CHAPTER 5
THE CHANGING AMERICAN SOCIETY:
SUBCULTURES
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
LO1: Understand subcultures and their influence on unique market behaviors
LO2: Analyze the African American subculture and the unique marketing aspects it entails
LO3: Analyze the Hispanic subculture and the unique marketing aspects it entails
LO4: Analyze the Asian American subculture and the unique marketing aspects it entails
SUMMARY
LO1: Understand subcultures and their influence on unique market behaviors
The United States is becoming increasingly diverse. Much of this diversity is fueled by
immigration and an increase in ethnic pride and by identification with non-European heritages
among numerous Americans. Most members of a culture share most of the core values, beliefs,
and behaviors of that culture. However, most individuals also belong to several subcultures. A
LO2: Analyze the African American subculture and the unique marketing aspects it entails
African Americans represent a substantial non-European ethnic group at roughly 13 percent of
the U.S. population. Although African Americans are younger and tend to have lower incomes
than the general population, their rapidly growing education, income, purchasing power, and
cultural influence continue to attract marketers to this large and diverse subculture.
LO3: Analyze the Hispanic subculture and the unique marketing aspects it entails
Hispanics represent the largest and fastest-growing ethnic subculture in the United States. Even
LO4: Analyze the Asian-American subculture and the unique marketing aspects it entails
Asian Americans are the most diverse of the major ethnic subcultures. They are characterized by
LO5: Analyze the Native American, Asian-Indian, Arab American subcultures and the
unique marketing aspects they entail
Native Americans, Asian-Indian Americans, and Arab Americans are smaller but important
subcultures. Each is diverse yet shares enough common values and behaviors to be approached
LO6: Describe the various religious subcultures and their implications for marketing
Although the United States is a relatively secular society, roughly 82 percent of American adults
claim a religious affiliation and a majority state that religion is important in their lives. A
LO7: Explain the role of geographic regions as subcultures
Regional subcultures arise as a result of climatic conditions, the natural environment and
resources, the characteristics of the various immigrant groups that have settled in each region,
LECTURE TIPS AND AIDS
1) This is usually a fun chapter for the students. If your class is ethnically diverse, you can generate a
very interesting discussion around ethnic differences and similarities. You can also have students
from various ethnic groups or religions analyze the accuracy of the text portrayal of their group.
2) Generational and acculturation issues are an important aspect to highlight in class discussions. For
Asian-Americans and Hispanics, where immigration is a major driver of growth, language,
identification, and core values evolve from first generation to second generation and beyond.
You might have your American-born students imagine they will immigrate to another country which
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1) What is a subculture?
A subculture is a segment of a larger culture whose members share distinguishing values and patterns
2) What determines the degree to which a subculture will influence an individual’s behavior?
3) Is the American culture more like a soup or a salad?
The traditional view was that America was a melting pot or a soup. Immigrants from various
countries would come to America and quickly surrender their old languages, values, behaviors, and
even religions. In their place, they would acquire American characteristics that were largely a slight
adaptation of Western European, particularly British features. The base American culture was vast
4) What is an ethnic subculture?
We define ethnic subcultures broadly as those whose members’ unique shared behaviors are based on
a common racial, language, or nationality background.
5) How large are the major ethnic subcultures in America? Which are growing most rapidly?
6) What regions are the major sources of America’s immigrants?
Latin America (42.8) and Asia (39.1%)
7) Are the various ethnic subcultures homogeneous or heterogeneous?
8) Describe the influence of education on the Internet use of African Americans. What are the marketing
implications?
One recent estimate is that 87 percent of African American adults are online, which is only
9) Describe the African American consumer groups found by the Yankelovich group.
New Middle Class (5 percent) – Younger (25-44), highest education and income (1 in 4 earns
$100k or more), most suburban, high tech use (55 hours a week internet), positive about
future, self-describe as Black, feel “Black slang” should be avoided.
Black is Better (11 percent) – Middle age (35-54), upper-middle income, urban, trend single
parent, confident and positive, self-identify as African American, strong emphasis on faith,
career, and family, prefer being around people of their own ethnicity, highest spenders on
clothing.
Digital Networkers (7 percent) – Younger (teens and early twenties), school or early career
phase, unmarried, male, suburban, middle/upper income, heavy tech including social
networking and IM, less in touch with Black solidarity, less confident attitudes, less
religious, prefer to shop online.
