Cultural Integration in Marketing
Helen Strong
Cultural Integration: Purpose
Today’s global village has many challenges for the marketer intending to start selling a brand or operating in another country. Being aware of cultural differences allows the translation of product features and brand symbols to take place in a manner that maintains the integrity of the brand image, values, and personality.
True marketers recognize that diversity does not just exist when the product or brand is made available in another country. Due to immigration and consumer mobility, there are sometime sizeable segments of a country’s population that have different cultural origins. For example, in South Africa there are at least 11 language groups. In the United States, increasing account is taken of the differences observed in African American communities and in the burgeoning Hispanic population.
Cultural Integration: Structure and Description
Mergers and acquisitions, marketing campaigns, and business negotiations are sometimes claimed to fail due to a cultural mismatch. What is this thing called culture? The Infoplease site (Pearson Education 2013) describes culture in the following way:
Culture is based on the uniquely human capacity to classify experiences, encode such classifications symbolically, and teach such abstractions to others. It is usually acquired through enculturation, the process through which an older generation induces and compels a younger generation to reproduce the established lifestyle; consequently, culture is embedded in a person’s way of life.
As a result, culture is extremely difficult to measure because it operates below the surface of any country, community, or organization.
This new model is intended to remind marketers and researchers to investigate the elements of a culture that may affect the way in which a brand is promoted in a country (or even market segment) other than its original one. In assessing the brand and marketing mix elements, it reminds researchers to incorporate traditional and popular models such as Geert Hofstede’s Theory of Cultural Dimensions.
Hofstede’s model claims to describe the forces in a society’s values on a national basis, and how they affect behavior. It was initially developed on the basis of research conducted on IBM employees. Through factor analysis, he uncovered four cultural dimensions: individualism–collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, power distance (strength of social hierarchy), and masculinity–femininity (task orientation versus person orientation). These dimensions were later augmented to include long-term orientation and the sixth factor of indulgence versus self-restraint.
The implication of Hofstede’s work for marketing is for researchers to recognize that brand positioning and appeal are created in a particular cultural environment. When moving into another country, interpretation of the brand message and perception of its message depend on the new cultural context.
Recently, Hofstede’s theory has been strongly criticized by Brendan McSweeney (2002) who challenges the methodology and findings. He points out that the assumptions and research processes were flawed, leading to extreme skepticism regarding the constructs that were claimed to emerge. However, accepting that the research was based on a subset of IT professionals from various countries (i.e., raises questions of generalizability), the theoretical constructs can still provide a starting point for consideration as to how well a company or brand fits into another country.
The new cultural integration model (Figure 18.1) is used when diversifying into another country or when considering diverse segments of a market. The underlying philosophy is that the product, its brand image, and communication all need to be checked against the cultural factors of the new environment. Essentially, the researcher is checking that the factors are in a comparable position in the new consumers’ minds to generate the same picture of the brand.
Figure 18.1 Cultural integration
Establishing and promoting a brand requires deeper appreciation of the symbols and etiquette of the people who will become the target market for those products. For example:
- Does the brand name translate well?
- Is the message understandable within the context of the new country?
- Is the slogan meaningful when translated?
- What do the brand colors signify?
- What dress code is acceptable for the people depicted in the advertisements?
- How does the new target market view the brand image and positioning?
- What behavior is acceptable and depicts the mood desired for the brand?
Note: The above-mentioned cultural dimensions are illustrative. It is possible that not all of them would be relevant for a particular product or brand. The cultural variables need to be relevant to the product category and the extent of them measured both within the target market consumers, and in their perceptions of the brand. Researchers ask: How does the marketing mix generate these perceptions?
Cultural Integration: Strategic Considerations
Using such a model, marketers will mitigate against cultural disaster. Mark Laswell’s (2004) article provides several examples of how a lack of appreciation of cultural and language differences can sabotage a product; for additional examples and a wry laugh, see Sunshine (2012).
In applying the transformation, one needs to ask whether the integrity of the brand is protected whilst allowing for some adjustments for the product to be acceptable within the different country’s culture. In light of the increasing globalization and exchange of cultural values, researchers may even find that while there is an overarching culture, individuals display different attitudes and behavior and they do not necessarily conform to the national cultural orientations.
It should also be recognized (though not covered in this discussion) that the organizational aspects of entry into another country will require an understanding of their norms for corporate culture. When working in another country, international quality and performance standards can be maintained, but the manner of achieving them may be different. A good discussion of these aspects will be found on Eslkevin’s Blog (2013).
Cultural Integration: Implementation
Before even thinking about cultural adaptations, it is assumed that the basic need or desire for a product has already been established in the target country. Initial investigations through an analysis of consumption trends, online sales, retail audits, or similar factors are needed to assess the viability of the new market.
Within the country of origin, the researcher needs to prepare a full appreciation of the target marketTM being served by a product. The question is: Does the brand want to reach the same target market in the new country? If yes, then identification must take place of the elements used in the marketing mixG to establish the brand image and positioning of the product.
Research should probably also be conducted in the home territory of the brand to check that the brand perceptions match the desired image. This benchmarking helps to analyze results from the new market. Where are the gaps?
Often researchers are advised to work with local agencies and research houses that are already sensitive to the new target market structure and culture.
Questions should be asked as to the size and nature of the target market. How does it compare with the original market? Are the surface needs and wants identical, or somewhat different? Are the uses and role of the product the same?
The researcher needs to conduct a full analysis of the product or brand. What are the name, slogan, and type of language used to convey messages? What are the words and attitudes evoked by those words? What colors, symbols, and role models are used in the packaging and promotions? What is the function of the product? Where is the product usually distributed?
Every element needs to be examined and its role in creating the brand image and personality understood.
The positions of the brand on the home country’s cultural dimensions are then mapped. Only then is the researcher ready to move into the realm of the cultural indicators of the new environment.
The first stage is reflection on the obvious contradictions and possible misinterpretations. For example, is the name of the brand unacceptable due to its association with crude or demeaning images? Complete translations and backtranslations are required to check that the nuances of the original language are not mutilated through the transition to a new language.
Every variable within the marketing mix and brand elements needs to be checked against consumer interpretation.
The research needs to cover reactions to the product. How will it feature in their lives? What values do they associate with the brand? How do they view the various branding elements? What attributes are important to the consumer? How do they interpret the messages of the brands? How do they feel about the brand? What would they expect (CSI and events) from the brand? Importantly, would they purchase the brand or product (Where? How often? What would they pay?)?
It would be preferable to conduct research that can be compared with benchmark outcomes in the original market. The researcher would have established which attitudinal words are associated with the brand and which emotions should be evoked by the branding messages. The questions will mirror each other so that there is validity and reliability for the measurements.
Finally, a mapping of the deviations needs to be compared against the original brand positions. Each difference needs to be evaluated and decisions taken to either ignore gaps or adjust the brand presentation in the new market. The point is that solutions need to be found to incorporate them into the marketing mix without contaminating the integrity of the brand.
Cultural Integration: Conclusions
Diversity needs to be recognized in our global village, and marketing strategies and tactics adjusted to accommodate our cultural differences. The process is not always an obvious one, but if care is taken to assess the risks then disastrous marketing episodes (and their consequences) can be avoided.
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