do what, when and where they want  Most boomers grew up with the TV and as they grow older they spend more time with the TV watching more. Seniors. Gray market consumers over 65 years of age. Less likely to search for info and more likely to have difficulty remembering info and making more complex decisions.

Consumer Diversity.
An aging population Marketing communications Specialized sales techniques and promotions How Gender and Sexual Orientation affect Consumer behavior. Males and females differ in traits , attitudes and activities that can affect behavior. Sex Roles. Men primary breadwinner, emotionless, strong, self assertiveness and mastery Women fostering harmonious relations, emotional and home oriented. * Traditional sex roles are changing many countries.
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Consumer Diversity.
Gender and Sexual Orientation. Gender biological state Sexual orientation reflects a persons preference towards certain behaviors * Sexual orientations are important because they can influence consumer preference and behavior. E.g. women who are more masculine prefers ads that depict nontraditional women. Differences in Acquisition and Consumption behaviors. Females engage in detailed, thorough examination of an ad message and make extended decisions based on product attributes. Males are selective info processors driven more by overall themes and simplifying heuristics.
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Consumer Diversity.
Targeting a specific gender. Media patterns (reaching men through certain TV programs etc) Targeting Gay and Lesbian consumers.

Regions across the world The area of the world a consumer resides can influence consumption patterns. Exhibit 13.9B p 315 How it differs in spending patterns, behavior, culture, food etc

Consumer Diversity.
How ethnic influences affect consumer behavior. A collection of individuals from many different cultures creating not only a unique national culture but also a number of sub cultures or ethnic groups. Members of these ethnic groups share a,  Common heritage  Set of beliefs  Religion  Experiences * Acculturation Members of a subculture must learn to adapt to the host culture.
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Consumer Diversity.
Accommodation Theory The more effort a source puts into communicating with a group. e.g. using role models and the native language, the greater the response by this group and the more positive their feelings. Distribution Tailoring the distribution of products to meet such consumers Product development Marketers may focus primarily on products for the unique needs of these ethnic groups. Media targeting on African American consumers African Americans watch more TV and have positive attitudes towards ads. P321

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Consumer Diversity.
Asian American Consumers Is the third largest and fastest growing major subculture in the USA. Consists of people from more than 29 countries, from the Indian subcontinent to the pacific ocean each with own values and customs. The six largest groups include ; India, China, Korea, Philippines, Vietnam and Japan. Most Asian cultures have,  Strong emphasis on family , tradition and corporation.  Price conscious  Tend to save money  Highly educated  Have higher computer literacy  Holds a higher % of professional and managerial jobs.
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Consumer Diversity.
Product development E.g. more companies now offer cosmetics designed with Asian American skin colors and teach appropriate skin care techniques. Media targeting Marketers use native language news papers, magazines, TV and Radio Advertising messages Messages delivered in the native language is more effective. Promotions and distributions. Linking promotions to the language, interests or lifestyles of a particular Asian American group can be quite successful.

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Consumer Diversity.
The influence of Religion. Religion provides people with a structured set of beliefs and values that serve as a code of conduct or guide to behavior. Marketing tactics should demonstrate understanding and respect for the beliefs and customs of the targeted group.

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