The Impact of Socio-Cultural Factors on Consumer Behavior: A Case Study of Etro’s Jacquard Coat

Running head: SOCIO-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE 1

The Impact of Socio-Cultural Factors on Consumer Behavior: A Case Study of

Etro’s Jacquard Coat

Arizona State University

MKT 402 - Consumer Behavior

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Introduction

Consumer behavior refers to the purchase, consumption and selection of goods and

services to satisfy human needs and wants. Consumer behavior involves some processes which

include the initial process of identification of the goods and services; then the consumer also tries

United States and all over the world in 2017. The Jacquard is an Indian culture motivated

designer coat by Vanessa Etro. The cultural and social background will play a significant role in

influencing the consumption behavior of the product. Some of these socio-cultural aspects

include the culture, cultural trends, and social factors such as family, social status and roles,

reference group’s membership and sub-cultures.

Culture, which refers to the way of life and beliefs of a group of people with shared

values, plays a major role in the process of understanding the needs and the behavior of

individuals in a given geographic location. Douglas and Craig (2012) states that culture, the

social and societal environment are crucial part of a community and is a great influence of a

person’s wants and needs. It is notable that the impact of socio-cultural environment differs from

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The external socio-cultural environment has a deep and complex influence on consumer

behavior and buying actions, as well as the meanings people assign to products. Societies create

Jacquard coat by Etro, this means that it is await further understanding how it links to the

American narrative on self-expression and identity. Menardo, Balboni, and Cubelli (2017)

suggest that socio-cultural environments shape and structure the dominant personality traits and

choices of an individual over long periods, and thus even an appreciation for beauty is a product

of social influences rather than personal initiative. This proposition renders simplistic and

change, triggered by socio-cultural determinants, influence how people recept to new products.

Their findings honed in on the impact culture has not only on what consumers are interested in

but also how they interact with innovation. In that sense, and in that particular context, fashion

consumption sets as a prism through which cultural shifts can be scrutinized, demonstrating how

people shape and give form to social principles.

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the contours of social negotiation. In a study conducted by Hossain, Anjum, Uddin, Rahman, and

Hossain (2019), it was shown that lifestyle and environmental aspects play a major role in the

psychological well-being of a person, indicating that choices about consumption are more related

to emotional equilibrium within the society than to emotional well-being. This understanding

suggests that the purchase of a luxury fashion item is not purely a material purchase, but a

the words of Onodugo and Onodugo (2015), socio-cultural factors in emerging economies create

consumption environments that are distinct and divergent from Western notions of individuality.

This makes it possible to understand how different societies might attribute different meanings to

the same luxury item. Within the context of Etro’s Jacquard line, these divides point to the

necessity of defining adaptive marketing which views consumption as a conversation across the

three pillars of tradition, aspiration, and societal acknowledgment.

Also, conduct that encapsulates shared beliefs is routine socio-cultural practice. Level of

activity in society and exercise is strongly influenced by culture as normatively prescribed by

Sadeghpour, Ehsani, Saffari and Zamani-Alavijeh (2020) which shows that even personal

decisions are subject to behavioral patterns. Culture and behavior patterns suggest that personal

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and Ratten (2017) described how women entrepreneurs in Indonesia modify their business

approaches to complex socio-cultural systems, cross with old compliance alongside systems of

newness. This means that successful adaptive ability is learned cultural able to envision, reason,

and understand local values in relation to plan able them to productive meaning,” as is

“interpreted,” “literate.” In consumer contexts, it is this literate understanding of culture that

purchased are identity signifiers which determine the level of social belongingness and self-

individuality. Simultaneusly, Etro, with his Jacquard collection, achieved some understanding of

tension at hand. This explains how marketing over national boundaries may remould any

designer piece of clothing from a high-end good to a form of social idenity and cultural

representation.

Cultural Trends

The Bandwagon effect or better known as the cultural trend refers to the societal trends

conforms to the community’s social and cultural pressure. It is stated by Douglas and Craig

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instance, the fashion industry has become a trend worldwide to a point where the introduction of

a product in the market, as long as the majority loves it, a large following is created in no time.

Social media and other media has aided this through advertising and will directly apply to the

Jacquard coat. A trend should be set up in the US and popularizing it will be of importance.

Using marketing tools such as advertising will create this trend and influence people to buy it.

Pieterse (2019) remarks that globalization, in this instance, results in a cultural hybridization

where globalization and local influences get tangled together in the construction of an identity.