Connected Black Teens (12 percent) – Teens living at home, over half raised by single
parent, embrace Black media, tech savvy, brand conscious and want brands popular with
their culture, music focused, positive life attitude, respect elders, not as focused on only
interacting with those of same ethnicity.
Faith Fulfills (10 percent) – Trend older (35 +) and female, parents, married, highly
religious, spend most time volunteering for religious and non-profit groups, upper middle
class, have a positive attitude about future, don’t feel they have to hide their Blackness, use
internet but not tech forward.
Sick and Stressed (8 percent) – Trend older (45-65), male, suburban, parents, lower-middle
income (40 percent earn less than $25k), less optimistic, stressed about health and finances,
least likely to lead healthy lifestyle and have health insurance.
Stretched Black Straddlers (7 percent) – Young (18-34), female, middle income, trend
unmarried, exposed to the greatest racial discrimination, self-identify as Black, report acting
differently when around Blacks than around other ethnicities, high stress over work, family,
money, newer to technology.
10) What are the basic principles that should be followed in marketing to an African American market
segment?
Marketing to African Americans should be based on the same principles as marketing to any other
group. That is, the market should be carefully analyzed, relevant needs should be identified among one
11) To what extent is the Spanish language used by American Hispanics? How does language and
acculturation affect Internet use among Hispanics?
Seventy-two percent of first generation Hispanic adults consider Spanish to be their primary
language. Even though this decreases with subsequent generations, Hispanic teens (representing 20
12) Can Hispanics be treated as a single market?
No. The Hispanic market is quite diverse. Care must be taken in the language and advertising themes
13) Describe the three Hispanic generational groups identified by the Pew Hispanic Center.
First Generation Adults (63 percent) are those born outside the U.S. This generation has the lowest
traditional values including a masculine view of the family decision hierarchy.
Second Generation Adults (19 percent) are those born in the U.S. to immigrant parents. Compared
to the First Generation, this generation has higher income and education, is more likely to identify
Third Generation (and beyond) Adults (17 percent) are those born in the U.S. to U.S. born parents.
This group has the highest education and income, is most likely to identify as Americans (57 percent,
14) How homogeneous are Asian Americans?
This is a very heterogeneous group with many languages, religions, and nationalities represented. In
addition, they differ in terms of demographics and individual characteristics.
15) To what extent do Asian Americans use their native language?
16) Describe three emerging aspects that may make the Asian American population somewhat easier to
target.
1. Geographic concentration seems to be increasing.
17) Why is the United States considered to be a secular society?
The educational system, government, and political process are not controlled by a religious group and
18) Describe the Roman Catholic subculture.
Roughly 21 percent of American adults are Roman Catholic. The Catholic church is highly structured
and hierarchical. The pope is the central religious authority, and individual interpretation of scripture
and events is minimal. A basic tenet of the Catholic church is that a primary purpose of a marital
The Catholic church is ethnically diverse, with some 41 percent of its adult membership coming from
ethnic subcultures. Recall from our earlier discussion that the predominant religion among Hispanics
is Catholicism. Hispanics have fueled much of the Catholic growth since 1960. Thirty-four percent of
website devoted to issues of education and outreach to the Hispanic community. On a more local
level, the Archdiocese of Baltimore holds an annual Mass for Our Lady of Guadalupe, who was said
to have appeared to an Indian peasant in 1531 near what is now Mexico City.
19) Describe the born-again Christian subculture.
Born-again Christians have been referred to as the Christian Right, Religious Right, Conservative
Christians, Evangelical Christians, and Fundamentalist Christians. Born-again Christians are
characterized by a strong belief in the literal truth of the Bible, a very strong commitment to their
religious beliefs, having had a “born–again” experience, and encouraging others to believe in Jesus
Christ.
Born-again Christians tend to have somewhat lower education and income levels than the general
population. They tend to have a more traditional gender role orientation. Born-again Christians are
20) Describe the Jewish subculture.
Judaism represents 2 percent of American adults and is unique in that historically it has been an
inseparable combination of ethnic and religious identity. Historically, Jews in America tended to
marry other Jews, although that has changed somewhat over time. In fact, a recent study of
Match.com members found that 81 percent of Jewish single men and 72 percent of Jewish single
women said they would date outside their race, ethnicity, or religion (these percentages were similar
to those found for most other religions).
