Consumer Behaviour

How can marketers use measures of recognition and recall to study the extent of Consumer learning? Advertisers have long been interested in isolating stimulus factors and associated receiver reactions that affect advertising effectiveness. There is an unresolved debate about the relative merits of recall and recognition, two commonly used measures of ad effectiveness. There is also an inadequate understanding of the differential impact of ad characteristics and reactions on recall and recognition measures.

Various papers have addressed the relationship between recall and recognition, both room a conceptual and an empirical standpoint. Relationships among ad stimulus elements, subjective reactions, and the common and unique elements of effectiveness measures have been the focus of several studies, although no study has investigated these elements in an integrated fashion. Research is needed to address the following questions within a single framework:

What are the interrelationships between recall and recognition measures?

What are the interrelationships between cognitive and affective responses to an ad?

How do cognitive and affective responses correlate with recall and recognition?

Recognition and Recall

Recall and recognition measures both belong to a class of methods developed to assess the level of awareness of stimuli presented at an earlier point in time. Recall refers to the reproduction of a target item experienced earlier, whereas recognition is awareness of having previously experienced that stimulus g.

In advertising, awareness is generally considered the basic or core communication effect from which such other outcomes as attitude formation and change may emanate. Measures of awareness form a continuum in terms of the nature and extent of the information about the stimulus that is supplied in the test and the requisite memory operation to demonstrate awareness. At one extreme, unaided or free recall requires that a person retrieve the information from memory without assistance from researcher-provided cues besides ones about temporal or general contextual aspects of the exposure.

Effective retrieval demands that the information has been processed and rehearsed at a deep, elaborative level and that it is organized so that an appropriate cue will allow access to it in memory. At the other extreme, recognition imply requires that relevant stimuli be identified, usually from among a list containing both correct and distract items. Recognition may be possible if the stimulus is processed and rehearsed at a shallow, sensory level. Aided or cued recall is an intermediate form of awareness that involves providing a relevant cue (the product or product category) that is meant to assist in the retrieval of the object of interest (e. G. , the brand or claims made).

Aided recall is more similar to unaided recall than to recognition because it requires retrieval of the sing element as opposed to simply requiring a familiarity assessment (Meander Consumer Behavior By motivational ) Tot the three measures tot awareness, aided recall, and recognition are heavily used in academic advertising research contexts.

Detailed discussion of the three approaches and their theoretical underpinnings are readily available. Awareness measures differ markedly in terms of the demands placed on the individual and, for that matter, on the type of exposure required. Many published studies of the ad elements affecting awareness have tended to use either aided recall or recognition as the focal criterion. As one example of an exception, Both aided recall and recognition on the same ads and found that two subjective reactions–meaningfulness and attractiveness–relate differently to these measures.

There has been considerable discussion of the relationship between recall and recognition. Although studies that examined the relationship between recognition and recall were not always congruent in their findings, the following facts emerge:

• Recognition is higher than recall in most studies . In other words, “when one is ‘accessing memory via a commercial’-either by showing or describing it [I. . , via a recognition measure], one gets consistently higher measures than when ‘accessing memory via a brand name’ [I. . , via a recall measure]”
• Recognition and recall cavalry, although the extent of cooperation is vastly different across studies. Recognition and recall show a correlation ranging from high to moderate .
• Recognition and recall scores show a decay over time . However, the decay in recognition scores is very slow .
• The structure of memory underlying recall and recognition is multidimensional. The multidimensional model of memory is supported in the cognitive psychology iterate.

In their analysis of PARA data concluded that memory is multidimensional, and recall and recognition each capture only a portion of memory, while at the same time, reflecting other mental states. When interest was included, memory appeared to be unidirectional. In a reanalysis of their data, concluded that interest may be viewed as an indicator of recognition and that memory is multidimensional. The above analysis suggests that memory is multidimensional, and the differences in memory may depend on the nature of the cues and retrieval processes of recall and recognition tasks.

The empirical findings indicate that recall and recognition may measure different aspects of memory. It is not clear, however, what ad stimulus aspects relate to recall and to recognition. In other words, can the ad-based antecedents of recall and recognition measures be delineated? The phenomena that advertisers describe as ‘recognition’ and ‘recall’ both figure heavily in the history tot copy testing techniques, and it is worth looking in a little more depth at these measures, and the newer criterion of persuasion.