This is also a reversal of consumption. It places a global product into local value systems. Crane

(2016) has observed that such cross-cultural processes accelerate global circulation of symbols,

allowing brands to not trade in isolation, but rather in a shared cultural economy. Because of

the shaping of collective taste is emphasized. Lewis (2019) calls this the Paradox of

Appreciation. For Etro’s Jacquard coat, this could mean success is gauged by the efficiency in

which such a coat hybrid coats of a sample’s culture from a global market and sample’s culture

from a local market. Richards (2018) has also noted that culture production now is a strategic

dance between authenticity and borrowing. This means that global fashion trends, while they

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Similar to other forms of media, digital platforms allow for the accelerated creation and

distribution of cultural phenomena which fundamentally alters the means through which

actively construct a narrative around the lifestyles they wish to project. This leads to an avid and

heightened focus on self-presentation as a means of social identification. Allcott, Gentzkow, and

Yu (2019) mention the concerning phenomenon of the rampant social media diffusion which

creates a social media illusion of authenticity by circulating a mix of real and false content.

There is a loss of authenticity which distorts the social media phenomenon, fueling the urge for

and digitization, taken together, has reduced the length of fashion seasons and heightened the

instability of consumer demand. This cultural shifts brands such as Etro, which busy themselves

digitally, as they continue to master the art of storytelling in a world where cultural and attention

spans are fleeting.

meaning of fashion and consumption changes along with the values of a society. According to

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shift greatly changes the manner in which trends are formed and disseminated, as younger

consumers focus on speed and visual appeal. Ramya and Ali (2016) argue that consumer

behavior is a product of socio-psychological motives that shift with each generation, thus making

culture trends a reflection of social change. Lewis (2019) furthers this by stating that the younger

population is often identified as cultural brokers of sorts, integrating aspects of local culture and

To understand how culture influences the adoption, imitation, and reinvention of different

trends in society, it is important to remember that Cultural Learning is key. Imitation and

reproduction of familiar fashion codes by consumers. There is a more recent phenomenon

described by Jackson, Gelfand, De, and Fox (2019) that states the loosening of the bounds of

American culture has, over the years, promoted increased creativity and tolerance, fostering

environments with a diversity of aesthetics and experimental designs. This cultural looseness is

what explains the phenomenon of new styles that represent independence and/or nonconformity

being appropriated so rapidly. As Richards (2018) states, there is also a global demand for

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innovation moves much faster, a point that Pieterse (2019) captures very well. This is evidence

to support the claim that trend creation has the right mix of familiarity and originality. As such,

fashion serves as a cultural cornerstone and reinvention.

compensations are sometimes made through the act of consumption, as individuals substitute

identity loss with identity-symbolic commodities. Kuehner (2017) states that emotional

expression and social comparison, along with the goods themselves, are of paramount relevancy

in consumer behavior of women, which speaks to the wider culture and identity. Richards (2018)

argues that cultural tourism; where people consume culture;’ shows how emotional self-

individualism, in which the choice of an item of clothing, for example, makes a emotional and

philosophical statement. The studies of these authors demonstrate that emotions serve as

motivators for increased, active participation in trends. As a result, the consumption of fashion

has become a symbolic means of communication of feelings, where individual emotional states

are tied to a collective cultural expression.

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alternative meanings to emotion that stand as a form of collective validation that are decoupled

from mainstream approval to emotion offered by the subculture. Inglehart (2017) shows that

emotion in consumer culture is decontextualized, and these subcultures reframe weakness as a

form of creative power. This means that for a brand like Etro, participation with such

communities takes understanding to the emotional levels and value of clothing as a

The emergence of a new network of hybrid cultural identities has been facilitated by

subcultures exceeding the boundaries of a nation state brought about by globalization. As

Pieterse (2019) argues, global cultural mélange stimulates hybridization which gives rise to

transnational subcultures hybrids. Such subcultures introduce new visual languages that question

the existence of a stable cultural identity. Crane (2016) proposes that media globalization

experience cultural immersion that shifts the distinction between spectators and participants to

cultural performance. Lewis (2019) argues that the disjunctive elements of globalization which

permit unrestricted movement of ideas, people and things, enable cross-pollination of cultures,

and that permits subcultures to exist as intermediaries between local authenticity and global

cosmopolitanism. For Etro, the Jacquard coat’s intercultural positioning is an example of an

artifact that is capable of engaging consumers with a profound sense of multiculturalism and

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fusion is a manifestation of the intricate contemporary relations between distinct societies, which

rests on a creative system of interdependencies that allows a distinctive form of globalization to

occur in fashion. This change to the global fashion system suggests that it has become more

personal and more culturally resonant.

remain relevant (Legare and Nielsen, 2015). Jackson, Gelfand, De, and Fox, 2019 confirm that

creative freedom results in cultural looseness, as in the United States, which sustains the

acceptance of outlandish behavior. Lewis 2019 explains that the lack of tight boundaries as to

what is acceptable behavior within the society sustains the ability of subcultures to function as

the means of social critique and identity construction. The importance of media representation on

changing attention and participation spans of the various generations. These changes allow

subcultures to become visible, but the danger of overexposure of these subcultures is the

possibility of simplification.

