Consumer behaviour

1. IDENTIFY THE PRESENCE OF CULTURAL VALUES,
RITUALS AND SYMBOLS IN ADVERTISING, AND TO
ANALYSE THE WAYS THAT MAKERS OF VARIOUS
BRANDS WITHIN THE SAME PRODUCT CATEGORY
OFTEN EMPLOY DIFFERENT/SIMILAR CULTURAL
VALUES, RITUALS AND SYMBOLS IN THEIR
PROMOTIONAL EFFORTS.

2. The two brands we have chosen to discuss are YSL & Maybelline.
Both brands sell cosmetic products in high street stores, however
their target consumer differs despite both groups sharing some
similar cultural values & rituals.
We are going to compare their print ads for mascara.

3. MAYBELLINE
• Founded by Thomas Lyle Williams in 1915
• Maybelline is owned by L’oreal
• Noticed sister applying a mixture of Vaseline and coal dust to her
eyelashes to give them a darker, fuller look.
• Changed to Maybelline New York in 1996

4. YVES SAINT LAUREN
• YSL was founded by and his partner
• Most iconic cosmetics include Touche Éclat, Mascara Volume

5. CULTURAL VALUES
“Research by Frederick Grouzet and Tim Kasser shows
how advertising tends to promote ‘extrinsic’ values rather
than ‘intrinsic’ values.”
Extinsic meaning external factors for approval (admiration
of others). Intrinsic being that person rewarding
themselves.
Cosmetics are elements of women’s consumer culture
one of the essentials of contemporary life, as well as
representing one of the most important ways women
transform their public persona
Cultural Values –
Social Class
Belief
Groupings

8. RITUALS
“How many minutes does a Chinese woman devote to her morning beauty
ritual? How do people wash their hair in Bangkok? How many brush
strokes does a Japanese woman or a French woman use to apply mascara?
These beauty routines, repeated thousands of times, are inherently
cultural. Passed on by tradition, influenced by climate and by local living
conditions, they strive to achieve an ideal of perfection that is different
from one country and from one continent to the next.”
-L’oreal
Everyone has their own rituals when it comes to makeup, what are yours?

9. Whilst studying both adverts from each brand it is clear that although the
product may be the same, the rituals
are slightly different.
YSL Rituals:
• Formal
• Black tie event- an occasion
• Higher price range
• Prestigious brand status
• Higher class social class
• Timeless Classic
Maybelline Rituals:
• Informal
• Daily use
• Lower price range/affordable

10. Professionall
y done
makeup
though eyes
are not
dramatically
enhanced by
product
Red lips/nails
Consistency
Black tie
occasion
Gold
packaging
symbolising
wealth
Consistent
use of
colours red-
black-gold
Celebrity
endorsement
-model

11. Dramatic
lashes
Large
image
of
product
Font
dominates
advert
Non celebrity
model
More use
of colour

12. ROLE THEORY
Consumer behaviour resembles actions/roles in
plays.
•Choosers – choosing between different alternatives
•Communicators – selecting goods that display our roles and statuses