A subculture
Q1: Some actions of companies have been criticized that in trying to align themselves with values and views of subcultures, these actions are primarily aimed at making more money for the company rather than attempting to make a social statement. I agree with this criticism because whatever decision a company makes, its major focus is making profits. Other things, such as making a social statement, follow after the profit-making is achieved. Advertisements are aimed at making the products of an organization better known to the public as a way of increasing sales. It’s a marketing strategy that works out excellently, especially if the advert meets the targeted audience. The fruits of an advertisement are not reflected in its impact on people but on the rise in sales and profits that an organization makes. It is thus true that ads are aimed at making money and not impressing a particular subculture in society.
Additionally, without sufficient finances, a company is unable to prosper, and this is the reason why companies focus on the central aim of making more money while spending as little as they can as a way of maximizing profits. Without enough money, firms are unable to broadcast advertisements. As a result, they run ads that have chances of increasing their sales regardless of the social statement associated with the ad.
Q2: A subculture is a cultural group within the large culture with beliefs that are different from those of the large culture. Subcultures are at the rise almost every day in our communities due to new and evolving habits that attract people to change their normal ways of life and stick to the new values. An excellent example of a subculture is the one consisting of people in support of same-sex marriage. As time elapses, a subculture completely withdraws from the main culture and depends on its beliefs, norms, and values. I, therefore, agree with the claim that there is a point at which a subculture becomes mainstream, a point at which even unique marketing approaches are no longer appropriate nor necessary to the subculture. At this level, the subculture does not need approval from any marketing approach, such as advertising.
At the initial stage of a new subculture, members are not only sure about if they want to be part of that specific culture but also vulnerable to advertisements. Advertisements that acknowledge their existence is most likely to win them, making them buy whatever product or service the ad is promoting. Later, people of that culture gain confidence and feel free to identify themselves with a particular culture, a point at which no marketing approaches are necessary to them. In the case of the same-sex subculture, we are at such a point because unlike earlier, when this was illegal, people have come to accept the LGBT community, making it so mainstream that no approvals are required by this subculture.