culture, as for example, on instagram. Richards (2018) argues that in the context of culture, in the

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likely to value balance in depth and accessibility, and in this regard, brands should craft

themselves not as marketing executives, but as cultural interpreters. For example, Etro can

accomplish this by employing context and storytelling to weave together images of his garments

to living contemporary culture, as opposed to static cultural traditions. With this in mind,

engaged, responsible media practice that goes beyond simple representing subcultures as

change and continuity over time. Twenge et al (2015) describes social behavior and attitude

changes of American adults over four decades as evidence of the shifting moral and aesthetic

boundaries of participation in subcultures. Such shifts in social behavior changes how

subcultures define their authenticity and rebellion. Crane (2016) argues that the processes of

modernization induce changes in subcultures’ social forms and systems of communication, most

collective identity of a people. Legare and Nielsen (2015) also claim that novelty derives from

mimicry, suggesting that intergenerational learning in subcultures sustains change and

transformation. The cycles of changes and shifts in fashion helps brands understand the cultural

motifs that anchor and support temporal styles. The ability of Etro to reinterpret and juxtapose

designs of contemporary Western fashion with traditional Indian motifs demonstrates

intergenerational fusion. Subcultures in this sense articulate the relationship between the past and

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Alvarez (2018) Money spent on fashion purchases is slowly earning consumers

appreciation from brands because of the value aligned with the ideals of subcultures.

that to a certain level, is a moral decision. Moral decisions in public culture as described in Crane

(2016) often tend to be hidden behind the veil of politico-ethical private practices. Cultural

engagement per today, Richards (2018), is blurring the lines of ethical stance and moral

conviction as an art of personal performance. The everyday practices of subcultural brand

advocate such as in the case of Etro, the connection to consumer loyalty in this case is through

brand to become an act of collective communication. It solidifies the notion of culture, fashion,

commerce, and deeply hidden morality as a bond forming the connective tissue, and therefore, an

act of empowered silenced voices through the shared values of moral fabrics garments.

documentation technologies enable the preservation and reimagination of traditional arts in

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heritage is a response to the rising consumer interest in authenticity brought by globalization and

overproduction. Lewis (2019) relates this revival to cultural sustainability which argues that

bringing heritage into modern culture enhances social unity and creativity preservation. Crane

(2016) adds that innovation is grounded in recognizable symbols as heritage serves as the

wellspring of significance. For example, Etro's Jacquard design which is embroidered with

Significantly, social factors are among the issues that affect the consumption of goods

and services in a country. This category has three sub-sections which include the social status in

the society, social roles, and family and reference groups.

Social influence acts as a web-like process whereby individuals are negotiating their

status in a web of expectations and hierarchies, and affiliate relationships. Ramya and Ali (2016)

note that the need to conform to the social group norms has a strong influence on consumer

behavior, which is how the concept of belonging functions as a central driving force in the

market. Their discussion makes it clear that consumers are seldom individual decision-makers

but they contribute to a collective social story. Lewis (2019) builds upon this concept and

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Fox (2019) suggest that cultural looseness in such societies as the United States promotes the

tolerance of various manifestations of social status and allows coexistence of different

consumption patterns. Gomes, de Mendonca Cohen and Flores (2018) also emphasize that social

networks are laboratories of trend evolution in which cultural dynamism is maintained by

imitation and differentiation. The implications of these findings are that when fashion brands

changed the way individuals exhibit hierarchy and aspiration based on social status. According to

Van Duinen, Trietsch, Joore, Vulto, and Hankemeier (2015), technological innovation

replenishes the personalization and customization to enable consumers to broadcast the

individuality in the standardized production systems. This democratisation of choice dispells the

old boundaries of classes as it also ends up supporting symbolic hierarchies of taste and access.

Jackson, Gelfand, De, and Fox (2019), culturally flexible societies encourage experimentation

and newness and turn consumption into a field of creative self-presentation. Ramya and Ali

(2016) further note that aspirational identities are often expended in the products that consumers

buy based on its functional necessity, but the social positioning tends to be performative. The

combination of these views brings to light the fact that social forces and technology combine to

redefine prestige as a dynamic state as opposed to a static state. In the fashion brands such as

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capacity to seize the aesthetics of both novelty and uniqueness.

The change in the family structure and gender roles is also another factor that impacts the

arrangements that are evolving. Twenge, Cooper, Joiner, Duffy, and Binau (2019) associate

these social shifts with emotional well-being by demonstrating that the attitude toward work and

family by the generations is associated with the shift in psychological and consumption patterns.

Gomes, de Mendonca Cohen, and Flores (2018) further note that by analyzing cultural

tendencies, the organizations can predict changes in social values and convert them in the

is currently a flexible voting arena, which members jointly create their lifestyle identities. In the

case of brands that are based on fashion and luxury, it is essential to comprehend these

negotiations in order to come up with products that capture the lived experiences of consumers in

terms of social transformation.

individuals in their perception of consumption as a visible expression of morality. As shown by

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transformed consumption into a form of self-control and social validation. This psychological

dimension demonstrates the social context defines emotional satisfaction in consumer existence.

