The research that you are undertaking is for an International Consumer Packaged Goods company that believes that your home country is an excellent target market for the launch of a new personal skincare product for women.

The product's general formulation contains moisturizing, and SPF properties, it could also be adapted to contain skin lightening or darkening properties.

Specifically, their prospective target is your home state, province, or major metropolitan area. Examples: Tehran, Iran; Shanghai, China; Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Ontario, Canada; Chennai, Tami Nadu, India; So Paulo, Brazil.

Your task is to develop an analysis e a written report on the following parameters:

Part A: You should examine the new market by discussing how attractive it is to launch this new skin care product by providing relevant insights and information on the 2 of the 3 categories below:

1. Technology, Material Culture and Economics:

Material culture results from technology and is directly linked to how a society systematizes its economic activity. Material Culture is divided into two parts, technology and economics. Technology includes the techniques used in the creation of material goods; it is the technical know-how possessed by the people of a society. Economics is the manner in which people employ their capabilities and the resulting benefits. Included in the subject of economics is the production of goods and services, their distribution, consumption, means of exchange, and the income derived from the creation of utilities.

Material culture affects the level of demand, the quality and types of products demanded, and their functional features, as well as the means of production of these goods and their distribution. The marketing implications of the material culture of a country are many. For example, a producer of microwave meals might not have much success selling into markets where the penetration of microwave ovens is very low. Another good example is the potential of the internet user, which also can be limited by technological infrastructure. The knowledge of this is helpful to a company that plans to sell products over the internet.

2. Social Organizations, Education and Political Structures:

This relates to the way in which a society organizes itself. How the culture considers kinship, social institutions, interest groups and status systems, family life, etc. The role of women and social hierarchies are representative examples. Social mobility could be restricted in a country that has strong class systems in place, for example. Education relates to literacy and how informed the public is. Political structures and organizations are important for how they impact or exert control over business.

3. Aesthetics - (Art, music, drama, dance, traditions) and Belief Systems (Religion, superstitions, folklore)

This covers the local culture's perception of things such as beauty, good taste and design, and dictates what is acceptable or appealing to the local eye. A firm needs to ensure that use of color, music, architecture or brand names in their product and communication strategies is sympathetic and acceptable to the local culture.

Within this category are religion (belief systems), superstitions, and their related power structures. The impact of religion on the value systems of a society and the effect of value systems on marketing must not be underestimated. Religion impacts people's habits, their outlook on life, the products they buy, the way they buy them, even the newspapers they read.

Acceptance of certain types of food, clothing, and behavior are frequently affected by religion, and such influence can extend to the acceptance or rejection of promotional messages as well. In some countries, focusing too much attention on bodily functions in advertisements would be judged immoral or improper and the products would be rejected. What might seem innocent and acceptable in one culture could be considered too personal or vulgar in another. Such was the case when Saudi Arabian customs officials impounded a shipment of French perfume because the bottle stopper was in the shape of a nude female. Religion is one of the most sensitive elements of a culture. When the marketer has little or no understanding of a religion, it is easy to offend, albeit unintentionally.

Superstition plays a much larger role in a society's belief system in some parts of the world than it does in others. What one person might consider as mere superstition can be a critical aspect of a belief system in another culture.