Global Marketing and Consumer Culture - Essay Example

 Global Consumer Culture Introduction The global consumer culture has been on the rise. This has led to the creation of the ritual, symbolic and ideological meaning of consumption. There is a relationship between consumer behavior and consumer culture theory. Globalization proliferates rather than reduces culture. The emergence of global consumer culture has resulted to synchronization of attitudes among different societies. Consumption of culture free products is increasingly becoming acceptable. Previously, geographic proximity has a direct relationship with transmission of culture. The modern globalized society is experiencing and intensified intercultural exchange of tastes and preferences that are shaping cosmopolitan perceptions. The emerging culture permeates national borders and culture (Cashmore 1997). The emerging global consumer culture is pushing people to live under a single system. There exist variations between exposure to global flows and the extent to which people identify themselves with the mainstream global trends. Bicultural identities have been formed through globalization (Ritzer 2002). One aspect of the emerging culture is a robust connection with the traditional culture while the other is linked to the emerging global consumer culture. The global consumer culture has caused an enormous impact in cosmopolitan regions. Globalization has led to the need for marketers to standardize, localize or use hybrid strategies while promoting products and services (Breckenridge 2002). The differences between local and international markets are becoming minimal and the global culture continues to harmonize consumer expectations (Cashmore 1997). Consumption is increasingly being perceived as a social behavior and a cultural complex (Merz et al 2008). Consumption is a complex social function that goes beyond mere purchases. Therefore, consumption is affected by stimulus (Cashmore 1997). The subculture of the consumers’ social ecosystem plays a central role in the process (Breckenridge 2002). The world appears to be turning into one enormous McDonalds dominated by multinationals, brands and nationalism. New local cultures are being created while traditional cultures are getting discarded (Mooij 2004). The unprecedented global and cultural transformations have started a new phase of expansion in which cosmopolitan culture is driven from a unified front (Breckenridge 2002). Cross-cultural connections are affordable and national limitations in terms of consumer preferences appear to be increasingly becoming minimal (Agrawal 2008). This has led to a level of global integration in terms of perceptions, preferences and consumer tastes. The flow of commodities has been on the rise and countries and nations have been forced to depend on each other for food and essential commodities (Cashmore 1997). This has led to a dramatic increase in the manufactured good (Breckenridge 2002). Consumption of good designed in foreign markets is becoming acceptable even in the most conservative societies. The threat to the existence of traditions has been realized through an increase in consumption of European and American goods (Merz et al 2008). Local cultures and economic autonomy is increasingly becoming lost (Cashmore 1997). The most populous nations are going through cultural and consumer revolutions. A compelling example is China. There seems to be a predisposition towards social emulation. Market place choices are motivated by matching, imitation, and influence (Agrawal 2008). There is a social engineering of marketers and advertisers targeting the social marketplace. Consumers need continue to be increasingly harmonized and even among different global markets (Ritzer 2002). There is rapid circulation n products and intensive exchange among social groups. The power and autonomy of consumers has been growing (Breckenridge 2002). This has caused many consumers to source for the finest goods and services in the foreign markets. Globalization and international marketing by multinational companies has developed and body of global brand loyalists (Cashmore 1997). Cosmopolitan culture is driven by common interests and aims that are shared across the globe. Global consumer culture is causing the generational change in terms of consumer tastes and preferences (Ritzer 2002). Global consumer culture has been evolving over many decades (Mooij 2004). However, technology has facilitated the fast evolution of a global family with shared tastes, references and perceptions. The extensions of businesses that have been founded upon market principles have caused major cities to embrace shared cultures across the globe (Cashmore 1997). Consumers in the major cities tend to have common multinationals sharing products (Breckenridge 2002). Therefore, the global consumer culture that is said to be causing cosmopolitan culture is both a social process and an ideology (Ritzer 2002). The constant shifting of positions, technologies, practices and ideas constitutes market mediation. The spread of the