Why study of culture important to the marketer?
Answers
The importance of culture in terms of marketing is big. The world market is made up of smaller markets. The entire world economy is comprised of smaller economies that are distinct in themselves. These economies have their own cultures and languages. American economy is distinct from that of India. Indian market is distinct from the Chinese and the Chinese are distinct from the Japanese. These differences are there because of the different cultures and cultural styles. A few things that are acceptable in Germany may not be acceptable in the US market. The kind of fashion loved in US may not be as acceptable in Middle East. These cultural differences can affect business performance.
Several times you may have come across brands that rule the western market but when it comes to the East, there performance might not remain as great. In such a case if you have to create a global brand you must have a deep understanding of the cultural barriers that can affect business performance. IKEA had to enter US but to gain acceptance it needed to make changes to its business style, philosophy, prices and product types among other things. Why did IKEA make all these changes? It was to add cultural appeal to its brand. Unless your brand appeals to the culture, talks to it, the culture and the market would not respond.
hope this will help you