Both recognition and recall are techniques that dredge memory for traces of wariness of an advertisement or brand, but recognition is a direct technique, while recall approaches the memory indirectly. In other words, recognition is the term for trying to access a memory of something by prompting with that concept: so a prompt using the actual advertisement, trying to access any memory of having seen it before, is searching for recognition.

Recall is the term used when one prompts with a brand name while looking for feedback on the memory of the advertise- meet; or conversely, prompts with the unbranded advertisement while looking for feedback on the brand that is being advertised. In practice there are a number of ways in which it is possible to put these techniques into practice, and dredge a consumer’s memory for traces of an advertisement or brand.

A researcher might:

• show respondents the advertisement and ask straight out if they remember it;
• remove the branding from the commercial, show it to respondents and then ask them to name the brand;
• describe the commercial to the respondents, omitting to mention the brand, and then ask them if they have seen it, and what brand it is for;
• ask the respondents if they remember seeing a commercial for brand A;
• ask the respondents to describe he most recent commercial for brand A.

Each of these techniques impacts differently on respondents’ memories, so a researcher who applied different memory-dredging techniques to different sets of 100 respondents (for the same commercial) would be likely to get different results each time.

Ignoring the statistical vagaries that can throw up the occasional wildly atypical sample, these different techniques give increasingly lower results as one use a technique lower on the list above: so a researcher who shows respondents the advertise – meet and asks if they have seen it before will get the highest proportion of costive responses, while a researcher who asks respondents to describe the commercial, without showing it at all or prompting them about its contents, will get the lowest proportion.

This does not mean that people have different ‘memories’ of an advert- testament. It does mean that the same pattern of connectivity in the brain (the same ‘memory) is stimulated in different ways by different prompts. If the prompt material is ‘rich’, and triggers lots of neural activity, the output (the memory triggered) is also likely to be rich. A stingy or indirect prompt (like the brand name) will generate relatively little output. Recognition is an emotional task, and recall is a logical task.

In other words, recognition makes use tot the right hemisphere tot the brain, which appears to be primarily concerned with emotional matters, and recall makes use of the left hemisphere, where there is most activity when logical thought is required. Print advertising tends to be logical, and television advertising tends to be emotional, in its appeal – print stimulates the left hemisphere and television the right hemisphere. ) Therefore recognition is the correct method to use for television, and recall is the recto measure for print.

Recognition and recall are memory-dredging techniques largely viewing advertising as a learning process, whereas persuasion is a motivation issue. In other words, while recall and recognition are attempts to measure whether or not there is a memory trace (that is, the consumer has a memory of the advertisement and/or the brand), persuasion considers what effect the ad might have on behavior. It looks at the response of the individual to the advertisement, not whether the individual recalls it. There should not be an argument about these issues as being either-or; they must e complementary.

Recall too that advertising does not work immediately, because in most cases the consumer does not make the purchase decision mimed- tell. It is the memory of the advertisement that is drawn on when the purchase decision is made. Many attempts to measure persuasion use a pre-post-exposure evaluation: that is, they ask people whether they intend to purchase something, after they have seen the advertisement but before they have made a purchase. The weakness of this is that it does not take full account of the complex effects of memory and time delays on the impact of the commercial.

Persuasion is a valid measure, and that it does reflect to some degree what impact a commercial might have, if it were recalled at the time of the purchase decision. However, the current research models of many companies that claim to measure persuasion do not reflect this thinking. Our view is that the persuasion model of how advertising works is mainly relevant to direct response-type advertising, and some launch or reliance advertising. Here the strategy is to communicate relevant news, not to lay down a long-term memory, and an immediate short-term effect is hoped for.

After those different evaluation criteria which are used by the individual before selecting a car is made, and from all the possible factors, some important ones like price affordability, branding, functionality, safety, comfort are considered to be important. A decision matrix is prepared and the findings of the matrix are discussed after that. The last part of the report explains how the factors like demographics and personality affect the decision making process when buying a car.

Interesting findings are shown throughout the report evidencing how different individuals are different from each other when it comes to making sections about themselves. The report ends with a conclusion of the main findings in the report where in personality is given an important position as that is what affects how decisions are made about selection of buying a car. 2. Segment Analysis (emerging consumer trends) Lifestyle A way of living of individuals, families (households), and societies, which they manifest in coping with their physical, psychological, social, and economic environments on a day-to-day basis.

