Consumer identity derives from “we” as
well as “I.”
Consumers identify with many groups that share common characteristics and identities, but some
of these
affiliations are
more central to how we define ourselves. Subcultures are large groups that exist within a society, and membership in them
often gives marketers a valuable clue about individuals’ consumption decisions. Important sources
of consumer
identity include gender, race/ethnicity, religion, age, and place of residence.
Our memberships in ethnic, racial, and religious subcultures
often guide our consumption choices.
A person’s ethnic origins, racial identity, and
religious background
often are major components of his or her identity. African Americans, Hispanic
Americans, and Asian
Americans are the three most important ethnic/ racial subcultures in the United States.
Key issues to reach
members of racial/ethnic subcultures are consumers’ degree of acculturation
into mainstream U.S. society
and the recognition of important cultural differences among subgroups
(e.g., Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Mexicans).
Marketers increasingly use religious and spiritual themes
to talk to consumers.
The quest for spirituality influences demand in product
categories including books, music, and cinema. Although the impact of religious identification on
consumer behavior is
not clear, some differences among religious subcultures do emerge. Marketers need to consider the
sensibilities of believers
carefully when they use religious symbolism to appeal to members of different
denominations.
Our traditional notions about families are outdated.
We’ve seen that subcultural identities revolve around shared experiences and perspectives. That’s
why it’s so
important for marketers to think about both when consumers are born and the
family structure into which
they’re born.
Age groups and the family unit help to shape people’s experiences, needs, and preferences.
We have many things in common with others because they
are about the same age.
Consumers who grew up at the same time share many cultural memories because they belong to
a common age cohort, so they respond well to
marketers’ nostalgia appeals that remind them of these experiences.
Teens
are an important age segment for marketers.
Teenagers are in the middle of a transition from
childhood to adulthood, and their self-concepts tend to be unstable. They are receptive to
products that help them to be accepted and enable them to assert their independence. Because many teens earn money but have
few finansial obligations,
they are a particularly
important segment for many
nonessential or expressive products, ranging from chewing gum to clothing fashions and music. Because
of changes in
family structure, many teens also are taking more responsibility for their families’
day-to-day shopping.
Baby Boomers are the most powerful age segment because
of their size and economic clout. Boomers continue to affect demands for housing, child
care, automobiles, clothing,
and many other products.
Seniors are a more important market segment than many
marketers realize.
As the population ages, the needs of older consumers
will become
increasingly important. Many marketers ignore seniors because of the stereotype that
they are too inactive and
spend too little. This stereotype is no longer accurate. Many older adults are healthy, vigorous,
and interested in new
products and
experiences—and they have the income to purchase them. Marketing appeals to
this age subculture should
focus on consumers’ perceived ages, which tend to be more youthful than their
chronological ages.
“Birds of a feather flock together.”.
Geodemography refers to analytical techniques that
combine data on consumer expenditures and other socioeconomic factors with geographic
information about the areas
in which people live to identify consumers who share common consumption patterns. Researchers
base this approach on the common assumption that “birds of a feather flock together.” Marketers can increase
the efficiency of their messages when they focus on the similarities
among consumers who
choose to live in the same place.
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