Exam number: 288157
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HJEMMEOPGAVER, PROJEKTER, SYNOPSER U/ MUNDTLIGT FORSVAR
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Cultural ambiguity and depreciation of values.
Marketing and communication approaches for changing the attitudes and perception the Bulgarians have towards their cultural values.
Contents
1.Introduction
1.1 Overview of project
1.2 Problem Statement
2.Scientific method
3.Theory/Method
4.Theoretical background
4.1 Product formulation
4.1.1 Step 1 – Background, purpose and focus description
4.1.2 Step 2 – Situation analysis
4.1.3 Step 3 – Target audience
4.1.4 Step 4 – Set behavior objectives and goals
4.1.5 Step 5 – Identification of target audience barriers, benefits, the competition and influential others
4.1.6 Step 6 – Positioning statement development
4.1.7 Step 7 – Marketing mix development
4.1.8 Step 8 – Monitoring and evaluation
4.1.9 Step 9 – Funding resources and Establishing Budget
4.1.10 Step 10 Implementation plan
4.2 Brand Identity system
4.2.1 The four identity perspectives
4.2.2 Core and extended identity
4.2.3 Value propositions
5. Methodology
5.1 Overview
5.2 Research questions justification
5.2.1 Research Question 1
5.2.2 Research Question 2
5.3 Strengths and weaknesses
6. Data Analysis
6.1 Section Overview
6.2 Comparative analysis
6.2.1 Article
6.2.2 Interviews
6.2.3 Summary of key findings
6.3 Product-solution design
6.3.1Product description
6.3.2 Background, purpose and focus
6.3.3 Situation analysis - SWOT
6.3.4 Target audience
6.3.5 Objectives and goals
6.3.6 Target audience barriers, benefits, the competition and influential others.
6.3.7 Positioning statement
6.3.8 The strategic marketing mix – Product, place, price and promotional strategies.
6.3.8 Monitoring and Evaluation plan
6.3.9 Budget, Funding Resources and implementation plan
6.3.10 Branding strategies
7. Conclusion
Reference
Appendices
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
Appendix 4
Appendix 5
Appendix 6
Interviews
Interview 1
Interview 2
Interview 3
Interview 4
Interview 5
1.Introduction
1.1 Overview of project
Since 1989 as a former satellite state of the Soviet Union, Bulgaria has undergone a transition from a socialist to a democratic republic. Many and different political as well as economic changes has affected the perception of Bulgarian people towards their values as a nation. As a democratic republic ever since 1989, Bulgaria has being influenced by western culture in relation to lifestyle and arts. Because of the limitations for information and traveling outside the country set by the socialist government, a vast need for unrestrained access to information has been developed over the years by the Bulgarian society. However, during the socialist regime, a big portion of the older generation of Bulgarians claim that they have lead a peaceful life, not worrying about the financial aspect of their lives or the future of their children regarding education and employment. In contrast, these have been the main concerns since the democratic transition since 1989. Many researchers point out that the concern of the contemporary Bulgarian is within the achievement of a materialistic way of life, since the democracy has not been offering a decent way of life with its low salaries and political corruption. In their book “Recent social trends in Bulgaria, 1960-1995”, Genov and Krastevastress on the many changesin social trends that have affected Bulgarian culture. Some of main reason they point out are that arts had no longer been formed by political constraints and ideology which lead to the collapse of morale and aesthetic standards. Furthermore, financial insecurity and poverty has been another of the main reasons for people to push away their values and cultural identity as the basic survival becomes their priority.
According to Oxford dictionary, “culture” can be summarized as the arts and other expression of human intellectual accomplishments regarded collectively. If these arts and intellectual accomplishments deviate away from the initial identity and are lost within other cultural influences, national individuality can be lost. The fundamental building blocks for preserving a nation’s identity are the firm support and sound definition of its cultural values, however in recent years a depreciation of that identity can be observed. In this thesis, my aim is to investigate whether the morals and values connected to culture within the realm of arts have been changed. Therefore, an important aspect for analysis would be to address the reason why younger generations 19-25 of Bulgarians might have shifted their focus away from their own culture as well as their fundamental values as a nation. In order to investigate the problem further, a comparison of the opinions between older generations (above 30 years old) and the targeted generations will be undertaken through interviews. This will reveal value differences between generations that lived before and after 1989, which can help for a better understanding of the issue. After an analysis of these interviews I will create a solution for the defined problems. The solution will be formed by using marketing and communication approaches as tools for promoting national identity and reinforcing positive attitudes toward Bulgarian culture and support the resolution of the issues.
1.2 Problem Statement
Since the political changes in 1989, Bulgaria has been a country with many problems both political and economic which have contributed to a confusion within the cultural identity of Bulgarian people. This confusion has caused the search for alternative cultural influences and has slowly started to replace some of the native ones. In order to preserve the native culture and reinforce it as something that is already present, there is a need to raise national confidence and remind the Bulgarians of their own cultural accomplishments.
