Social Class

&
Consumer Behaviour

Mayank Sharma
Assistant Professor -Marketing,
IMS, Ghaziabad
 Social Class
 Social Class:
A relatively permanent & homogeneous
group/ strata in society which differ from
each other in their status, wealth,
education, possessions, values, beliefs and
attitudes etc.
Social class
Social class refers to the hierarchical
distinctions between individuals or
groups in societies or cultures
Social class
In societies where classes exist, one's class
is determined largely by:

 Occupation
 Education and qualifications
 Income, personal, household and per capita
 Wealth or net worth, including the ownership of
land, property, means of production, etc.
 For the classification of respondents into social
classes, a modified Index of Social Position
(ISP) formed by three determinants is used:

i. Occupation
ii. Education
iii. Income

ISP score = (Occupation score x 4) + (Education

score x 3) + (Income score x 3)
 Respondents are divided into different social classes on the
basis of ISP Score i.e.
 SEC A
 Upper-Upper class
 Middle-Upper class
 Lower –Upper class
 SEC B
 Upper-Middle class
 Middle-Middle class
 Lower-Middle class
 SEC C
 Upper-Lower class
 Middle-Lower class
 Lower- Lower class
 Characteristics:
 Social classes exhibit status differences
(prestige, power, privileges etc.)
 These are hierarchically organised.
 They exhibit nearly identical
consumption patterns & life styles.
 Strong basis to segment the market
 Implications of Social Class:
Social Stratification
 Hierarchical organization of social classes is
called Stratification
 Status is the end result of stratification
 Status is inherited or earned.
 Social class serves as a frame of reference
members of a particular social class may aspire
to advance their social of numbers of higher
class. (Reference Group Phenomena)
 Marketing Applications of
Reference Group Phenomenon
Target Aspirations Consumption Product
Market Patterns Positioning

Middle To Belong Imitation of Products are

class/ to upper upper class sold to
Lower class middle class
Class with upper
class
symbolism
 Social Classes, their Characteristics
and Buying Patterns
Class Distinguishing Dominant
Characteristics Consumption
Patterns
Upper Upper Elites of society Spending on
(aristocrats, top property, homes,
industrialists, etc.); best education
inherited wealth; well for children
known family foreign vacations,
background, spend jewellery, custom
money lavishly & built cars, etc.
discreetly
 Social Classes, their Characteristics
and Buying Patterns
Class Distinguishing Dominant
Characteristics Consumption
Patterns
Lower Upper Top professionals/ Spend on large
businessmen who homes with flashy
have earned rather and expensive
than inheriting décor; best
money; style and education for
taste is children; imported
conspicuous; cars; latest
flamboyant; seek household gadgets,
possessions that five star hotels….
will reflect their
status
 Social Classes, their
Characteristics,and buys
Class Distinguishing Dominant
Characteristics Consumption
Patterns
Upper Professional Careerists’ Spend on buying
Middle coming from the middle ‘quality’ products,
class with basically quality being most
middle class values of important factor;
respectable living, consumers of CTV,
conformity; emphasis on DVD players,
good education, style is personal
gracious and careful computers,B or C
Segment Car Users
 Social Classes, their
Characteristics,and buys
Class Distinguishing Dominant
Characteristics Consumption
Pattern
Lower Middle White collar workers Spend a good deal
(office goers, petty of time shopping
businessmen/ traders), around for the best
they value neatness bargain; they buy
and cleanliness, and consumer duarbles
want their homes and like two wheelers,
possessions to reflect CTV, fridge, etc.
this
THE UPPER LOWER CLASS (Security
minded majority)
 The largest social class segment.
 Solidly blue collar.
 Starve for security.
 Want children to behave properly.
 High ways earners in this group may spend
impulsively.
 Interested in items that enhance their leisure
time. (e.g. T.V.)
 Husbands typically have strong ‘macho’ self-
image.
 Males are sports fans, heavy smokers /
alcoholics.
LOWER LOWER CLASS
(rock bottom)

 Poorly educated, unskilled laborers.

 Often out of work.
 Children are aften poorly treated.
 Tend to live a day- to-day existence.

Lifestyle Patterns/ Purchasing
Tendencies of Social Classes
Social Class Lifestyle Purchasing
orientation Tendencies
Upper Class Good taste; Quality
graceful living; merchandise;
appreciates expensive,
good things in hobby &
life; interest in recreation
art & culture equipment; art;
books, and
travel
purchases.
Lifestyle Patterns/ Purchasing
Tendencies of Social Classes
Social Class Lifestyle Purchasing
orientation Tendencies
Middle Class Responsibility; Fashion items,
conformity; goods for self
social esteem enhancement,
nice
neighbourhood
; home,
clothing…
Lifestyle Patterns/ Purchasing
Tendencies of Social Classes
Social Class Lifestyle Purchasing
orientation Tendencies
Working Fun oriented Newest
Class taste; focus on appliances;
possessions novelty items;
sports and
other
entertainment
events
Lifestyle Patterns/ Purchasing
Tendencies of Social Classes
Social Class Lifestyle Purchasing
orientation Tendencies
Lower Class Close family Status
relationships; symbols;
no interest in products
world affairs; enhancing self
seek immediate esteem; pseudo
gratification symbols of
prosperity such
as used two
wheelers.
How to Measure Social Classes
Subjective Measures Reputational Objective
Measures Measures
Self-perceptions/ self- Status  Wealth
images Education
‘Personal’-Phenomenon
Possessions
& reflects an individuals
sense of belonging or
identification with others
This feeling of social-gp
membership is referred to
as class-Consciousness
 Upward Social Class Mobility

 It is a movement upward in social class

standing from the class position held by a
consumer .

 The mobility among classes is on increase.

People constantly aspire to move up to upper
class and hence choose products accordingly.
The members of lower middle class wish to
gain acceptability and respectability.
Applications of Measurement
of Social Classes by Objective
measures
 Segmentation of Markets

 Socio-economics profiles of consumers

are prepared, which are used for
Targeting the promotional Campaigns.

 Positioning Strategies according to socio-

economics profiles.