Chapter 14: You've Gotta Have Style

Whether you're an etic and believe that a culture should be standardized across the board, or an emic who believes that the variations and nuances of a culture should be recognized, one thing is certain. You're probably both right to some extent. In order to measure these polarizing perspectives, a marketer must observe the style of consumers within a culture.

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Where do they get information about potential purchases?

How do they make purchase decisions?

What sorts of advertisements influence them/turn them off to a product?

How important is pricing in their purchase decision?

The answers to these questions vary from culture to culture, from consumer to consumer. You'd think, then, that most marketers would have a tough time coming up with marketing messages for differing customer bases. I know that my consumption style is quite sporadic, and may actually vary from day to day. There are times where I'm more likely to spend money on essentials, or times where I'd like nothing more to indulge in hedonistic consumerism.

With the assistance of the Hofstede Dimensions of National Culture, marketers are able to compare and contrast cultural values, as well as understand how specific consumers across different cultures will respond to their marketing messages.

When it comes to communicating across different sects of the market, as well as multiple cultures, a marketer must precisely tailor their messages to fit within the consumption style of these aforementioned cultures.