1️⃣ Culture: Meaning & Characteristics
Meaning
Culture refers to the shared values, beliefs, customs, traditions, morals, norms, and behavioural
patterns that guide the behaviour of people in a society.
It shapes what consumers buy, how they buy, and why they buy.
Characteristics of Culture
1. Learned Behaviour – Culture is not inherited; it is learned through family, society,
education, and media.
2. Shared by Members – A group shares common values, customs, and lifestyles.
3. Transmitted from Generation to Generation – Passed through traditions, rituals,
festivals, etc.
4. Adaptive/Dynamic – Culture keeps changing through globalization, technology, and
social changes.
5. Influences Consumer Behaviour – Determines preferences, food habits, clothing,
communication, and lifestyle.
6. Based on Symbols – Language, gestures, art, and rituals act as symbols of culture.
7. Varies Across Regions – Different countries and communities have unique cultural
patterns.
8. Satisfies Needs – Culture provides acceptable ways of fulfilling biological, social, and
psychological needs.
2️⃣ Cross-Cultural Understanding of
Consumer Behaviour
Cross-cultural understanding means studying how consumers from different cultures think, buy,
react and make decisions.
Importance
1. Helps global companies adapt products and advertisements.
2. Avoids cultural mistakes (religious, ethical, colour meanings, translation errors).
3. Helps set correct pricing and promotional strategies for each region.
4. Supports global market segmentation and positioning.
Examples
● Food industry adapting vegetarian options in India.
● Advertisements change based on language and emotional appeal.
● Colours: White = purity in the West, but mourning in some Asian cultures.
3️⃣ Subculture, Social Class, Demographics
& Social Stratification
A. Subculture
A subculture is a smaller cultural group within a larger culture, based on religion, region,
language, caste, ethnicity, or lifestyle.
Examples: South Indians, Bengalis, youth culture, gamers, punjabi culture, urban millennials.
Influence on consumer behaviour:
● Food preferences, clothing styles, festivals, media consumption, brand choices.
B. Social Class
Social class refers to the hierarchical divisions of society based on income, education,
occupation, and lifestyle.
Major classes: Upper class, Middle class, Lower class.
Influence:
● Upper class → premium brands, luxury goods
● Middle class → value-for-money brands
● Lower class → basic, essential products
Social class influences: store choices, spending patterns, saving habits, media preferences.
C. Demographics
Demographics are statistical characteristics of populations such as age, gender, income,
education, occupation, family size, location.
Influence:
● Teens: fashion, gadgets
● Young adults: travel, electronics
● Married couples: housing, insurance
● Seniors: healthcare, safety-focused products
D. Social Stratification
It refers to ranking individuals into social layers based on wealth, power, occupation, caste, and
prestige.
Impact:
● Consumption patterns differ across strata
● Higher strata prefer symbolic and status products
● Lower strata focus on utility and affordability
4️⃣ Social Groups: Meaning, Formation of
Groups, and Group Properties
Meaning
A social group is a collection of individuals who interact with each other and share a sense of
identity or belonging.
Formation of Groups
Groups form due to:
1. Common interests or goals
2. Social or cultural similarity
3. Need for affiliation or belongingness
4. Professional or workplace needs
5. Family and friendship ties
Group Properties
1. Roles – Expected behaviour of each member (leader, influencer).
2. Status – Position or rank of a member in the group.
3. Norms – Rules that guide acceptable behaviour in the group.
4. Cohesiveness – Level of bonding among members.
5. Size – Small groups (family) or large groups (communities).
6. Communication Patterns – How members share information and influence each other.
7. Group Pressure – Pressure to conform to group expectations.
5️⃣ Family: Life Cycle & Its Significance on
Consumer Behaviour
Family Life Cycle (FLC) Stages
1. Single Young Adults – High spending on fashion, gadgets, outings.
2. Newly Married Couples – Furniture, electronics, vacations.
3. Full Nest I (young children) – Baby products, healthcare, diapers.
4. Full Nest II (growing children) – Education, bigger home, appliances.
5. Full Nest III (teenagers) – Technology, branded clothing, school fees.
6. Empty Nest I (children moved out) – Financial savings, travel, health.
7. Empty Nest II (retirement) – Medical care, spiritual products.
8. Solitary survivors – Basic services, healthcare, security.
Significance for Consumer Behaviour
● Each stage has unique needs, spending priorities, and purchase patterns.
● Helps marketers design relevant products and advertisements.
● Helps segment markets based on family status.
6️⃣ Family Purchase Decision Process
Family decisions often involve multiple members with different roles:
Roles in Family Decision Making
1. Initiator – Suggests buying the product.
2. Influencer – Provides information and influences decisions.
3. Decider – Has final authority.
4. Buyer – Purchases the product.
5. User – Actually consumes the product.
Types of Family Decisions
1. Husband-dominant – Cars, insurance (traditional families).
2. Wife-dominant – Groceries, household items.
3. Autonomic – Individual decisions (clothing, gadgets).
4. Syncratic (joint) – Vacations, houses, children-related decisions.
Importance
● Helps marketers understand who to target in communication.
● Influences product design, package size, colours, and pricing.
7️⃣ Reference Group Influence on Consumer
Behaviour & Marketing Strategy
Meaning
Reference groups are groups that individuals look up to for guidance, values, or behaviour
standards.
Types
1. Primary Groups – Family, close friends.
2. Secondary Groups – Colleagues, clubs, associations.
3. Aspirational Groups – Groups a consumer wants to join (celebrities, influencers).
4. Dissociative Groups – Groups a consumer avoids.
Influences
1. Informational Influence – Consumers seek advice/expert opinion.
2. Normative Influence – Pressure to conform to group norms.
3. Value-expressive Influence – Consumers buy products that reflect the group’s identity.
Impact on Consumer Behaviour
● Influences brand choices (fashion, gadgets).
● Drives trend-following behaviour.
● Affects lifestyle, opinions, and purchasing motivations.
Marketing Strategy Implications
1. Celebrity endorsements to target aspirational groups.
2. Influencer marketing for youth-oriented brands.
3. Testimonials & reviews for informational influence.
4. Community marketing—brand clubs, loyalty programs.
5. Word-of-mouth campaigns to strengthen trust.
6. Ads portraying ideal lifestyles to appeal to aspirational groups.