In the twenty-first century, Lewis (2019) argues, consumers expect their social roles to be

correlated with authenticity and moral responsibility values and that brands should represent the

latter. Alvarez (2018) also emphasizes the fact that worldwide trends of promoting equality and

case of Etro and other brands, this change implies that it is necessary to place products in the

context of emotions and socially responsible proposals. This way, fashion is turned into an act of

consumption instead of an object of desire, and social identity and ethical participation become

one, which results in lifetime consumer loyalty.

Group membership of a person refers to that group that an individual belongs to the

society and which influences his or her behavior. These membership groups are typically related

to the other. However, there is an observable trend in the consumption patterns and behavior of

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strategically to target its advertising on the specific groups to yield a higher consumer response.

In general, the reference groups provides a member with a basis of comparison when it

point where he or she imitates the behavior and consumption of goods and services that the

group identifies itself with. Understanding this well will enable a brand like Jacquard to

communicate effectively to its social benefit.

The reference groups serve as influential intermediaries between the individual values

and group norms guiding individual interpretation of cultural meaning held in consumption.

According to Masovic (2018), behavioral expectations depend on the socio-cultural

organizations and societies, i.e., people conform their consumption to group norms so that social

harmony can be upheld. This conformation indicates that conformity is not a coercive behavior

and is an adapting social mechanism. Menando, Balboni, and Cubelli (2017) discovered that

personal identity formation is formed severely influenced by familial and environmental

separated out of the social learning that exists in group membership. Adiza, Alamina, and Aliyu

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whereby opportunities are dictated by group membership. Gorlacheva, Omelchenko, Drogovoz,

Yusufova, and Shiboldenkov (2019) contribute to this by noting that social cohesion leads to

greater innovative diffusion in networks due to the introduction of trust and cooperation. All

these studies together suggest that the reference groups are the means of cultural transmission

and adaptation. Their influences are not limited to imitation; they create the emotional and

which differentiation and imitation are propelled in the consumer life. Hossain, Anjum, Uddin,

Rahman, and Hossain (2019) demonstrate that lifestyle integration of peer networks influences

psychological well-being, indicating that group affiliation is a satisfying emotional need that can

be met by creating an identity in groups. This observation highlights the fact that consumption

can also be a channel of affective conformity to groups of norms. Menedo, Balboni, and Cubelli

the groups in the stable state. In their study, they point out that the emotional regulation and

social identity support each other by means of habitual group-level interaction. Onodugo and

Onodugo (2015) believe that socio-cultural belonging provokes collective impetus in the

entrepreneurial setting and have shown how feeling of identity is transformed into economic

collaboration. Anggadwita, Luturlean, Ramadani, and Ratten (2017) build on this insight and

note that the networks in an emerging economy can offer psychosocial support which enhances

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tend to overlap with age, gender, and identity. All these observations show that families have

served as cultural translators that transform the global influences at local values. Their choices

are based on the decisions between authenticity and modernity, tradition and innovation.

Companies that learn this dynamic are able to create products that reflect dignity, attachment,

and generational continuity and synchronize consumption and social and emotional significance.

more varied and reinvents generational communication patterns. According to Smock and

Schwartz (2020), the digital platform helps families to have cohesion and routines even when

they are not together. This technological accommodation portrays how the family is able to

maintain cohesion even with the altering mode of communication. According to Grossmann and

Varnum (2015), the availability of a variety of information is associated with increasing

sources with family guidance in making purchasing decisions. These tendencies reveal that even

though technology is changing the communication, it is also uniting families into strong

interpretive communities through which information is filtered into mutual understanding.

Digital power does not overpower family power, but transforms it instead, strengthening trust in

the form of a conversational support. The values and consumption made by the families will still

be negotiated and interpreted in digital space instead of being passed to them.

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heritage whereby the objects become manifestations of the experiences of collective experience

and protection. According to Walley (2019), items in families are sometimes expressions of

perseverance and pride, which bring generations together by sharing common narratives. His

results indicate that material culture maintains the dignity in the face of change in the external

conditions. Efforts to practice responsible consumption, Homer (2017) discovers that American

in a brand that creates a strong foundation of trust consistent through determining their products

to the feelings of family continuity and care.

financial conduct emerges as a reflection of identity and equality in the homes. Bryceson and

Vuorela note that families who have been separated due to migration achieve success through

products that represent connection and advancement (494). According to their study

consumption is a relationship that is bonding in nature and ensures transnational relationship.

