Perception of advertising depending on the social status and income of consumers Automatic translate

Social status is a person’s position in society, which is formed on the basis of many factors, including education level, profession, family background and financial situation. Social class as a broader category unites people with similar social status and determines their place in the hierarchical structure of society. Unlike social status, income is a purely economic indicator characterizing a person’s financial capabilities over a certain period of time.

The relationship between social status and income is complex and ambiguous. Although high income often correlates with high social status, there are exceptions – a person can have high status with a relatively low income (e.g., a university professor) or high income with an average social status (e.g., a highly skilled worker). This difference between income and social status significantly affects the perception of advertising and consumer behavior.

Advertising as a form of communication with consumers seeks to evoke certain attitudes and behavior patterns. Research shows that the perception of advertising messages varies significantly among representatives of different social classes and income groups.

Historical evolution of advertising in the context of social stratification

Advertising has historically reflected and shaped social differences. In the early 20th century, advertising messages often targeted the elite, emphasizing the exclusivity and prestige of products. With the rise of mass production in the mid-20th century, the focus shifted to the middle class — advertising campaigns began to depict average families, projecting an idealized image of prosperity.

An analysis of over 1,300 print advertisements from 1950 to 2015 shows a significant overrepresentation of the middle, upper middle, and upper classes compared to their actual proportions in society. The working class and lower classes were systematically underrepresented. This disparity created and continues to create a distorted perception of the social structure of society.

Advertising has changed especially noticeably in the digital era, when targeting capabilities have made it possible to create messages tailored to different socioeconomic groups. However, digital inequality remains a factor influencing access to advertising content across different social strata.

Theoretical foundations of advertising perception by various social groups

The perception of advertising by representatives of different social groups can be explained through a number of theoretical models and concepts. The main ones include:

Social comparison theory (Festinger, 1954) explains how idealized images in advertising become standards for comparison. People are intrinsically motivated to live up to certain standards and evaluate themselves in comparison to others. When members of lower social classes see advertisements that portray middle- or upper-class lifestyles, they may experience feelings of inferiority or a desire for social mobility.

The theory of psychological reactance describes how people respond to attempts to limit their freedom of choice. Consumers value the ability to form their own opinions about products and brands. When an advertising message is perceived as an obvious attempt at manipulation, it can cause a backlash — especially among educated people who are more critical of advertising.

The conscious processing likelihood model (ELM) explains differences in how consumers process arguments and cues in advertising. When motivation and cognitive ability are high, people choose a central processing route and carefully analyze the content of the advertising message. When motivation is low or cognitive limitations are high, they rely on peripheral cues to form attitudes. People of different social classes and educational levels may use different processing routes.

The theory of cultural capital (Bourdieu) suggests that social classes differ not only in economic capital, but also in cultural resources, including knowledge, tastes and preferences. This affects the decoding of advertising messages - representatives of different classes can interpret the same images and symbols in advertising differently.

Representation of social classes in advertising

Research shows a significant imbalance in the representation of different social classes in advertising. The middle class, upper middle class and upper class are depicted disproportionately compared to their actual share in society. Meanwhile, the working class and the poor remain underrepresented.

When working class people do appear in advertising, it is primarily in three contexts:

1. In advertising of charitable initiatives or social responsibility of companies, where they act as objects of assistance, and not as full-fledged consumers
2. In the depiction of the possessors of “secret knowledge” – valuable insights inaccessible to representatives of the upper classes
3. In traditional images of the middle-class family idyll

The Asian region exhibits particularly pronounced class differences in advertising, from depictions of the extremely wealthy "crazy rich Asians" to the growing middle class, with the majority of the population, who are working class or living in poverty, rarely receiving attention.

Marketers often consciously avoid depicting the working class in advertising, even when their products are aimed primarily at lower social class (C and D) consumers. They are guided by the belief that working class people aspire to buy "premium" products and prefer to see the lifestyle of higher social classes in advertising.

This systematic underrepresentation of the lower social classes may be explained by the socioeconomic profile of marketers themselves. Research shows that around 70% of marketing professionals grew up in households where their primary source of income was in social class A or B, compared to only 29% of the general population. This creates a fundamental psychological and cultural disconnect between the people who create advertising and working-class audiences.

