Customer Profiles & Culture

As part of our Intercultural Fashion Consumer module, we will create a ‘Consumer Profile’ which will inform the development of a new fashion brand. The research will involve a depth of understanding which will form the basis of a ‘communication strategy’ or a ‘conversation’ between the brand and its consumer.

The beginning of understanding a consumer starts with knowledge of their culture - but how do we define a ‘culture’? Something perceived as intangible or abstract? Child and Kieser (1977) present the view that cultures may be defined as ‘patterns of thought and manners which are widely shared’.

The beginning of ‘breaking down’ a culture could start with the geographical location, taking into account linguistic, ethnic or religious variants that differentiate groups of people. Furthermore, there are a plethora of variants that could shape cultural values:

Education/Knowledge

Beliefs

Morals/upbringing

Rituals

Heroes (behavior models - real or imaginary)

Depth of research into each of these variants will form a rounded understanding of the consumer – the first step in identifying their behavior, motivation, influences and lifestyle choices. A poor perception of a culture means a limited knowledge base, which could lead to an incorrect categorization – and therefore ineffective marketing strategies.

Above: cultural stereotypes of the USA: dramatic, incorrect AND offensive

(Source: http://whatculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/america-states-stereotypes.jpg)

A reflection: my culture

I believe that my culture is underpinned by a manifestation of values from my upbringing, my social behavior and way-of-life in Britain:

My values derived from my family who taught me moral right and wrong and raised me with a hard-working attitude. Like many in the UK, my family partake in Christian traditions (Christmas, Easter etc) however I grew with these as a social construct rather than a religious belief. I was educated at state-schools which developed my knowledge and social behavior. In the future, I expect to get a job, a house and start a family – to the expectations of family tradition and customs of Western civilization – as bleak as that may sound!

At age 21, my culture surrounds ‘student life’ within further education. I live in an urban area, have a small disposable income and spend a considerable amount of time consuming media (TV, print and the internet/social media). Due to a busy schedule and employment, my social life surrounds weekend activities, much like many of my friends. Our working lifestyles could explain the popularity of club-culture that is very much alive in Britain today. Fashion plays a significant role in this transitional part of my life, which makes me part of a prime target market for many fashion brands.