My research questions are:
What are the perception differences for cultural values of generations present before and after the political changes in comparison with the ones born at the start of that change?
What marketing and communication strategies can be used to inspire the younger generations to take interest in Bulgarian culture and develop it in the future?
2.Scientific method
According to Burr (2001) there is no single definition of the social constructionist approach. However he includes several aspects that has to be considered in order to understand the way social constructionism process the surrounding world. First of all, the approach constitutes the idea that nothing should be taken for granted and that everything surrounding including the perception of our own selves should be analyzed critically. Secondly, another stand point is that the way we generally understand the world around us is based upon the particular historical and cultural conception of that individual. That generally suggests the location of that particular individual influences perceptual experience which he or she utilizes in order to process social constructs. Thirdly, Burr (2001) points out that knowledge about the existing world around us is generated not through the natural way of exploration and gathering information but by everyday interaction between people. With this interaction, the constructionist view constitutes that information is constructed into knowledge which is a reflection of the different perspectives and versions that individuals have towards that information. Therefore, following how knowledge is constructed, this scientific view implies our perception of 'truth' is not an idea derived from the objective study of the world, however it is the result of the constant interaction between individuals. Lastly, social constructionism determine societies as social constructs in which the knowledge produced is linked to the social actions of individuals. However, actions are bound to the already formed social constructs which have their own moral code of conduct. (Burr 2001)
Using the social constructionist's approach at viewing the surrounding world will provide a cohesive understanding how social constructs are created which will be an appropriate match for the purpose of this thesis. It will assist in the indication and understanding of cultural and identity issues, which have a more abstract nature. An alternative point of view that would complement and connect the marketing concepts used in the product formulation later on, is the notion of simulacra and simulation by Jean Baudrillard. In his book, first published in 1981 “Simulacra and Simulation”, he explains both terms as the way a particular society realizes reality and how it simulates their nature of reality through symbolism. One of his theories about how society understands its world is bound to co-creation of Simulacra which according to Baudrillard (1994) are reality replicas which either no longer or never had an original source. Simulation as he referrers to it, is the actual process of imitation that creates the Simulacra. Following these notions, marketing strategies and theories can be viewed as elements in the simulation processes for the creation of a Simulacrum, since they help shape perceptions of reality for individuals. By establishing the different perceptions of reality regarding cultural identity and values with the help of interviews and various data, this thesis will then use marketing tools for an effort to change the point view of a specific target audience.
3.Theory/Method
Following the rational previously mentioned, the scientific stand point that I have chosen to look at and analyze the issue is the social constructionist's approach. From a methodological point of view this approach favors qualitative research method and examines issues in an interpretive and logical manner with a well-defined context. Therefore, it will be appropriate to study issues with cultural values and attitudes due to their abstract and subjective nature.
Several theories will be included in the analysis. First of all, tools for identifying issues that concern cultural values such as questionnaires and surveys will be used to recognize lifestyles, trends and art interests in contemporary Bulgarian culture. Furthermore, using other empirical data such as news articles, cultural reviews and other analytical documents concerning the topic will be of clarifying support. Secondly, the empirical data gathered will be applied in a constructive manner to form marketing and communication strategies as a solution to the issues acknowledged, Kotler and Lee’s Social Marketing: Influencing behavior for good (2011) theories for segmenting; forming target groups; as well as creating an entire marketing effort will be accounted for. As an addition, Aaker’sBuilding strong brands (2010) brand strategies will be used extensively for the conception of a strong brand identity of the product.
4.Theoretical background
4.1Product formulation
For decades, the field of marketing has been a constant in the world of business planning and implementation. Many scholars and experts have contributed to marketing theories and practices, however there is only one person that is renowned as the “father of marketing” and his name is Philip Kotler. He is the first to define marketing as a field and has contributed vastly to the business world with his book “Marketing management: Application, Planning, Implementation and control”, widely regarded as the “bible” of marketing. (CKGSB Knowledge, 2013). One of Kotler’s contributions that left a significant mark, was the four “Ps”, or the marketing mix. The four “Ps” are at the essence of marketing strategies, since they allow control over the buyer’s decision making and brand image. (CKGSB Knowledge, 2013)
In order to develop a thorough marketing plan, theories from Kotler and Lee’s Social Marketing: Influencing behaviors for good (2011) will be taken into account. The main reason for choosing social marketing theories is due to the cultural value aspect in Bulgarian society that this thesis address. Social marketing follows most of the traditional marketing aspects, although there are quite a few differences. One of the notable differences is that social marketing aims for behavioral change that results in a beneficially for society, in contrast to traditional marketing where the goal is to sell services and products for the organization’s financial gain. Another difference is evident in the competition aspect between how commercial and social marketing. Social marketing sees competition in audiences’ behavior that conflicts with the desired behavioral change that social marketers seek to achieve. (Kotler and Lee, 2011)
According Kotler and Lee (2011), there are ten steps in forming an effective social marketing effort: (1) describing background purpose and focus; (2) Situational analysis; (3) Target audience selection; (4) Set behavioral objectives and goals; (5) Identification of target audience barriers, benefits, competition and influential others; (6) Develop a positioning statement; (7) Strategic marketing mix development; (8) Monitoring and evaluation plan; (9) Establishing budgets and find funding sources and (10) Complete and implementation plan. However before going into the different steps, Kotler and Lee (2011) point out three aspects that has to be considered when working from a social marketing perspective. The first one is that target audience should be identified prior the establishment of purpose and goals, since the main purpose of social marketing is to change behavior of a specific target group. Secondly, a part from commercial marketing, the competition is not identified in the situational analysis. The reason for this is because in step two there still has not been recognized a desired behavior for the audience, this activity will take place in step four where behavioral objectives and goals are set. The third aspect is that goals are the measurable parts for the core social marketing purpose, therefore are prone to change and be adoptable to the organization’s current situation.