Social Class vs. Income: Predictors of Consumer Behavior

Scientific research shows that social class and income have different effects on consumer behavior and, accordingly, on the perception of advertising. In some categories of goods and services, social class is a more significant factor, in others - income level.

Income is a better explanation for purchasing habits and behavior related to less visible (invisible) goods that require significant expenditure. For example, the choice of alcoholic beverages, insurance policies, and types of fish consumed are determined more by income than by social class. This is because such decisions are primarily related to financial means rather than social identity.

Social class, on the other hand, is a better predictor for products that reflect lifestyle values ​​or for more visible and expensive products associated with class symbols. Research shows that macrobiotic food consumption, types of meat consumed, clothing selection criteria, car ownership, frequency of theater attendance, housing conditions, and the importance of furniture design are more strongly determined by social class than by income. In these cases, purchasing decisions are closely linked to the values ​​and cultural preferences shaped by the social environment.

The combination of social class and income is usually most effective in predicting the purchase of conspicuous goods that require moderate to significant expenditure and also serve as class symbols, such as clothing, cars, and televisions.

The relative importance of social class and income also depends on the socioeconomic context. In countries with high levels of social inequality and a clear class structure (for example, in some Asian societies), social class may play a more significant role than in countries with less inequality and greater social mobility.

Psychological mechanisms of advertising perception

The perception of advertising by representatives of different social classes and income groups is regulated by a number of psychological mechanisms. These processes explain why the same advertising messages can cause different reactions in different categories of consumers.

Cognitive dissonance occurs when an advertising message is inconsistent with a person’s attitudes and values. Consumers seek to reduce the resulting tension by changing their attitudes or behavior to restore consistency. People of different social classes may experience cognitive dissonance in relation to different aspects of advertising — for example, low-income consumers may experience dissonance when they see advertising for expensive products that are financially unaffordable.

Social identification refers to the extent to which consumers identify with the people and situations depicted in advertising. When advertising features models that match the consumer’s social class, it increases the effectiveness of the advertising. Failure to represent the consumer’s social class may reduce the impact of the advertising or cause negative reactions.

Aspirational mechanisms are activated when advertising demonstrates a lifestyle of a higher social class to which the consumer aspires. This effect is particularly noticeable among middle- and lower-middle-class consumers, who use consumption as a tool for symbolic attachment to a higher status. For example, purchasing luxury brand goods may be perceived as a way to demonstrate belonging to a higher social class.

The processing of arguments in advertising varies across social classes. Consumers with higher levels of education (often correlated with higher social status) tend to evaluate arguments in advertising more critically and rely less on peripheral cues such as the attractiveness of models or celebrities.

Effects of advertising on different social classes

Advertising impacts different social classes differently, affecting both immediate reactions to advertising messages and long-term consequences for consumer behavior and self-perception.

For the upper social classes, advertising often serves as a confirmation of status and identity. Research shows that members of the upper classes demonstrate a stronger orientation toward brands and their symbolic value than toward the functional characteristics of products. They also demonstrate greater selectivity in their advertising, preferring channels and messages that are consistent with their social status.

For the middle class, advertising often serves as a social norm and standard of consumption. Representatives of the middle class are most receptive to aspirational messages demonstrating the lifestyle of the upper middle and upper classes. This is explained by the desire for social mobility and the use of consumption as a means of symbolically increasing status. At the same time, excessive exposure to advertising depicting an unattainable level of consumption can lead to a decrease in satisfaction with one’s material situation.

For the working class and the poor, advertising can create a sense of alienation and inaccessibility to many goods and services. Representatives of these groups are more often guided by the functional aspects and affordability of products than by their symbolic value. However, constant exposure to advertising depicting the middle and upper classes can create a distorted view of one’s own social position.

Research also shows that high socioeconomic status groups exhibit a stronger relationship between consumer attitudes and behavior. Lower socioeconomic status groups often exhibit similar consumer attitudes, but their purchasing behavior is more constrained by financial means.

