Role of culture on marketing communication of Amul

Introduction

Consumer behavior is largely dependent on cultural factors consisting of

mutually shared operating procedures, unstated assumptions, tools, norms, values,
standards for perceiving, believing, evaluating, and communicating.

Cultural factors vary by country but become increasingly complex when

people immigrate to foreign countries that have different cultural dimensions. In
these situations, people are subjected to a wide variety of cultural reference groups
that ultimately affect their purchase behavior. In addition, reference groups may
consist of familial groups or external peer groups with each group providing
specific and often conflicting information that affects purchase and consumption
behavior.

In response, marketers must develop marketing communication that

addresses cultural and reference group factors from both a domestic and global
perspective. To this end, marketers use market segmentation and micromarketing
to develop customer-centric marketing messages with the goal of providing
precisely defined marketing messages that satisfy consumers need for personal
information regarding products and services so that consumers should be
adequately stimulated to purchase the product or service being advertised.

What is Culture?

We define culture as the sum total of learned beliefs, values, and customs
that serve to direct the consumer behavior of members of a particular society.

What is consumer behavior?

Consumer behavior is the study of individuals, groups, or organizations and

the processes they use to select, secure, and dispose of products, services,
experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on
the consumer and society. It blends elements from
psychology, sociology, social anthropology and economics. It attempts to
understand the buyer decision making process, both individually and in groups. It
studies characteristics of individual consumers such as demographics and
behavioral variables in an attempt to understand people's wants. It also tries to
assess influences on the consumer from groups such as family, friends, reference
groups, and society in general
Why it is important for marketers to understand the cultural impact on
Consumer Behavior

Because culture satisfies needs

Culture exists to satisfy the needs of the people within a
society. It offers order, direction and guidance in all phases of human
problem solving by providing tried and true methods of satisfying
physiological, personal, and social needs.
e.g.:- Culture provides standards and rules about when to eat, where to eat,
what is appropriate to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner etc...
Because culture is learned
Unlike innate biological characteristics, culture is learned.
The three distinct forms of cultural learning are formal learning, informal
learning and technical learning. Although a firms advertising and marketing
communications can influence all three types of cultural learning, it is likely
that many product marketing messages enhance informal learning by
providing the audience with a model of behavior to imitate.
When using Language and Symbols
To communicate effectively with their audiences, marketers
must use appropriate symbols to convey desired product images or
characteristics. These symbols can be verbal or nonverbal. A symbol may
have several, even contradictory meanings, so the advertiser must ascertain
exactly what the symbol is communicating to its intended audience.
When facilitating Rituals
Most important from the standpoint of marketers is the fact
that rituals tend to be replete with ritual artifacts that are associated with or
somehow enhance the performance of the ritual.

Cultural impacts of Amul in marketing communication:

Lifestyle &food habits: Due to changing life style of larger part of earning
population, eating habits of urban as well rural population has also changed
in due course of time. Vegetarianism still accounts for a larger section of
population & dairy product being integral part of their regular diet. Fast food
culture is on ascendency where consumer is demanding more of ice-creams,
readymade milk products, etc. This presents a great opportunity for Amul to
innovate its product line while maintaining its quality.
Demographic composition: In a young country like India where the
average age of population is below thirty years .the young population has
 started playing greater part in consumer expenditure. This young population
has higher literacy level which is more health conscious. Dairy & related
products have been always high on priority for health conscious people. The
factor for high dairy product consumption is high children population.
Culture: Indians are accustomed to eating high amounts of milk based
sweet products causing higher consumption of milk and milk based
products. Also traditional Indian culture stresses on consuming higher
amount of milk due to the association of it to better health. Also as most
Hindu Indians believe its auspicious to keep cattle Amul doesnt have to
worry about continuous supply of milk for production.
Education: With Indias literacy and education level going high, the
consumers are getting more aware about foods nutritional value. Also
awareness about hygienic production and packaging of food is increasing.
Larger number of customers is getting aware about foreign cuisines and their
food choices are changing. But this shift is good for milk producers as the
demand is increasing. Overall this provides an opportunity for Amul to
introduce new products meeting consumer choices and tap new market of
locally sold milk products by its packed and processed items.

Promotion:

In India, food was something one couldn't afford to fool around with. It had been
taken too seriously, for too long. Sylvester daCunha decided it was time for a
change of image. The year Sylvester daCunha took over the account, the country
saw the birth of a campaign whose charm has endured fickle public opinion,
gimmickry and all else. The Amul girl who lends herself so completely to Amul
butter, created as a rival to the Polson butter girl. This one was sexy, village belle,
clothed in a tantalizing choli all but covering her upper regions. "Eustace
Fernandez (the art director) and I decided that we needed a girl who would worm
her way into a housewife's heart. And who better than a little girl?" says Sylvester
daCunha. And so it came about that the famous Amul Moppet was born. That
October, lamp kiosks and the bus sites of the city were splashed with the moppet
on a horse. The baseline simply said, Thoroughbred, Utterly Butterly Delicious
Amul. It was a matter of just a few hours before the daCunha office was ringing
with calls. Not just adults, even children were calling up to say how much they had
liked the ads.

Brand Name: The brand name "Amul," from the Sanskrit "Amoolya" (meaning
Precious)
Brand Logo: Logo is very simple with two rectangle crossing each other and name
of the brand i.e. Amul and slogan is mentioned.

Mascot: Amul Baby, which is a chubby butter girl usually, dressed in polka
dotted dress is the Mascot of the brand. This mascot is very famous in India and
Amul has not changed it since its introductionin1966. Amul doesnt use any
celebrity to endorse its brand but instead it used this mascot.

Slogan: Slogan is The Taste of India. By this company wants to say that the
brand is so widely used in India that it has become a unique ingredient in all dishes
of India and thus the taste of India.

Conclusion:

Consumer behavior analysis for Amul delves into market and other stimuli. These
stimuli act on consumer and influence his decision to buy a product. The
advertising strategy of making sarcastic and funny comments on social, political
trends captured the share of consumers mind. Amul girl slowly positioned itself in
hearts of Indian consumers.