4.1.1 Step 1 – Background, purpose and focus description
As Kotler and Lee (2011) point out, the first step is to recognize the social matters that will be the foundation for the marketing effort. Here will also be stated the possible reasons and future consequences if no action is taken. This section which includes a problem statement, can include empirical data and research which support the social issue at focus. According to Kotler and Lee (2011), social marketing efforts can address different kinds of social issues; health and environmental concerns as well as expressing the need for social involvement. After these questions are answered, a purpose statement should be developed, depicting the positive outcomes of the campaign. In order for the campaign to be cohesive and focused, Kotler and Lee (2011) suggest to determine a single element that can contribute to the purpose.
4.1.2 Step 2 – Situation analysis
In this section of the plan, a determination of variables and factors which can influence the process or the outcome of the marketing effort is made. Furthermore, this includes a SWOT analysis which identifies organizational strengths and weaknesses, which indicates their respective maximization and minimization. This analysis includes an account for resource availability, expertise, expertise, possible alliances and partnerships. Additionally, although not within the reach of the marketer, acknowledgement for environmental influential elements characterized as: natural, cultural, political, technological, demographic, and legal. (Kotler and Lee, 2011). Furthermore, as additional help Kotler and Lee (2011) stress that one of the valuable approaches can be the research on similar campaigns so that previously made mistakes would be kept in mind.
4.1.3 Step 3 – Target audience
Referred by Kotler and Lee (2011) as a crucial part of the planning process, target audience can be categorized as two major groups – primary and secondary. The primary audience are the main target to whom the fundamental purpose of the campaign is aimed at. The secondary target audience are the individuals which might influence the behavior of the primary audience in direct and indirect ways, those groups of individuals can be referred to as: strategic partners and opinion leaders. (Kotler and Lee 2011) Both these categories of audiences segmented into groups according their demographic, geographic, psychographic, behavioral relevance characteristics, as well as social networks, community assets and market magnitude. Additionally According to Kotler and Lee (2011), for an accurate acknowledgment of the target groups, three steps need to be taken into consideration: segment the market into homogeneous groups; segment evaluation and determination of a segment that would be the central element for the marketing mix and positioning scheme.
4.1.4 Step 4 – Set behavior objectives and goals
This section will present the desired behavior that the social marketing effort would influence the selected target audience. There are several types of behavioral changes that can be influenced depending on the expected outcome of the marketing effort such as: invoking individuals to reject, adopt, alter or abandon certain behaviors. (Kotler and Lee, 2011) Nevertheless, in order for the audience to be motivated to conduct these behavioral changes, certain knowledge objectives have to be outlined. This will be done by presenting crucial information regarding the marketed social issue that can raise awareness among the audience and potentially motivate them. As the authors of the book stress, belief objectives can be a powerful tool for occupying the individual's mind with notions about an issue because of their emotional nature. Lastly, another purpose of this section would be to guide the creation of goals and objectives according to the “SMART” model, which will help in forming marketing mix strategies later on. (Kotler and Lee, 2011)
4.1.5 Step 5 – Identification of target audience barriers, benefits, the competition and influential others
In this part of the process, Kotler and Lee (2011) suggest an additional target audience research regarding their current interests which can be viewed as the competition, as well as the existent or assumed obstacles they may have to prevent them from performing the communicated behavior. Moreover, to further support the marketing mix decisions, a further research has to be conducted to reveal what might be possible incentives for the target audience to adopt the desired behavior.
4.1.6 Step 6 – Positioning statement development
In the essence of the positioning statement, as Kotler and Lee (2011) describe, is the way the product is perceived by the selected target audience. It is a reflection of the barriers, motivations competitive behaviors and target audience characteristics. Furthermore, the positioning statement acts as foundation to the preparation of positioning and branding strategies. Although, Kotler and Lee (2011) provide substantial information for brand strategies, this thesis will focus on developing a more extensive in-depth image and branding approach using theories by David Aaker which will be accounted for later on.