The book by Walley (2019) relates consumption to adaptation in the circumstances of unstable

situations, demonstrating that families employ material symbols to display their sense of security

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indicate that family consumption is a measure of both the resilience and identity. The

considerations of choice of materials are a mechanism of finding continuity and commonality in

the face of uncertainty. The appeal of products as a symbol of stability and success to the brands

appeals to families who want to legitimize the positive development but maintain the sense of

cohesion and dreams.

to Warren (2018), this type of diversity will lead to greater understanding of empathy and

expanded intellectualization of ethicality, which determine socially responsible consumption.

This empathy influences the decision making process as personal identity is connected with

collective respect. Hu and Scott (2016) discover that geographic and generational differentiation

results in flexible family values that combine the current ideals with local practices. Rahman and

an example of cultural harmony and adaptation. Their use is indicative of being open and co-

educational instead of being strictly committed to one tradition. The brands, which are based on

the idea of inclusivity and diversity respect, resonate with these values and attract consumers

viewing cultural plurality and cooperation based identity.

between heritage and innovation, ensuring continuity due to the mutual adaptation. This

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positive emotional growth, which results in a consideration of decisions on the side of young

people. His results reveal the stabilization of family influence in contemporary societies through

his findings on how the communication between generations works. Smock and Schwartz (2020)

demonstrate that negotiation shared in the homes has substituted strict order in modern families,

facilitating conversations among age groups. According to Grossmann and Varnum (2015), this

Kagitcibasi (2017) explains the mechanisms of moral reasoning, which are formed under

the influence of empathetic and just relations in childhood that educate the skills of the sense of

is something that affects how adults determine the social responsibility and brand integrity. She

demonstrates that initial experiences of care enhance subsequent concern with justice and

genuineness. According to Rahman and Zhang (2017), families are agents of morality through

which moral authority is achieved when there is a rapid change in a society. Hu and Scott (2016)

remark that even with increased independence, such family values as fairness and accountability

are needed. This result indicates that families instruct in ethical values, which are applied to

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strengthening the ethical education that a person received originally at home.

According to Homer (2017), the postwar families were displaying their civic

material culture as applied by families in the postindustrial societies to maintain belongingness in

environments where social connections are eroded. Through the study by Bazzi, Fiszbein, and

Gebresilasse (2020), the continuation of individualism within the American families affects their

presentation of resilience and uniqueness via consumption. Through these views, it can be seen

that family practices reflect general social and historical changes. Once the brands recognize this

The social status and roles refer to the position that one holds in the social institutions of

the community. According to Erez and Nouri (2010), these institutions include the place of work,

the family, the country club one is a member of, the group and friends among others. One can

refer to them regarding the social status and roles. Social roles refer to the activities a person is

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individual holds, the respect and roles that are endowed to the individual in the group. In this

context, some social status is recognized while others are not.

culture as a way of life, cultural trend, and the sub-cultures, social factors such as the family, the

social roles and social status. The reference groups and its memberships, and the family are other

influencing factors. As a result, companies and brands should be keen to address all these factors

to ensure acceptability of its brand and success through strategic marketing tools are brand

design. Etro is no exception in this process because its brand will be selling in various socio-

cultural environments.

Social status remains one of the most influential factors that determine the ways people

distinguish their identity and choice of consumption. According to Mirowsky (2017), education

is a source and indicator of social status and affects lifestyle aspirations as well as tastes. This

association suggests social class tends to be reproduced by the preferences learned as opposed to

inherited wealth. According to Gidron and Hall (2017), cultural hierarchies based on professional

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includes the fact that such differences are constantly reinforced by social interactions, as people

want to get some confirmation through displays of symbolic status. The compounded knowledge

claims that products such as designer clothes should not be viewed as mere and useful; they are

statements of self-esteem and ability in the crowd. The marketing strategies should. therefore, be

in sync with the need of consumers to affirm status as well as give a sense of individuality that

influences the perception of self-efficacy and social visibility that later influence purchasing

intentions and lifestyle changes. These impacts demonstrate that it is not only a source of income

but also shapes those who work into their identities in social competitive structures. As Clarke

(2018) notices, employability currently relies on social capital and the act of self-presentation

and, based on this, it appears that the appearance and material expression tend to support the

institutes socialize people to play the roles that are expected in the larger social norm. Gidron

and Hall (2017) also indicate that occupation is a factor in political and cultural stratification

which engraves consumer practice in identity making. Such knowledge can enable the brands to

package products that demonstrate success, confidence and inclusion in the workplace.

influenced by social hierarchy. Stormacq, Van den Broucke, and Wosinski (2019) discover that

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information may replicate the class based divides in consumption. The authors point out that

aspects of the environment, including access to green areas, positively affect the well-being of

both people of various social statuses, which reinforces the idea that social resources are not

limited to the ability to earn income (Dadvand et al., 2016). According to Mirowsky (2017),

education improves social confidence and resilience, increases the quality of life and consumer

