Assignment
Question 1:
Chapter 8 addresses the topic of perception. Let's begin with gasoline at $2.75 per gallon. I recall, in another course, consumer demand for gasoline tends to decline when the national average is above $3.00 per gallon.
Today, however, I purchased a 16 oz. bottle of Aquafina water from the vending machine for $1.25. If 16 oz. is a pint and 8 pints equals 1 gallon, (8 * 1.25) = $10.00. I just paid $10.00 per gallon for water from Pepsico!
This example may change your perception of the price of bottled water or it may not.
Hawkins and Mothersbaugh write:
Both perception and memory are extremely selective. Of the massive amount of information available, individuals can be exposed and attend to only a limited amount. The meaning assigned to a stimulus is as much or more a function of the individual as it is the stimulus itself. Further, much of the interpreted information will not be available to active memory when the individual makes a purchase decision.
This selectivity, sometimes referred to as perceptual defenses, means that individuals are not passive recipients of marketing messages. Rather, consumers largely determine the messages they will encounter and notice as well as the meaning they will assign them. (2016, p. 275)
Who sees the price of bottled water in a different light than before this example? Did you notice this price before?
Hawkins, D. &Mothersbaugh, D. (2016) Consumer Behavior: Building Marketing Strategy, 13th Edition. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.
Question 2:
The text tells us that consumer behavior is primarily learned behavior. (Hawkins, Mothersbaugh, 2016) Marketers understand this and have built systems and processes around impacting our memory and learning.
Consider grocery stores, for example. They're designed to impact our consumer behavior. Most, for example, begin the experience in the fruits and vegetables to make us feel healthy, then they move us through the processed frozen foods, etc.... Most of the commodities we all buy; milk, eggs, meats, are along the sides or in the rear of the store so the shopper must walk past and make decisions about as many products as possible.
In the aisles, the generic or cheapest brands are on the bottom rows and the most expensive are on the top rows (Top shelf) Stores actually charge distributors for those key "eye-level" rows, where you'll find most of the big brands.
Finally, all the impulse items are found while standing in line at the registers and why they want you to stand in line for a bit. (Rupp, 2015)
Thoughts? Other examples?
Hawkins, D. &Mothersbaugh, D. (2016) Consumer Behavior: Building Marketing Strategy, 13th Edition. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.
Rupp, .R. (2015) Surviving the Sneaky Psychology of Supermarkets. National Geographic.
Question 3:
Table 10.1, addressing Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is one of the most important concept we can understand as marketers.
Many times, in the class, students will pass judgment on the decisions of others. Always remember, something you may not see as a need, may be a real need for another consumer or segment.
This is a great place to discuss how different brands of the same product or service may fall in different categories.
What is meant by a motive hierarchy? How does Maslow's hierarchy of needs function?
(Hawkins &Mothersbaugh, 2015, p. 355)
Hawkins, D. &Mothersbaugh, D. (2016) Consumer Behavior: Building Marketing Strategy, 13th Edition. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.
Question 4:
"A common and effective approach to changing attitudes is to focus on the cognitive component. Four basic marketing strategies--change beliefs, shift importance, add beliefs, and change ideal--are used for altering the cognitive structure of a consumer's attitude" (Hawkins & Mothersbaugh, 2016, p. 393)
In a previous discussion, we discussed the diet industry and how marketers convince us that diet pills work or, if we join a gym, we'll lose weight. The majority of the time, however, these don't work! Why do consumers continually buy these products and services?
Why do consumers blame McDonald's for childhood obesity, but don't seem to care about the outrageous claims by diet pills?
Hawkins, D. &Mothersbaugh, D. (2016) Consumer Behavior: Building Marketing Strategy, 13th Edition. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.
Question 5:
In Week 1, I challenged you to tell me the difference between a need and a want. The ERR in Week 2 addresses that difference.
Jansson-Boyd writes: "Innate and acquired needs are also closely related to two other definitions needs: utilitarian needs (a need that has a practical of functional benefit) and hedonic needs (experiential needs that involve emotional responses). Utilitarian needs generally occur as an immediate response to an innate need (e.g. if you are hungry you will try to find something to eat) and hedonic ones are similar to acquired needs in that seeking out an upmarket restaurant might also trigger emotions of feeling satisfied." (2010, p. 116)
In other words, that iPhone 10 may be a hedonic need.
Thoughts? Other examples?
Greg
Jansson-Boyd, Cathrine. Consumer Psychology, McGraw-Hill Education, 2010.
Question 6:
Watch the video "Influences on Buying"
One of the key points in this video is that we need to remain aware of marketing tactics. Marketing campaigns are most effective when we ignore logic and become "victims" of the campaign. Think about shopping when you're hungry!
Because of our tendency to respond to marketing tactics, marketing is closely regulated.
Personally, I believer in "buyer beware", however, consider subliminal advertising discussed in the video. Is subliminal advertising ethical?
Resource: Consumer Behavior: Building Marketing Strategy, Ch. 10
Choose an organization with which you are familiar or use the organization you chose for the Week 1 assignment.
Create an 8- to 10-slide Microsoft PowerPoint presentation with speaker's notes representing how this organization manages and develops its brand personality, and deliver the following:
• Find an ad (digital or non-digital) that you feel communicates a strong brand personality. Include this ad in your presentation.
• Describe that brand personality in terms of the dimensions in Figure 10-2 (p. 369 in Consumer Behavior: Building Marketing Strategy).
• Describe the various techniques used in the ad (celebrity endorser, user imagery, executional factors, etc.) and how that links to the personality they are communicating.
• Review what traits you believe are good to have in a brand personality.
• Analyze how this brand personality impacts competitive positioning.
• How does this ad impact your belief in the brand or impact your motivation to purchase from this organization?
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also Include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.