Unintended consequences of advertising for different social classes

In addition to direct marketing effects, advertising has a number of unintended effects on members of different social classes and income groups. These effects can be both positive and negative in terms of psychological well-being and social cohesion.

Materialism as a value orientation is strengthened by advertising regardless of social class. Research shows that this effect is evident in both Western and Eastern societies. Children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to the formation of materialistic values. Among them, materialism and the desire to buy can act as mediators between the impact of advertising and such negative consequences as conflicts with parents, disappointment and dissatisfaction with life.

Idealization in advertising creates unrealistic standards of comparison, which can negatively affect the self-esteem of consumers, especially those from lower social classes. Research shows that exposure to idealized images of physical attractiveness and financial success lowers self-esteem in both women and men. Among those from lower social classes, this effect may be particularly pronounced given the larger gap between idealized images and actual capabilities.

Stereotyping of social classes in advertising can reinforce existing prejudices and social barriers. Although research shows a decline in gender stereotypes in advertising over the past decades, class stereotypes remain prevalent. This can contribute to the normalization of social inequality and hinder social mobility.

Distorted perceptions of the social structure of society are formed as a result of the disproportionate representation of social classes in advertising. Research shows that even as real middle-class incomes decline and economic inequality increases, nearly half of Americans continue to identify as middle class. This discrepancy between perception and reality may be due in part to the middle-class images that dominate advertising.

The boomerang effect occurs when an advertising message elicits a response that is opposite to the advertiser’s intentions. Members of different social classes may exhibit different susceptibility to this effect. For example, consumers with high levels of education and critical thinking may be more skeptical of overt attempts at persuasion, reducing the effectiveness of straightforward advertising messages for this audience.

Empirical research and cases

Numerous empirical studies confirm the significant influence of social status and income on the perception of advertising and consumer behavior. Let us consider several key studies in this area.

Haymond’s (2022) study analyzed the impact of socioeconomic status on consumer behavior and attitude toward brand image. Data from people of different socioeconomic status were compared to identify differences in the perception of advertising aimed at different audiences. The study found that the high socioeconomic status group demonstrated higher mean scores on each of the variables examined related to brand attitude and consumer behavior.

Scheininger conducted a large-scale study comparing the influence of social class and income on consumer behavior. The results showed that out of 19 categories of goods and services analyzed, social class was a more significant factor in eight cases, while income was a more significant factor in four cases. The study confirmed that income better explains purchasing habits for less visible products associated with significant expenses, while social class is more important for products that reflect lifestyle values ​​or more visible and expensive products associated with class symbols.

O’Guinn and Paulson (2021) analyzed over 1,300 print advertisements from 1950 to 2015 and found that the middle, upper middle, and upper classes were significantly overrepresented compared to their actual proportion in society. At the same time, the working class and lower classes were underrepresented. The researchers concluded that this distortion in the representation of social classes may contribute to people’s illusion of belonging to the middle class, even when economic indicators indicate otherwise.

Research in the Asian region shows that marketers often deliberately avoid depicting working class people in advertising, even when the majority of their consumers are from social classes C and D. This is due to the belief that the working class aspires to buy “premium” products and prefers to see the lifestyle of higher social classes in advertising.

Practices of targeting advertising by social classes

The advertising industry actively uses information about social classes and income groups to target and personalize advertising messages. These practices have evolved from relatively simple approaches to complex algorithmic solutions in the digital environment.

Traditionally, targeting by social class was done through the selection of appropriate media channels – glossy magazines for the upper and upper middle classes, mass television for the middle class, local newspapers and radio for the working class. This approach remains relevant, but is complemented by new methods in the digital environment.

Modern digital platforms allow microtargeting based on data about users’ demographics, interests, behavior patterns, and location. These metrics often serve as proxy indicators of social class and income. For example, geolocation data may indicate residence in areas with a certain socioeconomic profile, while interests and search queries may correlate with educational level and professional status.

Aspirational marketing is aimed at appealing to consumers’ desire for social mobility through the acquisition of certain goods and services. This approach is especially common when targeting the middle and lower middle classes. The advertising message demonstrates a lifestyle that is one step above the current status of the target audience, creating a sense of the availability of social status enhancement through consumption.

