Cultural aspects have a significant impact on how people consider and consume,

so marketers are very interested in the cultural environment. Cultural

environment consists of institutions and other forces that affect fundamental
beliefs, opinions, tastes, and behaviors.
There are two cultural characteristics that influence the process of making
marketing decisions: The Persistence of Cultural Values and Shifts in Secondary
Cultural Values.
Regarding The Sustainability of Cultural Values, people in a society hold various
beliefs and values, with core beliefs such as individual freedom, hard work, and
achievement being highly persistent. These are passed down from parents to
children and reinforced by schools, businesses, religious institutions, and
government. Secondary beliefs are more likely to change, such as marriage.
Cultural shifts occur due to popular influence and marketers predicting trends.
These impact people's perceptions of themselves or others, organizations, and
society, highlighting the importance of adapting to these changes.
People differ in their preference for serving themselves over serving other people.
They seek personal pleasure, self-realization through religion, or career pursuits,
and use products, brands, and services to express their views and preferences.
Therefore, marketers can rely on this factor in order to position their brands to
appeal to specific self-view segments.
According to research on Maybelline – one of the most well-known cosmetic firms
globally, the organization’s marketing strategy revolves around embracing
diversity, empowering individuals, and emphasizing the quality and aspects of its
products. Akaah and Korgaonkar's study suggests that consumers are more likely
to buy famous brand products with a positive brand image, which reduces
perceived risk. The self-concept theory suggests that a brand's image is a
collection of perceptions about oneself, including capabilities, characteristics,
shortcomings, appearance, and personality. Brand image is a people's and
society's perception of a brand and can positively affect purchase intention.
Maybelline has successfully made use of this research – with some adjustments to
make it most suitable, which lead to the fact that most people, now and then,
choose Maybelline’s brand image to maintain high quality.
People's attitudes towards others have been changing from time to time, with
concerns about the decrease in human interaction in the digital age. This
technology era has led to an era of "mass mingling," where people use social
media and mobile communications to connect more than ever. This increased
interaction allows people to meet, network, text, and socialize online, increasing
their likelihood of meeting up with friends and followers in the real world.
However, even when people are together, they are often "alone together," with
groups in their own little bubbles connected to screens and keyboards. This new
way of interacting affects how companies market their brands and communicate
with customers, as consumers increasingly tap into networks of friends and online
brand communities to learn about and buy products.
Similar to that of the above, people’s attitudes towards organizations have shifted
over the past two decades, with a decline in confidence and loyalty towards
American businesses and political institutions. This has been largely due to
downsizings, corporate scandals, and financial meltdowns. Many people now view
work as a necessity for income, suggesting that organizations need to find new
ways to gain consumer and employee confidence.
People's opinions of society influence their consumption patterns and attitudes
towards the marketplace. American patriotism has increased over the past two
decades, leading to renewed "Made in America" pitches and patriotic ads.
However, these efforts can be viewed as corny or token attempts to cash in on
nation's emotions.
People's views of nature vary, with some feeling ruled by it, others in harmony,
and others seeking to master it. This has led to a growing market for natural,
organic, and nutritional products, with the U.S. organic/natural food market
growing rapidly.
Finally, there are various kinds of people's beliefs about the origin of universe and
their place in it, according to a study of 22% of Americans now not affiliated with
any particular faith. However, this does not mean they are abandoning their faith.
Some futurists have noted a renewed interest in spirituality, moving away from
materialism and dog-eat-dog ambition to seek more permanent values like family,
community, earth, and faith. This changing spiritualism affects consumers in
everything from television shows to products and services.