Status representation and consumer identity is still influenced by gender and social role

expectations. According to Whyte (2015), gendered modes of power division had deep historical

foundations because preindustrial societies ascribed women low statuses, although their social

social interactions, which strengthen inequality. Their review shows that the performance of

status takes a common demeanor that is represented by daily actions which show the belief of the

society. According to Foronda, Baptiste, Reinholdt, and Ousman (2016), cultural humility is one

of the ways that can be used to confront these asymmetries and foster mutual respect between

gendered and cultural entities. According to Cherniss (2017), professional women tend to

experience burnout when their jobs demand them to juggle between the social demands and self-

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can contribute towards reinventing the status quo by creating items and reenacting stories that

create empowerment of diverse roles and identities instead of recreating archaic hierarchies.

gain authority and cultural legitimacy through the expert knowledge they apply and increase

their superior status within the social network. Clarke (2018) further explains that educational

qualifications play a role in improving the employability factor because it indicates flexibility

and social taste. All these pieces of evidence indicate that education and consumption are two

closely related manifestations of social performance. The products that have a symbol of

Statues are further mediated by cultural and environmental factors, which ultimately

motivate the manifestation of status in everyday life. Dadvand et al. (2016) show that social and

physical accessibility to spaces (parks or various community centers) can improve the sense of

According to Wolf (2019), asymmetrical power relations represent interpersonal behavior and

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empathy and cooperation between people with different backgrounds. Gidron and Hall (2017)

further explain that class differences have become highly politicized due to cultural polarization.

The views are based on the fact that the products and brands related to the community,

accessibility and inclusiveness can be effective bridges across social boundaries and attractive to

the moral and aspirational values.

identity by consuming outward to demonstrate their identity. Such a way of behavior shows that

material goods can be compensatory expressions of control and belonging. Mirowsky (2017)

notes that education and health are neutralizing factors that enhance long-term mobility

opportunities and make it less necessary to express oneself conspicuously. Clarke (2018) further

explains that the factor of employability, which is influenced by skills development and

signs. These results indicate that upward striving and defensive consumption is frequently

motivated by the need to be recognized. These emotional needs can be addressed using brands

that portray credibility, equity and achievable status, as well as solidifying optimism in social

development.

institutional levels. Parsons (2017) aims to conceptualize social roles as being dynamic and

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hierarchies demand the construction of identity Latdhari et al. (2015), which is a fusion of

tradition and change. In this sense, the act of consumption of fashion is transformed into self-

education as the appreciation of cultural interaction is integrated to the aesthetic experience

which, in turn, embodies global citizenship.

and Shan (2019), technology shortens the cycles of cultural change by providing immediate

feedback and real-time cultural interpretation. This fluidity allows individuals to experiment with

identities that are hybrid and ephemeral. According to Torelli and Rodas (2016), this

experimentation develops cultural competence as individuals understand and navigate difference

through choice. Adding to this discourse, Graham and Cascio (2018) described how flexible

reinvention and hypertextuality. Within this scope, fashion transcends mere representation of

culture and heritage, portraying instead a narrative of dynamic cultural temporality where change

is a posture for cultural survival.

cultural production and globalization are interdependent and that inclusive collaboration among

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consumption as intercultural interaction. Shulyn and Yazdanifard (2015) further state that

inclusivity has advantages, as culturally tuned businesses remain relevant to the market for

longer periods of time. Ladhari et al. (2015) argue that ethical engagement has now become

more important than stylistic innovation in defining global consumer expectations. Brands

practicing cultural humility are able to redefine success as the result of dialogue and participation

Digital Culture and Consumer Perception

Digitalization has changed the value construction and value sharing processes in digital

realms, thereby changing the perception of authenticity by the consumer. This, Lehdonvirta

(2013) says within the context of digital consumption, ownership is redefined as an experience of

being meaningfully engaged in an interaction as opposed to being a possessor of something. This

means that, in a consumer-brand relationship, authenticity is now based more on perceived

interaction and transparency as opposed to actual value. Social media marketing funnels

consumers or customers toward brands and, as Stephen (2016) comments, these are an imitation

of real connections because a brand is able to establish instantaneous relationships that resemble

intimate digital connections are always being recounted. This therefore means that authenticity is

SOCIO-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE 50

relationships which now exists are collaborative participatory digital culture. This means that the

participatory nature of these systems has shifted trust to peer authority as users are recommended

by the networked peers and not the corporation. Mihelj, Leguina, and Downey (2019) highlight

that the digital environment where cultural participation is allowed and ‘where the audience is’

emphasizes that the audience has a participatory role as a cocreator of ‘symbolic worth’ and that

The participatory aspect of digital space has changed the decision-making process in

ways that go against the traditional approach consumer psychology takes. According to Ashman

et al. (2015), the feedback loops which digital environments facilitate along with algorithms that

determine feedback result in the socialization of decision-making. This socialization creates new

hierarchical systems of influence in which recommendation systems serve as gatekeepers to the

predictive rather than persuasive. Technologies that are this advanced increase efficiency, but

also increase the likelihood of consumer choice being narrowed through personalization loops.

