CHAPTER 3
THE CHANGING AMERICAN SOCIETY: VALUES
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
LO3: Discuss values as they relate to green marketing
LO4: Discuss values as they relate to cause-related marketing
SUMMARY
LO1: Understand core American cultural values
Cultural values are widely held beliefs that affirm what is desirable. Three categories of values that affect
LO2: Summarize changes in self, environment, and other-oriented values
In terms of self-oriented values, we place somewhat less emphasis on hard work as an end in itself
although we continue to work some of the longest hours among industrialized nations. We are trending
toward greater emphasis on sensual gratification. And, while the recent recession may have tempered
spending, there appears to be a move back toward greater emphasis on immediate gratification. Finally,
while religion is important, America remains a relatively secular culture.
LO3: Discuss values as they relate to green marketing
Americans have shifted their view from one of overcoming nature to more of admiring nature. This
translates into greater concerns regarding the protection of our environment and the emergence of green
marketing. Green marketing involves (1) developing products whose production, use, or disposition is
LO4: Discuss values as they relate to cause-related marketing
Americans are high on the value of problem solving. This makes us prone to want to put efforts toward
causes that are important to us in an attempt to fix or improve the situation. Cause-related marketing is
LO5: Discuss values as they relate to marketing to gay and lesbian consumers
The value placed on diversity continues to increase, with more openness to alternative lifestyles and
family structures including same-sex couples. The LGBT or gay market is estimated at roughly 10 million
people over the age of 18 with purchasing power over $900 billion. Many companies view the gay market
LO6: Discuss values as they relate to gender-based marketing
The ongoing shift from a traditionally masculine view toward a balanced masculine-feminine view has
resulted in changing gender roles. Gender roles have undergone radical changes in the past 30 years. A
LECTURE TIPS AND AIDS
1) Figure 3-1 provides a nice vehicle for discussion of changing values in our society. Students will
disagree with some of the authors’ estimates and should be encouraged to voice these comments. This
2) Before discussing this chapter, have all your students write one-page descriptions of themselves in ten
years. Compare the males’ descriptions with the females’ in terms of career versus home orientations,
job types and so forth.
3) An excellent starting point for discussing the depth of value changes in general, and gender-role
changes in particular, can be initiated by asking if the results of the 25-year-old study described below
would be obtained today.
Two thousand 3rd through 12th grade children were asked to react as if they woke up to find
themselves members of the opposite sex. Girls wrote repeatedly how much better off they would be
4) The following question will generally produce a good discussion:
What responsibilities do advertisers have to help change gender-role (or other) stereotypes?
You might want to present the two basic sides to the issue:
(1) It is not the job of advertisers (nor, indeed, business in general) to change gender roles. That job
belongs to the family, schools, and churches. Business’ only responsibility is to portray roles
reasonably accurately, in a nondeceptive way. Besides, who is to determine which other values
they should try to change?
5) This question can also produce a good discussion:
Who is to blame for the “Big 3” auto manufacturers and their economic difficulties?
Some students will argue that it is the auto manufacturers who have built large, fuel-inefficient
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1) What is a cultural value? Do all members of a culture share cultural values?
2) Describe the current American culture in terms of each of the 18 values discussed in this chapter.
a. Individual/collective: More collective than in the past but still strongly individualistic.
d. Masculine/feminine: Shifting away from a strongly masculine dominance.
e. Competition/cooperation: A reduction in the competitive orientation of the society but still
basically competitive.
i. Hard work/leisure: Leisure activities are seen as being somewhat more rewarding and
necessary than in the recent past.
j. Risk taking/security: Somewhat reduced emphasis on security than in the recent past.
n. Postponed gratification/immediate gratification: Many Americans who postponed gratification
during the recent recession are less willing to do so now even if their financial situation would
suggest otherwise.
o. Sensual gratification/abstinence: Increased tolerance and acceptance of sensual gratification
seems to be continuing.
p. Religious/secular: Generally, American society is secular though there are strong religious
influences.
3) How is voluntary simplicity related to the materialism value? What are the marketing implications of
voluntary simplicity? Do these implications vary by product class?
The U.S. continues to possess the characteristics of a consumption society. However, there is some
evidence that the strong value on material possessions is moderating with some consumers due to role
overload, burnout, and emotional exhaustion. These consumers are rethinking their priorities and
4) What is green marketing?
Green marketing generally involves one or more strategies: (1) developing products whose
consumption, use, or disposition is less harmful to the environment than traditional versions of the
5) What values underlie green marketing?