Despite the possibilities of targeting, many brands continue to target the middle class, even when the majority of their consumers are working class. This is due both to the biases of the marketers themselves and to the belief that showing a middle-class lifestyle is more effective in driving sales.

The cultural gap between marketers, who are predominantly middle- and upper-class, and working-class consumers makes it difficult to create authentic and resonant advertising messages for the latter. Research shows that marketing and advertising professionals see the world differently than working-class consumers, which is reflected in the content they create.

Ethical aspects of socio-economic targeting in advertising

The practice of targeting advertising by social class and income groups raises a number of ethical issues that require attention from both the advertising industry and regulators and society as a whole.

The underrepresentation of the working class and disadvantaged in advertising raises questions about the social responsibility of advertisers. When entire social groups are systematically excluded from the media landscape or portrayed stereotypically, this can contribute to their marginalization and social exclusion. From a social justice perspective, the advertising industry has a responsibility to provide a more balanced and realistic reflection of society.

Exploitation of financial vulnerability occurs when advertising targets low-income consumers with products and services that may exacerbate their financial difficulties. Examples include advertising for quick loans with high interest rates, lotteries, and other financial products that are potentially harmful to financially vulnerable groups. Of particular concern is the targeting of such products to areas of low socioeconomic status.

The reinforcement of materialism and consumerism through advertising can have particularly negative consequences for the lower social strata. When people with limited financial resources are constantly exposed to advertising that promotes consumer values ​​and demonstrates a standard of living that is unattainable for them, this can lead to financial stress, life dissatisfaction, and psychological problems.

The formation of a distorted perception of social reality occurs when advertising systematically exaggerates the prevalence of the middle and upper classes. This can lead to a false perception of one’s own social status and societal problems, such as economic inequality. This problem is exacerbated during periods of economic crisis and recession, when the gap between advertising images of well-being and economic reality becomes especially noticeable.

The cultural gap between advertisers and working-class audiences raises questions about the need for greater diversity in the advertising industry. When 70% of marketers come from social classes A and B, compared to only 29% of the general population, there is a systematic mismatch between the worldviews of advertisers and a significant portion of their audience.

Modern trends and development prospects

In recent years, there have been a number of significant trends affecting the relationship between social status, income, and advertising perceptions. These trends reflect both technological changes and shifts in social attitudes and values.

Growing inclusivity in advertising is becoming a noticeable trend, although it predominantly focuses on racial, gender and age diversity, with less attention paid to socioeconomic diversity. Some brands are beginning to recognise the need to more authentically represent different social classes, moving away from stereotypical working-class images. Notably, the greatest progress in this direction is being seen in countries with less social stratification.

The fragmentation of the media landscape and algorithmic personalization of content create “information bubbles” in which consumers from different social classes can potentially see completely different advertising messages. This can both reinforce existing social differences and open up opportunities for more precise targeting that takes into account the real needs and values ​​of different socioeconomic groups.

The rise of value-based marketing creates new opportunities to bridge class divides in advertising. Values ​​around sustainability, social responsibility, and authenticity can resonate with consumers across social classes, creating the basis for more inclusive advertising strategies.

The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated socioeconomic differences and brought class inequality into the spotlight, particularly in Asia. This creates incentives for a more conscious approach to the portrayal of different social classes in advertising and a deeper analysis of their needs and values.

The development of research methods and analytical tools allows us to more accurately track the influence of social status and income on advertising perception and consumer behavior. The use of big data, neuromarketing, and qualitative research opens up new opportunities to identify subtle nuances in the interaction of socio-economic factors and advertising impact.

The impact of advertising on self-perception of social status

Advertising plays a significant role in shaping people’s perceptions of their own social status, influencing their self-esteem and identification with certain social groups. This aspect of advertising impact has important psychological and social consequences.

Research shows that the systematic exaggeration of the middle and upper classes in advertising can lead to a distorted perception of the social structure of society. Despite the decline in real income of the middle class and the growth of economic inequality, a significant portion of the population continues to identify with the middle class. This cognitive illusion can be partly explained by the constant exposure to middle-class images that dominate advertising.

