Beauty

The Importance Of Fairness For Indian Men - In The Light Of Hofstede's Model

The Importance Of Fairness For Indian Men - In The Light Of Hofstede's Model

Introduction

The landscape of Marketing is built upon the basic premise of identifying customer's needs and meeting these demands with the successful execution of communication as well as products which are geared towards fulfilling consumer wants. However, with the abundance and plethora of commodities available in the market, particularly those with a cost-effective price tag; it has become extremely difficult for marketers and organizations to successfully attract consumers towards their products and ideas. The marketing term used to refer to the solution is often termed as a brand, where the essence of the companies and marketers involved is to create and increase the overall customer value. The 21st century is characterized by a competitive environment, where organizations fiercely compete in order to achieve successful results for their brand extension campaigns.

Nevertheless, it is important for companies, especially multinational corporations to effectively coordinate their marketing efforts in a new geographical area, prior to entrance through a strategic marketing plan. This long-term marketing plan is further broken down into tactical international marketing plans and often comprises of analyzing market opportunities, selecting the right target market, devising fool proof marketing strategies, successfully executing the marketing campaigns, and holistically managing the entire marketing effort.

It is imperative to note that it is essential for marketers and the top management to consider the complex and intricate dimensions of the historical and cultural factors associated with a particular society. The comprehensive model and research provided by Geert Hofstede is likely to provide marketers with the insights essential in tapping the growing lifestyle, consumerism and middle-class aspirations of the Asian market (Parameswaran & Cardoza 2009, p. 213-274).

The aim of this paper is to analyze the recent boom in skin-lightening or fairness trend, targeting the masculine class; which is in congruence with the media portrayals of skin lightness as a prerequisite for progress, beauty, and achievement in an individual's life, in the light of the four factors provided by Geert Hofstede. This emphasis on light skin, particularly the growing trend in men; is an extension of the worldwide campaign of ideal body shape and associates the same variables of happiness, confidence, and acceptance in order to promote the consumption of cosmetics which promises fairness and a lighter skin in India (Kazmin and Lucas 2011, p.17).

Discussion

The Application of Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions on the Indian Market

Geert Hofstede, a Dutch researcher, proposed an influential and break through systematic framework, linking the cultural components of a specific society or nation with the organizational culture. Hofstede's model is not limited to a particular country or societal setting, rather is based on the gigantic organizational scale of IBM. He gathered and analyzed extensive data on the values and cultures of various countries, namely 50 and eventually proposed five dimensions of values. The values are discussed in length in the following part of the paper, in the context of the Indian ...