Cultural and Religious issues in marketing in India

----Naveen Joy

What is culture?

DJ MaCort and Naresh K Malhotra defines culture as” the complex whole that includes knowledge ,belief ,art ,law ,morals ,customs and any other capabilities and habits acquired by humans as members of society”

Combination of learned belief,values and customs that directs the consumer behavior of a specific society

Sub-cultures consits of ethinic groups within a culture.

Each groups have common heritage,religion,beliefs,customs and experiences that differentiate them from other subcultures in the cultures

Culture and consumer perception

Cultural Aspects

Meaning of products

Consumer perception

Marketing communication

Enviornment

Differences across cultures have no. of implications for marketeer

Eg: Beefless Big Mac in McDonald in India

Cultures and Emblems

Consumer communicates with others in society by conveying the messege through the products he uses

There are different kinds of emblems which convey meanings about the consumer who can be associated with certain emblem

Geographic emblems :products vary across regions.eg:traditional and ethinic dresses may vary across Indian states

Ethinic emblems: food ,apparel and rituals are some facts through which consumes express their ethinic identification.eg: failure of Kellogs after several attempts

Social class emblems: emblems to reflect the social status and infer status of others.eg: driving a sedan considered to have greater status than driving a 800

Gender emblems : Cigarettes ,alchohol,jewellery and clothes are categories which have a stronger gender association.difficult to find women smoker even in the Indian metros

Reference Groups emblems: Membership to a reference group can also indicates in a culture through reference groups emblems

Indian Core values and consumers

Indian society is driven by core values. Core values are those

1. Which are adapted by significant no. of people

2. Which are followed for a long period of time

3. Which enables marketeers to understand consumer behavior

Core value of inidans include:

Family- orientation: Unlike the west,the Indian family is an extended family.

Savings:It is an inherent value of Indians ,given uncertainity in income generation.

Festivities: very important part of Indians culture in all states.differs from region to region.Onam in Kerala;pongal in TN

Marketing the ethinic way

Different ways in which a brand can be positioned using ethinic approach:

Identify specific behavior practices which are connected with brand/roduct

Identify specific values in a cultural context which can be inputs to marketing communication

Identify certain beliefs which need to be considered before an ad campaign is formulated