The social comparison mechanism causes people to evaluate their social status by comparing them with reference groups. When the main source of such comparisons is advertising that predominantly shows the middle and upper classes, this can lead to a systematic distortion of self-assessment of social status. Representatives of the lower social strata, for whom the gap between advertising images and reality is most significant, are especially vulnerable to this effect.

The phenomenon of “false consciousness” occurs when people identify with a social class that does not correspond to their objective position in economic indicators. For example, skilled workers with relatively high incomes may identify with the middle class despite lacking the corresponding educational level, professional status, or cultural capital. Advertising contributes to the formation of such “false consciousness” by associating certain consumer practices with membership in social groups.

Psychological discomfort and financial stress may arise when people strive to maintain a level of consumption consistent with their self-perception as middle-class despite limited financial resources. Advertising that appeals to status goods as markers of social belonging may increase this discomfort by creating a sense of the need to purchase certain goods to confirm one’s social status.

Differences in advertising perception at different stages of life

Age and life cycle significantly influence the relationship between social status, income, and advertising perception. At different stages of life, people exhibit different patterns of consumer behavior and respond differently to advertising messages.

Adolescence and early adulthood are characterized by high susceptibility to social influence and identity formation through consumption. Teenagers often gravitate toward trendy clothing, beauty products, and technology that reflect their social identity and peer influence. At this stage, parents’ social class determines financial opportunities, but teenagers themselves may seek to identify with other social groups through consumer practices. Advertising aimed at a youth audience often appeals to style and social status.

Middle age is characterized by a focus on family-oriented purchases, such as housing, cars, and educational products for children. At this stage, social class and income jointly determine consumer behavior — income restrictions can adjust consumer preferences shaped by social class. Middle-aged people from different social classes demonstrate the most pronounced differences in advertising perception and consumer behavior.

Old age and retirement are accompanied by a shift in priorities toward health-related goods and services and leisure activities that enhance quality of life. At this stage, the influence of social class may increase, as educational level, cultural capital, and social networks formed over a lifetime determine the ways in which leisure and health care are spent. Advertising aimed at older consumers should take these differences into account, avoiding stereotypical portrayals of older people.

An important aspect is that transitions between life stages may be accompanied by changes in social status and income, which requires adaptation of consumer behavior. For example, retirement is often accompanied by a decrease in income while maintaining social status, which can create tension between habitual consumer practices and new financial constraints.

Cultural differences in the perception of advertising in the context of social status

Cultural factors significantly modify the relationship between social status, income, and advertising perception. Different societies have different systems of social stratification, which is reflected in the ways in which social classes are represented in advertising and how consumers perceive them.

In collectivist cultures (common in many Asian countries), social status is often determined by family or group status rather than by individual achievement. In such societies, advertising that appeals to group membership and conformity to social expectations may be more effective across all social classes. For example, in China, advertising that portrays family harmony and social approval resonates with consumers regardless of their social class.

In individualistic cultures (typical of Western societies), the emphasis is on personal achievement and self-expression through consumption. In such societies, advertising often appeals to individuality and uniqueness, especially for the upper social classes. Representatives of the lower social classes in individualistic cultures may experience greater psychological discomfort from not living up to advertising ideals because of the emphasis on personal responsibility for social status.

Social mobility in a society significantly influences the perception of advertising by different social classes. In societies with high social mobility (e.g., some northern European countries), differences between social classes in consumer behavior may be less pronounced, and aspiration advertising is less effective. In societies with low social mobility (e.g., some Latin American or Asian countries), consumption is often used as a symbolic substitute for real mobility, which increases the effectiveness of aspiration advertising.

The historical experience of a country also influences the perception of class differences in advertising. For example, in post-socialist countries, the attitude towards conspicuous consumption and class differences has specific features associated with the historical experience of egalitarianism and subsequent sharp social differentiation. In such societies, advertising that openly appeals to class differences may evoke ambiguous reactions.

Globalization of media creates a situation where consumers from different countries and cultures are exposed to similar advertising images, often reflecting Western ideas about social classes and consumption. This can lead to the formation of global consumer aspirations that do not always correspond to local socio-economic realities.