worldwide consumer culture can be attributed to the awareness of cultural resources across the globe (Cashmore 1997). Some of these resources include finances, ideas, technology and media. The international market is able to run through technology (Agrawal 2008). Therefore, consumers able empowered to purchase products of their choice regardless of the location. This has caused cultures to spread into different market places (Ritzer 2002). Remittance businesses have allowed global shift of resources and global movement of workers (Mooij 2004). The global poor are being facilitated by the evolution of global micro finances. Technology has been used to enhance of sense of global identity (Mooij 2004). Global consumption is being televised and consumers are increasingly sharing products and goods in millennial celebrations like Olympics and world cup. The global media is to working with the small and fragmented media houses in remote parts of the planet (Breckenridge 2002). This has greatly contributed to enhancement of global consumer imaginations and prototypes. The modern society has Indian, Chinese Asian etc consumers. The consumer culture is being standardized and localized through market and technology driven forces (Cashmore 1997). The needs of consumers across many cosmopolitan areas are increasingly becoming heterogeneous. The resistance and contestation to global companies is widely becoming unpopular. Models of consumer culture are propagated by the global media (Ritzer 2002). Global consumer culture is entirely dependent on globalization of desires. There has been a growing need to conform, and developing individual self through materials and symbols (Agrawal 2008). The images of good life are homogeneous. This has caused consumers to image that needs are standard. Social life is becoming fragmented and there is a craving to be accepted by the wider national or global society. The cosmopolitan areas are experiencing a culture that is heighted by disorder and disjuncture. As cultural forms and contents continue to become subject to earth-scaping, consumers are undergoing rapid changes in terms of need, identity and ideology (Mooij 2004). Markets have become subject to intense political, economic and social regulation (Cashmore 1997). Consumption patterns tend to have considerations that address foreign and local expectations. Fast food industry has been known to introduce institutional formulae that cut across cultural locations. McDonald’s is present in different markets. However, the fast-food chain undergoes transformation on what it offered to meet the expectation of the local market. Some studies indicate that the rise of global consumer culture does not necessary indicate that consumers shall have uniform tastes and preferences (Ritzer 2002). Global brands are used to set standards of quality and service delivery across the world (Breckenridge 2002). The rising purchasing power of consumers in most cosmopolitan area has pushed for increased purchases on related goods (Cashmore 1997). However, the move is perceived to be a status symbol. Multinationals represent quality in many markets across the world. They are also known to offer competitive prices. Studies show that consumer’s across the world look forward to a global cosmopolitanism. This means that global brands are likely to capitalize of this theory to urge different consumers in cosmopolitan areas to join the cultural bandwagon (Agrawal 2008). The marketing strategies of multinationals and global brands are to develop global myths that are supposed to link individual independence to modernity and self-actualization. The Coca-Cola brand is known to hide the American identity. The company attempts to look local and patriotic to appeal to the domestic market. The cosmopolitan companies’ well-being greatly depends on the global companies. Globalization of food production is intended to enhance efficiency and ensure high quality of services (Ritzer 2002). Consumers in the cosmopolitan cities are looking for independence in service delivery. McDonaldization has led to fewer experiences in service delivery but increased profits and efficiency. Global culture is predictable. Diets are becoming unifying factors. Increased tourism is causing people of different cultures to embrace different meals (Cashmore 1997). This uniformity and homogenization of services has responsible for the rising cosmopolitan culture (Breckenridge 2002). Different services are increasingly being replicated in different parts of the global market. The critics of the global consumption culture argue that the move has led to a loss of authenticity and belonging (Breckenridge 2002). Most of the global food brand use machines to serve people. This has led to monotony and diminished aesthetic touch. Consumers are increasingly becoming more informed and sophisticated in aesthetic terms. Technology has contributed to erosion of boundaries and stretched social relations (Cashmore 1997). Cosmopolitanism imagines the concept of global citizenship and not internationalization (Mooij 2004). Sovereignty