Jews are heavily concentrated in the Northeast but are increasingly dispersing throughout the United
21) Describe the Muslim subculture.
Muslims in America (representing roughly 1 percent of the American adult population) are culturally
diverse including Arab Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanics. Like the
Protestants, there are a variety of Muslim sects with varying belief patterns, though all are based on the
Koran. Like Protestants, Catholics, and Jews, the most obvious division among Muslims is the degree
of conservatism and the importance attached to the literal teachings of the religion. As with the other
religious groups in America, most Muslims’ lives are centered on work, family, school, and the pursuit
of success and happiness.
22) Describe the Buddhist subculture.
There are nearly as many Buddhists in America as there are Muslims. They are primarily Asian
American or white, although Asian Americans are more likely to be Christian (roughly 34 percent) than
Buddhist (roughly 14 percent). Buddhists tend to be slightly above average in income and education,
23) What is a regional subculture? Give some examples.
It is a geographic region with behaviors and values that differ from other areas of the country. The
distinct cultures within each region arose due to climatic conditions, the natural environment and
Discussion Questions
24) Examine Table 5-1. Which of these differences are mainly caused by ethnicity or race and which are
caused by other factors?
It is likely that students can find multiple influences for all or most products. They should be encouraged
to discuss in a respectful way the different influences which appear to predominate in each case, and
why.
25) Do you agree that America is becoming more like a salad than a soup in terms of the integration of
ethnic groups? Is this good or bad?
26) Do you agree with the following statement made at one point in time by a Miller Brewing
representative regarding ethnicity? For what types of products is this view most correct? Least
correct?
“We used to have an ethnic marketing department up until several years ago…. [But now we believe]
27) Most new immigrants to America are non-European and have limited English-language skills. What
opportunities does this present to marketers? Does this raise any ethical issues for marketers?
These consumers can become very brand loyal if provided value and consideration. This requires
appropriate product features and at least some communications in the relevant languages. Word–of–
28) Does a firm’s social responsibility play a role in marketing to consumers from various ethnic
subcultures whose incomes fall below the poverty line? If so, what?
This can be a sensitive question that may elicit strong feelings among some students.
Specifically, product appeals need to take into account lower levels of education and experience.
Pricing and credit policies need to be clear and simply stated. Retail stores need to be conveniently
located and accessible. Appropriate products need to be developed and properly positioned.
29) Respond to the questions in Consumer Insight 5–1.
a) Answers will vary. However, one challenge could be that there is a lot of variation even within
the Latina market. There are a variety of cultural backgrounds and preferences that are associated
c) Answers will vary, but this question provides the basis for a class activity where small groups can
30) Although some of the following have very limited incomes, others are quite prosperous. Does
marketing to prosperous members of these groups require a marketing mix different from the one used
to reach other prosperous consumers?
a) African Americans
31) Describe how each of the following firms’ product managers should approach the (i) African American,
(ii) the Hispanic, (iii) the Asian American, (iv) the Asian-Indian American, (v) the Arab American, or
(vi) the Native American markets.
a. Pepsi
b. Target
c. NBA
e. The United Way
f. Dell Laptops
g. Google.com
32) What, if any, unique ethical responsibilities exist when marketing to ethnic subcultures?
Point out that the first responsibility occurs in general marketing activities, particularly advertising.
33) Do you agree that the United States is a secular society? Why or why not?
This can generate a good discussion. Compared to strict Muslim countries, some predominantly
34) Describe how each of the following firms’ product managers should approach the (i) Catholic, (ii)
Protestant, (iii) born-again Christian, (iv) Jewish, (v) Muslim, and (vi) Buddhist subcultures.
a. Red Bull
b. Wendy’s
e. The United Way
f. Dell laptops
I find it most useful to have the students do brief analyses of several of these rather than an in-depth
35) Will regional subcultures become more or less distinct over the next 20 years? Why?
There are countervailing forces at work here. Local and regional media seem to be gaining popularity
36) Select one product, service, or activity from each category in Table 5-3 and explain the differences in
consumption for the item across the regions shown.
The New Yorker: The demographics of the Northeast are part of the explanation as are the more liberal
social attitudes that this magazine reflects.