Individual and environmental organizations often focus on a subset of five concerns: (1) solid waste
These concerns are primarily based on the environment-oriented value of admiring nature.
6) How is enviropreneurial marketing related to new product success and market share? Link this to the
value of green marketing in creating a competitive advantage.
Enviropreneurial marketing is environmentally-friendly marketing practices, strategies, and tactics
initiated by a firm to achieve a competitive differentiation. Research shows that such a marketing
the environment.
7) Describe the basic conflict between the environmental movement and many businesses.
The basic thrust of environmentalism is the “three Rs” – reduce, reuse, recycle. Two of the three core
8) What is cause-related marketing? Why is it often successful?
Cause-related marketing (CRM) is marketing that ties a company and its products to an issue or cause
with the goal to improve sales and corporate image while providing benefits to the cause. Companies
associate with causes to create long-term relationships with their customers, building corporate and
9) What are the major decisions a firm faces with respect to the gay market?
There are a number of decisions a firms faces with respect to any diverse group of consumers. The
gay market is no different. Questions that need to be addressed by a firm include: Does the product
10) What is meant by gender?
Sex and gender are used interchangeably to refer to whether a person is biologically a male or female.
11) What is gender identity?
12) What is a gender role?
Gender roles are ascribed roles based on a person’s gender. They are the behaviors considered
appropriate for males and females in a given society.
13) How does an ascribed role differ from an achievement role?
has no control; achievement roles are based on controllable performance criteria.
14) What is happening to male and female gender roles in America?
They are becoming more similar, with the female role moving closer to the traditional male role.
15) What are the differences between a traditional and a modern gender role orientation?
16) Describe a segmentation system for the female market based on employment status and gender role
orientation.
Traditional housewife: not employed outside the home and has a tradition gender role orientation and
is generally content.
17) What are some of the major marketing implications of the changing role of women?
Discussion Questions
18) Describe additional values you feel could, or should, be added to Figure 3-1. Describe the marketing
implications of each.
a. Involvement/Noninvolvement: Are individuals deeply concerned or indifferent about
occurrences that don’t affect them directly?
19) Pick the three values you feel the authors of this book were most inaccurate in the chapter in
describing the current American values. Justify your answers.
Postponed gratification may come up, possibly due to the fact that many students see college as
necessary for a better life but also as postponing enjoyment of life.
20) Pick the three values you feel the authors were most inaccurate about in describing the emerging
American values. Justify your answers.
Students are likely to pick as inaccurate Youth/Age, feeling that the shift is one of numbers not spirit
21) Respond to the questions in Consumer Insight 3–1.
Q1 – answers will vary and may depend on the underlying value set of each student. As the text notes,
different consumers have different views of CRM efforts.
22) Which values are most relevant to the purchase or use of the following? Are they currently favorable
or unfavorable for ownership/use? Are they shifting at all? If so, is the shift in a favorable or
unfavorable direction?
a) Dietary supplements
b) The Salvation Army
d) Home theater systems
e) Tanning salon
23) Do you believe Americans’ concern for the environment is a stronger value than their materialism?
24) What ethical issues do you see relating to green marketing?
The basic thrust of environmentalism is the “three Rs” – reduce, reuse, recycle. Two of the three core
thrusts of the environmental movement thus conflict with the objective of most businesses, which is
25) Explain greenwashing and its possible role in the FTC’s revision of the Green Guides.
Greenwashing refers to situations whereby a firm promotes environmental benefits that are
26) Cause-related marketing is done to enhance the firm’s sales or image. Some critics consider such
marketing to be unethical. What is your position?
Most business students will see this as a good thing. You may need to play devil’s advocate to get a
good discussion going.
27) In which of the four categories of responders to cause-related marketing are you? Why?
28) Suppose AT&T showed a gay couple using its cell plan service or P&G showed a gay couple using
one of its laundry products in ads on network television. Is a backlash by those who do not accept the
gay community a likely response? How are such consumers likely to respond? Why?
29) Do you think housewives may be defensive or sensitive about not having employment outside of the
home? If so, what implications will this have for marketing practice?
30) Develop an advertisement for the following for each of the four female market segments described in
the chapter (see pages 97 and 98).
a) Bicycles
b) iPad
c) Exercise equipment
d) Breakfast cereal
e) Vacation cruises
f) Cosmetics
To develop effective advertisements for these products and female segments, students have to first
profile the key differences between females in these segments. These differences would include