Methods of studying the perception of advertising by different social groups

Studying the relationship between social status, income, and advertising perception requires the use of a variety of research methods, each with its own advantages and limitations. Combining different approaches allows for a more complete and nuanced understanding of the phenomena under study.

Quantitative methods include surveys, experiments, and secondary data analysis. They allow us to identify statistical patterns and test hypotheses about the cause-and-effect relationships between socioeconomic characteristics and advertising perception. For example, experiments with controlled exposure of different types of advertising to representatives of different social classes allow us to measure immediate cognitive, emotional, and behavioral reactions. A limitation of quantitative methods is their insufficient sensitivity to cultural and contextual factors.

Qualitative methods include in-depth interviews, focus groups, and ethnographic observations. They provide rich, contextualized data on how people of different social classes interpret advertising messages and integrate them into their lived experiences. For example, ethnographic studies of consumption practices in households of different social classes can reveal unexpected ways of interacting with advertising and brands. A limitation of qualitative methods is the difficulty of generalizing findings to wider populations.

Content analysis of advertising allows for a systematic study of the representation of social classes in advertising messages. This method can be applied to both traditional media (print advertising, TV commercials) and digital formats (online advertising, social media). The analysis can focus on visual elements (clothing, environment, activities), linguistic markers of social class, transmitted values, and implicit messages about social stratification.

Neuromarketing methods include eye tracking, physiological responses, and neuroimaging. They allow us to study unconscious reactions to advertising, which may differ across social classes. For example, measuring the activation of different brain regions when viewing an advertisement may reveal differences in emotional and cognitive responses that are not captured by self-report. Limitations of neuromarketing methods include their high cost and difficulty in interpreting the results.

Longitudinal studies track changes in advertising perception and consumer behavior over time, allowing us to study the dynamics of these processes in different social groups. Of particular value are data on how economic crises, social transformations, and personal transitions between social classes affect interactions with advertising.

Recommendations for developing advertising strategies taking into account social differentiation

Understanding the differences in how advertising is perceived by representatives of different social classes and income groups allows us to develop more effective and ethical advertising strategies. These recommendations are aimed at overcoming existing problems and exploiting the opportunities of social differentiation.

Authentic representation of different social classes in advertising helps to resonate more deeply with a diverse audience. Instead of stereotypically portraying the working class or excluding it from advertising, companies are encouraged to show realistic situations from the lives of different social groups that reflect their values ​​and experiences. This requires engaging specialists from different socio-economic backgrounds in the creation of advertising and conducting research to identify authentic insights about each target group.

Value-based messages can transcend class differences by appealing to universal human values ​​shared by people regardless of their social status. Research shows that values ​​such as caring for family, honesty, compassion, and the pursuit of justice resonate with consumers from different social classes. It is important to adapt the form of delivery of these messages to the cultural codes and linguistic features of different social groups.

Audience segmentation by socio-economic characteristics should be carried out carefully, avoiding simplifications and stereotypes. Research shows that both social class and income influence consumer behavior, but with varying degrees of significance for different product categories. It is recommended to consider these factors in a complex, taking into account also the psychographic characteristics and life circumstances of consumers.

Optimizing the ratio of functional and symbolic elements in advertising depending on the target audience. For low-income groups, messages that emphasize functional benefits and price/quality ratio are more effective, while for upper social classes, symbolic aspects and the product’s compliance with their identity are more significant. It is important to avoid a condescending tone when addressing low-income consumers and to recognize the value of their purchasing decisions.

Avoiding exploitation of financial vulnerability when targeting low-income consumers. Ethical advertising practices include providing honest information about the product, avoiding manipulative techniques, and respecting the financial limitations of the audience. Companies are encouraged to develop offers that truly meet the needs and capabilities of low-income consumers, rather than simply tailoring advertising communications to them.

Long-term brand building that appeals to different social classes. Research shows that brands that have built meaningful connections with consumers from different social groups demonstrate greater resilience during periods of economic instability. To achieve this goal, it is recommended to develop different product lines that meet the needs of different segments, while maintaining common values ​​and brand identity.

