Cross-Cultural Values - Ignore At Your Peril

Your culture and your conditioning cause you to perceive things differently. Some cultural values are worldwide, like showing manners, while many others are not. Your age also affects your perception; when you were six, red jelly and ice-cream was a great treat, now you're 26 you may find it a bit silly.

Most people, whether consciously or unconsciously, behave in a way that is mindful of what others think. We try to look good to impress others, buy the latest gadget and say we are among the first to get it, drive a shiny new car, or go to places that you might bump into a celebrity. Since our behaviour affects our buying, as a marketer you had better tune into your target market's values, or risk losing their custom.

No matter what race, nationality or religion you are, variety, pleasant stimulation and value are all desired in our lives. When a task you were asked to do starts to conflict with your values, your mind starts to reject this burden and find a way around it. For example, I have a value that says men should try to do as much housework as women in their time off, since we are equal beings. So when I feel I'm shouldering all of the tasks, grumbles come out of my mouth and often an argument is caused. Many women are looking for ways to even up the chores or take time for themselves.

Another important value is protection of the environment, which is a concern of most young citizens, and a growing number of older ones. Products that can highlight this include reusable nappies, biodegradable products, and fabric shopping bags. Does your product have an eco-friendly aspect?

For marketers, it is important to recognise the different values in different cultures, and in specific demographics. It is a mistake to assume that the whole world thinks with a western capitalist perspective and that everyone celebrates Christmas for instance.

After much target market research, the next step is to integrate how your product lives up to their values in all advertising, brochures, correspondence, and overall marketing strategy. The values can be a subtle undertone or a totally focussed campaign, the choice is up to you.