CRYPTIC MARKETING: A STRATEGY TO APPROACH STIGMATIZED CONSUMER GROUPS

Cryptic marketing is a discreet communication strategy using crypted subculture symbols to avoid negative responses from other consumers. This has been used since marketing towards stigmatized subculture groups is challenging as there is a risk of losing consumers from the majority. Nevertheless, studies about the impact of cryptic marketing on prominent marketing variables are still scant. Thus, this study aims to determine the impact of cryptic marketing on brand attitude between LGBT group and heterosexual group in an unfriendly market (Indonesia) and a friendly market (the Netherlands). Using experiments, we tested the impact of three cryptic ads (low, medium, and high) which differ in the explicitness of LGBT symbols. The results revealed that the LGBT group (i.e., gays) in both markets have a more positive brand attitude towards the high cryptic ad. There were no differences in the brand attitude of heterosexuals, except for the gay-friendly participants in a friendly market which showed a preference for the low cryptic ad. This study contributes to the literature on covert marketing strategy as cryptic marketing is rarely discussed.