of states is being reshaped although the states are important (Breckenridge 2002). This has led to the emergence of a global civil society and global consumption cultures. The permeation of western culture has led to involuntary destruction of other cultures. There are concerns that this might result in a global monoculture. Consumer culture has given rise to awareness of finite resources (Ritzer 2002). This intends to ensure global inequalities are eliminated. The emerging global consumer culture demands that consumers should be supplied with endless resources regardless to their geographical location. The lifestyles are actively being constructed through imitation and social influence. Personal transformation and social mobility are increasingly becoming even across the world (Breckenridge 2002). Global consumers are more intentional about luxury, health and other life factors which were never central in the traditional consumer approach (Mooij 2004). The global consumer culture is the driving force behind the expansion of china and India. The culture has led to more sales, air travel and communication (Cashmore 1997). However, this has caused lifestyle consequences to cosmopolitan dwellers. Some of the challenge arising from global consumer culture is that lifestyle diseases and pollution has become rampant in many cosmopolitan cities around the world (Breckenridge 2002). There is an emergent global culture that is central to cosmopolitan virtues. Market trader cultures are directly connected to the influence of cosmopolitism. Global consumer culture is central to transformation (Cashmore 1997). Consumers believe that the resources advertised by magazines are critical to transforming their lives and making them acceptable to their peers (Cashmore 1997). The human body is the focus of consumer culture and good life (Ritzer 2002). It needs to be maintained, repaired and improved on a regular basis (Breckenridge 2002). Consumers are increasingly sharing common sentiments concerning the resources needed to increase lifestyle. International marketing strategies are responsible for creating group think founded on marketing myths (Cashmore 1997). The multinationals and internationals brands are careful to ensure that celebrities, middle class and the new rich have access to the same luxuries and consumer products (Agrawal 2008). Television programs are playing a central role in ensuring that branding myths carry a universal message across the world. This includes rigorous fitness regimes and cosmetic surgeries what are part of the cosmopolitanism (Breckenridge 2002). Fitness and eating healthy is a marketing tool. However, brands like Coca-Cola and McDonald’s have been aggressive in ensuring consumers continue to trust their products despite the health concerns raised. The cosmopolitan culture has seen an increased number of obesity cases and other avoidable diseases (Cashmore 1997). Social structures are also changing demanding on the forces of global consumer culture. Global consumer culture is blamed to over indulgence which is counterproductive in the overall economic growth (Agrawal 2008). In the United States, it is believes that the consumer culture has significantly contributed to the rising cases of bankruptcy and poverty (Mooij 2004). Debt is increasingly becoming acceptable as more people consumer addictive products. The national governments and individuals in Europe and Americas are encouraged to borrow (Ritzer 2002). This was not that case in the traditional culture of local consumption. The American-style consumer culture is said to be unsustainable in the long run. Credit card spending is part of cosmopolitan culture. Consumers prefer instant services when it comes to consumption. Conclusion The cost of consumer culture is increasingly becoming subject to discussion in major forum. This means that cosmopolitan culture is set to change as the global consumer culture us addressed to make it more sustainable and safe to the human health (Ritzer 2002). Global consumer culture as projected by global brands and multinational has led to a culture of obsessions and instant service delivery in cosmopolitan areas. Consumer culture is expected to promote ambivalence and abundance. Global consumer culture is interconnected to cosmopolitanism in multiple aspects. These aspects relate to health, perception, lifestyle and access to resources. References Agrawal, U. (2008). Globalisation, poverty and culture. New Delhi, India: Rajat Publications. Breckenridge, C. A. (2002). Cosmopolitanism. Durham [N.C.: Duke University Press. Cashmore, E. (1997). The Black culture industry. London: Routledge. Merz, M. A., He, Y., & Alden, D. L. (2008). A categorization approach to analyzing the global consumer culture debate. International Marketing Review, 12(1), 14-17. Mooij, M. K. (2004). Consumer behavior and culture: Consequences for global marketing and advertising. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications. Ritzer, G. (2002). Mcdonaldization: The reader. 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