Cultural Considerations in an Ever Changing Society

As the ever changing global cultural melting pot continues to stir, previously established norms and boundaries begin to blur. In truth lines once draw to govern acceptable practices and ideas shutter under the ever pushing weight of an evolving culture. As such with this constant change in cultural norms or agreed-upon expectations and rules by which a culture guides the behavior of its members in any given situation. Advertising managers must be ever vigilant to keep up with such accepted norms, this so to avoid violating the core ideology of this target market. With respect to this, advertising managers must take into account a variety of considerations when developing and managing advertisements.

From this the common questions arises, why is culture so important to consider in marketing? To answer that consider the total influences that stem from culture:

• · the cultural environment strongly influences the labor environment.
• · and the socio-economic environment.
• · and the politics of the populace , which effects the Political / Regulatory / Legal Environment.

Looking at this it is quite easy to see the extent and the level of control culture exudes.

With considerations to all of the varying aspects one product stood the battering test of culture consideration, K-Y® Brand INTENSE®. With the semi-controversial cultural nature of openly discussing sex, K-Y had many socio-cultural obstacles to overcome including the regional differences in accepted norms. To surpass these obstacles K-Y launched advertisements that catered to the selected regions cultural norms, this meant that the message would reach its target market without offending any possible receivers. Ultimately I would praise K-Y for the brilliant execution and launch of K-Y® Brand INTENSE®. The Advertising managers took into full consideration all regional areas that their commercials would reach, and what audience would view them. As such the campaign was complete success resulting from the understanding of regional cultural differences and shaping each commercial to fit the accepted norms; thus curtailing and mitigating all fallout.

By Christian Wojcinski...