Cultural environment: The cultural environment is made up of institution and other forces that affect a society’s basic values, perceptions, preferences, and behaviors. People grow up in a particular society that shapes their basic beliefs and values. They absorb a world view that defines their relationships with others.
In simple word, culture is the set of traditional believes and values that are transmitted and shared in a given society.
The definition of culture offered one text is “That complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.”
How influence on marketing:
We know culture is dynamic. Culture is the set of basic values, norms, beliefs, of a society. When the culture of a certain society is changed the marketers should change their marketing strategy. Because culture determines or provides the guidelines what products should be consumed/ used.
Example: Impact of religious belief on marketing: In most cultures the first social institution infants are exposed to outside the home takes the form of a church, mosque, shrine or temple. The impact of religion on the value systems of a society and the effect of value systems on marketing must not be underestimated. Because religion clearly does affect people’s habits, their outlook on life, and the products they buy they way they buy them and even the newspaper they read.
The influence of religion is often quite strong, so marketing with little or no understanding of a religion may readily offend deeply. One’s own religion is often not a reliable guide to another’s beliefs.
In India the MacDonald cannot market the burger with beef flavor.
In Bangladesh MacDonald cannot market the hum burger.
Example: impact of education on marketing: School: Education, one of the most important social institutions, affects all aspects of the culture, from economic development to consumer behavior. The literacy rate of a country is a potent force in economics development. Because communicating with a literate market is much easier than communicating to one in which the marketer must depend on symbols and pictures.
Advertisement for educated people and uneducated people are different.
