Cultural code (The Culture Code: An Ingenious Way to Understand Why People Around the World Live and Buy as They Do) (Category Management)
The Cultural Code: How We Live, What We Buy, and Why explores the concept of cultural code, which is the unconscious meaning given to objects or phenomena within a particular culture. The author of the book, Clauter Rapai is a French psychoanalyst, marketer and business consultant who is known for this theory of “cultural codes”. He was born in France in 1941 He later emigrated to the United States, where he built his career. Rapai is the founder and CEO of Archetype Discoveries Worldwide, which researches cultural archetypes and their application in marketing. In this book he describes his concept in a popular science style and reveals the main ideas.
1) Imprinting and emotion: Impressed childhood images and associated emotions form unconscious associations that affect a person’s perception and behavior in adulthood. These images are the basis of cultural codes. 2) Differences between cultures: Each culture has unique codes that determine the perception of such concepts as health, beauty, sex and youth. 3) Practical application: Knowledge of cultural codes helps businesses adapt products and marketing strategies to different countries. The success of a brand in the global market depends on its compliance with cultural expectations.
Here are a few examples from the book where Clotter describes the specific codes he received as part of his brand-order research.
1) Codes of love, seduction and sex 1.1) Love. In the United States, love is associated with false expectations. In France, love is associated with pleasure.
- It's fun in Italy. In Japan, love is seen as a temporary illness. 1.2) Seduction. In American culture, seduction involves manipulation. For example, L’Oréal has adapted its advertising in the US to focus on women’s self-confidence rather than seductiveness. 1.3) Sex.. The sex code in the U.S. is violence, which explains the more tolerant attitude Americans have toward violence than sexuality.
2) Codes of beauty and excess weight 2.1) Beautiful. In American culture, beauty is associated with saving a man, as it is believed that a woman can make a man better. 2.2) Overweight. The code of excess weight is an escape from problems and failures. 3) Youth and health codes 3.1) Health In the U.S., health is about movement, so mobility-related products are popular among Americans. In China, health is associated with harmony with nature. In Japan, health is seen as a duty to family and society. 3.2) Youth. Youth in American culture symbolizes energy and the desire for new achievements.
As a result, the author of the book uses cultural codes to create successful advertising campaigns, as they allow brands to adapt their messages to the characteristics of the perception of the target audience in different cultures. It allows it.
- Consider national characteristics and associations
- Adapt messages for different cultures
- Use local images and traditions
- Striving to create emotional resonance
- Avoid failure due to sensitivity to culture and its codes
#Culture #PopularScience #Management