Self-Concept and Advertising, Dove Beauty Campaign - Case Study Example

Self-concept and Advertising Name: Institutional Affiliation: Self-concept and Advertising Introduction Self-concept is the belief about oneself. The previous perceptions that people have concerning themselves have major impact in defining their current self-concept. According to self-appraisal theory, people tend to maintain their positive self-evaluation through distancing themselves with negative perceptions. These aspects have been playing a significant role in defining the consumer behavior of the market. For instance, consumers tend to associate themselves with products that meet their self-concept. This forms a consumer culture which must be taken into consideration when advertising a product in the market. The consumer culture has been on the rise due to increased self evaluation by the customers. 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. The emergence of 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. The emerging global consumer culture resulting from self-concept 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. 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. Self-concept 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. 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 have been forced to depend on each other for food and essential commodities. 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. The most populous nations are going through cultural and consumer revolutions. A compelling example is China. There seems to be a predisposition towards self concept. 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. There is rapid circulation and 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 self-concept is being standardized and localized through market and technology driven forces. 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. 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. Dove Beauty Campaign Unilever has been the leading producer of cosmetics products in the world. It commands a huge market base in the global market. As a result, its adverts target the customers from different parts of the world. In 2004, the company recorded a decline in its sales because of increased competition. Therefore, the business went to Edelman, its public relation agency in search for a solution. As a result, they came up with a campaign that was to focus mainly on how women feel beautiful irrespective of their age and size instead on the products (Wheeler, 2009). This was to use self-concept to attract consumers towards their products. Many companies find it hard to create an ad that attracts the viewers more than once while using the same brand. Nevertheless, Unilever has a strong marketing department that has made it possible to create an ad that attracts the attention of the customers from all over the world. In 2005, the firm created the first hit campaign “Real Beauty” which brought the company in the public attention. This made it easy for the company to expand to other different markets in the world. After eight years, the company created another ad “Real Beauty Sketches” which has caught the attention of the consumer. Sketches used law-enforcement artist with the aim of showing that women view themselves as less attractive more than strangers do. The video has become one of the most viewed and shared video. The Dove Campaigns for Real Beauty has changed the opinions of the society concerning beauty. The campaign supports the mission of making women feel more beautiful every time through challenging the current views of beauty and encouraging ladies to take care of themselves. In addition, the ad has changed the way the industry has been using some women as models (Wheeler, 2009). This is through abandoning the usual way of portraying some women as more beautiful than the rest. This has been achieved through showing that little effort by those who feel that they are not beautiful can enhance their beautiful. Apple Falls Victim in China Anti-Foreign Campaign Chinese people have a high self belief. As a result, the local believe in products that are manufactured in their country. Furthermore, they like to be associated with a business that plays a significant role in improving the living status of the local population. China has a huge population, an aspect that attracted the attention of Apple Inc in the market. However, despite the company launching an intensive campaign to force the product in the market, little success has been achieved. This is because the local people hold tightly their self-concept and they cannot be easily manipulated by foreign companies to leave their long term identity. Apple Inc spend a lot of money to try and penetrate the Chinese market. However, although it was able to win a small margin of the local population, the Chinese people continue to prefer products by local companies. This is an indication that self-concept has a major role in determining the consumption behavior of the market. Strategic Analysis One of the major strengths that the company possesses is the huge financial base. The firm has internationalized its operations to different parts of the world. As a result, it has been able to accumulate enough funds which can be used to attract the interests of the target market towards the products. Furthermore, the money can enable the business to advertise its operations to the best Chinese media, an aspect that can play a significant role in changing the self-concept of the local population. In addition, the company has experienced human resources. This can enable the company identify different aspects that changes the self-concept of the local population. One of the major weaknesses that the company has is lack of proper channels to conduct an effective market research on the Chinese market. As a result, the company has been unable to identify different cultural aspects of the local population that have been affected by the people’s self-concept. China’s population provides a major opportunity for the company. Majority of the people have a disposable income which can be used to purchase the company’s electronics. Therefore, if the company unleashes the potential in this market, it can make huge gains in its overall returns. One of the major threats that face the company is the local companies. The firms have taken advantage of the local’s self-concept to segment the market and attract the loyalty of the local population towards their products. As a result, Apple Inc is needed to intensify their advertising efforts in order to position their products strategically in the market. Objectives The objective of the company should be to win their trust towards the Apple products. In addition, the firm should focus on creating a close customer relationship. This would be significant in making the customers to associate themselves with the company’s products. Target Audience The young people in China forms the largest part of the target market segment. As a result, the company should ensure that the adverts target this population. In addition, the products should meet the expectations of the market. This would increase the number of customer through referrals. Media and Message Strategy In order to reach the target market, the company should ensure that it drafts a message that attracts the attention of the customers. This is through incorporating various aspects such as culture and self-concept in the message. In addition, the company should put more emphasis on media selection. With the young generation making the largest segment, the company should use social media to reach them and understand factors that affect the consumption behavior of this market segment. Recommendations In order for Apple Inc to penetrate the Chinese market, it should have merged or acquired a local company. This aspect could have played a significant role in attracting the attention of the local population towards the company’s products. Furthermore, this strategy would change the perception of the customers towards the company’s products. The company should set up a marketing department whose role will be to reach the target market through the internet and social media. Currently, customers are turning their attention towards the social media in search for product information. Therefore, the company should make use of this channel to attract more customers towards its products. References Agrawal, U. (2008). Globalisation, poverty and culture. New Delhi, India: Rajat Publications. Breckenridge, C. A. (2002). Cosmopolitanism. Durham [N.C.: Duke University Press. 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. Wheeler, D. A. (2009). The effectiveness of the Dove Evolution film as a one-shot media literacy treatment. Orlando, Fla: University of Central Florida. Read More