According to Buckingham (2013), the ways in which digital learning environments are designed

and constructed leads to a dependency on technology which in turn, leads to the trust in the

uncritical belief of automated systems. These systems of interaction suggest that consumer

behavior is predominantly algorithmic and is a result of a negotiated compromise between

SOCIO-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE 51

who are most liberated. This new development in consumer technology means that the decision-

making process has evolved to include a collective cognitive function whereby consumers and

technologies come together to influence behavioral outcomes.

and emotional work to construct identies that resonate emotionally with the audience, pulling

them to initiate para-social interactions. These interactions transform global consumer culture by

personalizing mass marketing into storytelling. Ashman et al (2015) is of the opinion that the

audience viewing the marketing campaign view the interactions as real, like any form of real-life,

face to face communication, even if it is for commercial purposes. This contact and withdrawal

members actively participate in the construction of influencer identity by engaging with like and

comment functions. The intertwining of visibility, feelings, and commerce leads to a scenario

where trust is performed as a societal construct, rather than an attribute of social credit.

storylines is possible due to digital consumer cultures. This development grants audiences the

SOCIO-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE 52

This participation engagement which Strachan (2017) describes as “sonic and visual

technologies” enhances the emotional aspect of the experience making it a point of deeper

connection and authenticity as a focus within the narrative. While users transcend experiences,

narratives are also fused through emotional templates offered by brands, resulting in identity

reconstruction. According to Stephen (2016), “Loyalty is emotional and storytelling allows the

the moral sense of belonging.

The ascent of memes as units of a culture of communication has, however, changed the

humor, and participation. Their virality allows consumers to collaboratively produce and

disseminate cultural meanings above and beyond corporate sanction. Wiggins (2019) states that

memes operate at the level of social critique through popular images and everyday media, thus

having ideological and semiotic power. Such communication, in a way, equalizes the means and

at the same time strengthens the boundaries of a culture. Mihailidis and Viotty (2017) contend

that the spreadability of this type of content encourages civic participation, in addition to

SOCIO-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE 53

points out that brands, in an attempt to be culturally relevant, meme marketing to include humor

in their advertisements. Such behaviors reveal the fact that meme culture operates as both

resistance to and incorporation of the culture, manipulation. Thus reflexively, the digital

consumption becomes an act of negotiation of semiotic power, demonstrating the collective

responses and creativity of the audience operating in the hypermedia space.

tailoring offerings around these interests is becoming standardized. Such engagement automation

creates a subconscious perception of bespoke attention, fostering emotional bonds with the

brands (Stephen, 2016). Instantaneous engagement of this nature makes interactivity responsive,

leaving little time for consumers to adjust their perception of interactivity (Ashman et al, 2015).

Such a dynamic, responsive approach to engagement automation raises ethical concerns on the

modern identities are dominated by lenses of technological mediation and embrace asymmetrical

systems of control embedded within the economy (Asmara et al, 2019). Their control, however,

is cloaked and shrouded by a surveilling gaze system. Such surveillance and supervision creates

a new normal which aspires to be open (Lehdonvirta, 2013). Though paradox, comforts of

algorithmic guidance are coupled with pronounced oversights (Mihelj et al, 2019). These

oversights arise from biases that privilege certain cultural narratives, deepening the already

SOCIO-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE 54

simultaneity of control and touch by digital technology on a consumer, as well as the

contemporary consumer experience.

loyalty participations. This is augmented reality in the commercial sphere Lehdonvirta (2013)

typed the history of consumption and said that simulation is a practice undergone in the

circulation of culture to reshape the sensations of realness. The spatial interaction and

communication in virtual and physical reality, especially in augmented reality, Ashman et al.

(2015) denote self as participatory design, which is active in psychological possession in

(2013), shedding light to the existing divides in the digitally participatory global age. Thus,

augmented reality brings with it innovation, but also, Hatef and Michic (2018) argue, exclusion

by seeking to include the user in the augmented reality as put forth in the interactivity of

consumer culture.

has turned consumer behavior into a marketable asset. As Stephen (2016) notes, the ability to

SOCIO-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE 55

commodification of attention shifts the boundaries of the notions pertaining to privacy and

ethical consent in the digital world. In her book, Buckingham (2013) claims that the users’

ability to critically analyze their interactions with different platforms which in turn results in

monetization presenting value for many corporations, is something that people often take too

lightly. Mihelj et al. (2019) argue that the existence of different levels of digital literacy widens

notion around the data driven marketing paradox. Kanai (2018) argues that the self-exposure that

digital culture requirement paired with the emotional expression that is expected as a result of a

“democratized” capturing of feelings requires an alignment that dissolves self-policing. The

moral engagement of this condition suggests that the digital ethical practice the world is lacking

needs to be constructed as a result of a cultural approach that focuses on regulation of informed

and consented practice engagement.

