 Many subcultures – subgroups within the larger cultural context that have distinctive lifestyles based on religious, racial, and geographical differences  Spending power and wealth  Canadian’s disposable income grows at a lower rate than the cost of basic necessities required  Varies on the state of the economy o Social Influences  Lifestyles  Hectic lifestyles – need for convenience (satisfying the on-the-go consumer)  Trying to live healthier lifestyles  Natural Environment  Consumers show concern for the natural environment and favour companies that support this o Technology Influences  Availability of information  Use of social media for consumer-generated content o Legal and Regulatory Influences  Strategic plans are affected by new developments in the political and legal arenas  Self-regulation is an alternative to gov’t regulation (from ch 1) – the Canadian Marketing Association has established polices and guidelines that all member organizations agree to follow (Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice) Strategic Planning Process  Top down approach: The corporate plan provides guidance for the marketing plan, and the marketing plan provides guidance for the marketing communications plan. All plans are based on the same background information and any analysis stemming from that info o Corporate plan: executive level to guide the development of functional plans in the organization  Financial in nature o Marketing plan: short-term, specific plan of action that combines strategy and tactics o Marketing Communications Plan The Corporate Plan  The mission statement: provides guidance and direction for the operations of the company