Socio-economic context of advertising perception

The perception of advertising by representatives of different social classes and income groups occurs in a certain socio-economic context, which can significantly modify these processes. Understanding this context is necessary for adequate interpretation of research data and development of effective advertising strategies.

Economic cycles significantly influence the perception of advertising by different social groups. During periods of economic growth and stability, differences between social classes in consumer behavior may increase, since the upper classes have the opportunity for even more conspicuous consumption. During periods of recession and economic crisis, these differences may either be smoothed out (due to a general decline in consumption) or exacerbated (due to the uneven distribution of economic difficulties). At the same time, advertising that does not take into account the economic context may cause negative reactions among consumers who are facing financial difficulties.

The level of economic inequality in a society determines the extent of differences between social classes in their consumer opportunities and preferences. In countries with high levels of inequality (e.g., some Latin American or Asian countries), differences between social classes in advertising perception and consumer behavior are more pronounced. In countries with low levels of inequality (e.g., Scandinavian countries), these differences may be less noticeable, which requires more subtle approaches to audience segmentation.

Urbanization and geographic differences create an additional dimension of socioeconomic differentiation. Differences between urban and rural residents in access to information, consumer preferences, and advertising perceptions can be no less significant than differences between social classes. At the same time, social stratification is often more pronounced in large cities, with pronounced spatial segregation of different social groups, which affects their contact with different advertising formats.

The digital divide in access to the internet and digital technologies creates additional barriers for lower social classes in obtaining information and interacting with brands. At the same time, the spread of smartphones and mobile internet in some developing countries creates opportunities to overcome this inequality. Advertisers need to consider differences in access to digital channels and levels of digital literacy when developing advertising campaigns for different social groups.

Government policies in the areas of social security, taxation, and advertising regulation also influence the way different social groups perceive advertising. In countries with a developed social protection system, the financial vulnerability of the lower classes may be less pronounced, which reduces their sensitivity to price aspects in advertising. Regulation of advertising of certain categories of goods (e.g., alcohol, tobacco, financial services) may be aimed at protecting vulnerable social groups from potentially harmful marketing practices.

Synthesis of modern knowledge on the perception of advertising in the context of social status and income

The current state of research in the field of the relationship between social status, income and advertising perception allows us to formulate a number of general provisions integrating various aspects of this issue.

The interaction of social status and income in shaping consumer behavior is complex and nonlinear. Social class better predicts the consumption of goods associated with lifestyle and symbolic values, while income is more significant for goods that require significant expenditure. This pattern is manifested both in immediate reactions to advertising and in long-term consumer practices.

The representation of social classes in advertising is characterized by a systematic imbalance, with images of the middle and upper classes dominating and the working class and the poor underrepresented. This creates a distorted perception of the social structure of society and can contribute to the formation of an illusion of belonging to the middle class in people even when their economic situation does not correspond to objective criteria.

Psychological mechanisms of advertising perception, including social comparison, psychological reactance and cognitive dissonance, function differently in representatives of different social classes. These differences are determined not only by financial capabilities, but also by educational level, cultural capital and socialization in a certain environment.

Unintended advertising effects such as materialism, idealization, and stereotyping may have more pronounced negative consequences for members of the lower social classes. This is due to the greater gap between advertising images of well-being and their real life circumstances, which may lead to financial stress, low self-esteem, and life dissatisfaction.

Cultural and contextual factors significantly modify the relationship between social status, income, and advertising perception. Differences between individualistic and collectivistic cultures, the level of economic inequality, historical experience, and the current economic situation determine the specifics of these relationships in different societies.

The ethical aspects of targeting by socio-economic characteristics are becoming increasingly important in the context of growing economic inequality and the digitalization of advertising. Developing ethical advertising practices that take into account the interests and needs of different social groups is becoming a prerequisite for socially responsible marketing.

Current trends, including the rise of inclusivity in advertising, the fragmentation of the media landscape, and the rise of value-based marketing, are creating new opportunities to bridge class divides in advertising perceptions and build deeper, more authentic connections with consumers across social groups.