Consumer Behavior
Chapter 13
Cross-Cultural Consumer Behavior: An International Perspective
Chinese Brand Names
Source: Michele and Tom Source: StockSigns/Alamy Stock
Grimm/Alamy Stock Photo Photo
Global Brands (1 of 2)
Defined
Global brands are brands that hold significant market share
in their home country as well as other countries.
Global Image
• Apple – not about products; it is a kind of thinking, a set
of values, and human touch
• Disney – cast members help provide safe, courteous,
efficient experiences
• Coca-Cola – nostalgia and fun, freedom, refreshment
Global Brands (2 of 2)
• Characteristics
– Quality Signal
– Global Myth
– Social Responsibility
• Intracountry consumer segments
– Global Citizens
– Global Dreamers
– Antiglobals
– Global Agnostics
Cross-Cultural Analysis
Defined
A form of marketing research that examines the differences
and similarities among consumers in different countries.
Consumer Styles
Measures of Cross-Cultural
Aspects (1 of 3)
• Product quality judgments
• Willingness to buy products
• Ethnocentrism
• Perceptions of consumption culture
• Acculturation
• Ethnic self-identification
• National self-identification
Measures of Cross-Cultural Aspects (3 of 3)
• Independence • Masculinity
• Interdependence • Gender equality
• Power • Tradition
• Social inequality • Prudence
• Risk aversion • Ethnocentrism
• Ambiguity tolerance • Innovativeness
Acculturation
Defined
Learning a new culture.
Acculturation: Dual Learning
Process
1. Marketers learn everything relevant about the
product/product category in the chosen market
2. Marketers must persuade/teach members of the chosen
market to change traditional ways of doing things and
adopt the new product
Consumer Research Difficulties
• Large, non-family gatherings banned in some countries
• Limited information in some countries
• Measurement scales
Global Marketing Strategy
Defined
Selling the same product using the same positioning and
communication approach globally.
Customization Examples
• Oakley Sunglasses for Chinese people
• McDonald’s
– Japan: Corn soup and green tea milkshakes
– Sweden: Softer design and woodcut packaging
– France: McBaguette
– Philippines: Rice and spaghetti as side dishes
• Burger King black burgers in Japan
• Starbucks coffee in Europe
Linguistic Barriers
• General Motors
– Chevy Runs Deep → Find New Roads
– Nova “No Go” (Spanish) → Caribe
• Parker Pens (Mexico): “It won’t leak in your pocket and make
you pregnant”
• Vicks cough drops (Germany): sexual penetration
• Pepsi (Taiwan): bring ancestors back from the dead
Promotional Appeals
• Humorous advertising: UK v s Greece
ersu
• Sexual appeals:
– Western country v s Muslim or Buddhist countries
ersu
– South Asian cultures v s the U.S.
ersu
• Collectivist v s individualistic ad appeals
ersu
• Comparative advertising
– Self-construal
– Need for cognition
Reasons to Pursue Global Markets
• Multinational fever – attractive multinational markets,
products, or services
• Overseas markets offer future growth when home
markets mature
• Consumers around the globe eager to try “foreign”
products
Spending Power
Growth in Expenditures
Clothing, Footwear, Personal Care
Brand Share (1 of 2)
Table 13.1 The Top Ten Shampoo Brands in Four Global Markets
Rank United States Marketer United States Brand China Marketer China Brand
1 Procter & Gamble Head & Shoulders Procter & Gamble Head & Shoulders (18.5%)
(14.8%)
2 P&G Pantene (12.2%) P&G Rejoice (13.5%)
3 Unilever Suave (12%) P&G Pantene (9%)
4 L’Oréal Garnier (7.6%) Unilever Clear (6.6%)
5 P&G Clairol (6.7%) Unilever Lux (5.6%)
6 Unilever TRESemmé Beiersdorf AG Slek
7 7 Unilever Dove Jiangsu Longliqi Longliqi
8 Johnson & Johnson Neutrogena Unilever Dove
9 Vogue Organix La Fang International La Fang
10 L’Oréal L’Oréal Paris Henkel AG & Co KGaA Syoss
Global Millennials
• 1.7 billion people ( planet’s population)
• Similar interests, desires and consumption behavior
• Global Teens
• Middle Class
Six Global Value Groups
• Strivers
• Devouts
• Altruists
• Intimates
• Fun Seekers
• Creatives
Discussion Question: How do you think these global values
affect consumption behavior?
Thank You