The intersection of digital culture with gendered participation exemplifies identity

politics’ impact on consumer choices. Kanai (2018) argues that self-presentation online in terms

of gender blurs the boundaries between affective work and visibility in the marketplace and

renders emotional work economically productive. This situates authenticity in the paradox of

SOCIO-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE 56

exposure as a socially productive activity. Stephen (2016) notes how these workings mask the

inequalities in marketing systems, as they provide a free content service. Mihelj et al. (2019)

suggest that online gendered expression mirrors deeper socio-cultural disparities in which the

politics of empowerment may disguise unpaid, invisible, and reproductive labor. These insights

capture that participation in digital spaces, to say the least, is not neutral nor fairly allocated, but

The role of technology in sound and music crafting immaterial consumer engagement in

emotional context is more detailed and more nuanced. Strachan (2017) describes a type of sonic

branding that pivots a consumer’s mood to a mood tethered to a particular brand. Their

emotional mood is tethered to a brand. Strachan (2017) elaborates on this bond and associates it

culture. Ashman et al. (2015) contend that the more of our senses that are engaged, the more our

immersion is deepend. This results in fuller virtual environments that feel more like actual

environments that a user can interact with. Stephen (2016) argues that audio elements in visual

presentation aid in recalling the message being conveyed and the emotion, which is increasingly

relevant in today's reality of media oversaturation, allows a brand to retain more focus. Its digital

multisensory integration is part of a continuing historical evolution of the mediation of

SOCIO-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE 57

emotional to the texture, sound, and tone. All this suggests that the experience one undergoes is

visceral, as it is thick with living content. As such, digital marketing is a form of digital

orchestration of emotional and reactively driven strategy, shifting smoothly and seamlessly from

art to analytics.

political and commercial activities, as spending money becomes an ethical choice. Ashman et al.

(2015) argue that participatory activities in a digital context give rise to symbolic economies

where activism and branding are often intertwined. Stephen (2016) notes that digital advocates

weave social campaigns into their corporate narratives to resonate with the ethics of their

audiences and foster emotional alignment. Campbell and Garner (2016) argue that this type of

in the form of brands, can foster ethical engagement as they transform consumption into an act of

communication. Lehdonvirta (2013) warns, however, that moral activism can be a form of

ethical branding that has the potential to undermine real social change as activism becomes a

fully commodified. The boundaries of commercial activities and moral responsibility, therefore,

define civic engagement in the digital space, which calls for critical reflection from both brands

and consumers.

SOCIO-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE 64

The application of gender diversity fashion marketing changes the nature of consumer-

brand relations and public dialogues of the brand. Feeney et al. (2019) remark that include its

trivially symbolic due to the affirmation of scientific relevance of inclusive frameworks. “Collier

et al. (2013) brings forward that representation is a way to counter social marginalization and

thus translates visibility into a kind of activism.” All these standpoints imply that the integration

of inclusion in marketing fosters innovation and social responsibility simultaneously. Brands, by

genuine cultural appropriation, can nurture social narratives by attempting to go beyond

fusion of commercial and cultural ethical considerations.

The role of design as a communicator of ethical and existential concerns pertaining to

gender plays out in the intersection of dignity and self-expression in fashion. Smith (2016) points

According to Brody (2013), gendered emotion shapes the manner in which self-respect is

SOCIO-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE 65

personal empowerment that comes with the affirmation of gender expression through fashion is

an indication of an appreciation of aesthetics. According to Ehrensaft (2014), such affirmation is

the expression of the true gender self which is integrated psychologically, and whose integration

is revealed in the designing process. Polderman et al. (2018) argue the connection between

biological moral diversity and ethical recognition by asserting that gender identity expression is

Fashion in a global context also intersects with identity politics and shows how multiple

forms of aesthetics become modes of cultural conversation. Smith (2016) argues that the

globalized fashion system allows adopted and marginalized identities to make their way into the

individuals in the general society is a way of countering institutionalized bias. Lev (2014) argues

that the way in which culture has pathologized gender variance has consequences for social

resistance to gender diversity and therefore the cultural industries are in a position to offer sites

of reparative work. Turban and Ehrensaft (2018) also shows that social inclusion and mental

health is enhanced through affirmative representation which illustrates the visibility of culture

that is socially therapeutic. Brody (2013) argues that emotional communication through clothing

SOCIO-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE 66

that champions equity through beauty. The conversation between gender and culture allows

understanding fashion as an instrument of socio-structural redemption where imagination serves

compassion and social justice.

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