The analysis of consumer life styles (called chirography’s) is an important factor in determining how consumers make their arches decisions. It also reflects their self-image or self-concept; the way they see themselves and believe they are seen by the others. Lifestyle is a composite of motivations, needs, and wants and is influenced by factors such as culture, family, reference groups, and social class. ; Demographic The current market are demographically made up of a) Baby Boomers, b) Generation X c) Generation Y and d)) Generation Z. Baby Boomers are generally regarded as the most matured consumers with a higher buying power.

They prefer simplicity in terms buying a car. Descended from the era where cars were meant for transportation, not all consumers from this generation will be intrigue with the internal functions or effects that car may possessed. The ease of usage and carriage would usually be a primary priority instead. They are constantly very conscious in Justifying their needs in the products to the price they are paying for. The new generations they want in to be nice, class they no longer Just want to satisfy their basic need for transportation anymore.

Generation X, born after the Baby Boomers, is the first generation to grow up with computer technology. In terms of purchasing a product and it’s specifications, they generally possess a more adventurism behavior and are open to Consumer Behavior on Automobiles By infallible a wider sense tot satisfaction trot the exploration tot the product instead tot staying within the safe zone of easy usage. Generation Y, also known as the Millennial Generation’, are generally confident, ambitious and achievement-oriented.

Technology had also increase the height of their expectation and challenges in many aspect of their life. They are not afraid to question authority and they have a strong sense of inquisitiveness. Hence marketers need to take into consideration that it is essential to provide enough specifications or answers on their products and services for this generation of consumers. An individual may enjoy traveling because he drives a luxurious car, or a fun car (sports or SUB categories). Or, an innate love of travel may prompt a person to buy a car that supports that feeling.

On the other hand, those who dislike travel may be more likely to use a larger car (large, luxury, and SUB categories) because they seek to be more comfortable and to minimize travel fatigue even for short-distance trips. Those who have the freedom to travel anywhere they want and relatively low travel stress may be more likely to use a more powerful car or a leisure car (sports and SUB categories). Those who strongly support providentially policies are more likely to prioritize reducing mobile source emissions and therefore to drive a smaller car (small and compact categories).

Those who like living in high-density areas may choose a smaller car (small and compact categories) because they have accessible public transit and restrictions on parking, making them less likely to commute by car. Those who recognize benefits of commuting may be more likely to use a more comfortable or versatile car (luxury category) that allows them to do other activities such as playing CDC while driving. Value Value proposition of the car is a of value yet economical car with a low maintenance and of car of reliability in the market compare to other competitors.

The Japan cars Honda , Toyota are the two main players in the vehicles industry . They are car which you are able to sell off fast and easy with minimum losses. The value that the consumer willing to part with their money in exchange for the vehicle. ; Attitude Significant criteria in buyer decision-making 1. Brand & Type Branding is a very important thing in buying a car. The trusted brand that people would look for, in terms of reliability and the image the brand portrait to the consumer in the market. The word of mouth from friend past experience of friend driving the vehicle.

Branding is one of the major information that assists in convincing consumers’ decision in the ratio of price versus quality. Besides the trustworthiness of a brand, consumers also look at the expertise of it and the genre of the product the brand is best known in producing. Branding is an identity and a ‘promise’ that is delivered to the consumer’s mind, perception. When they are looking for a good and economical car. Hence such consumers would have Toyota as a prioritize brand when they are in search of such professional imaging and yet at the same time, they nave lie 2. Pence title knoll edge on the actual specifications.

Price affordability is one of the most important criteria in a consumer’s mind. These criteria can sometimes hinder or stopped the further external search for information if the price of the product exceeds the consumer’s monetary affordability. This product category is targeting at people of mid income people who want a reliable Japanese car . Targeting a relatively young group of target audience. Product that constantly takes this criteria into the consideration during their process of their product pricing and are known to cater to such specific needs, will generally sustain themselves within the targeted consumer’s mind-set.

Marketer also needs to research and determine the targeted consumers’ average spending on such product before further proceed to other marketing strategies to them. Toyota had tragically ranged their prices according to different targeted Generation. For instance, they cater price consideration to a younger portion of Generation Y and Generation Z with the average income of SAG$50th SAG$2500 with cars that ranges suitable for them.

They also have a range of more sophisticated models of Car that ranged from the priced of higher class for working professionals with a higher middle income such as those from the older Generation Y and the whole of Generation X. They offer different range for different segment of customer, Toyota cater different needs to meet their value customers different wants. Pricing is one of the most important elements of the marketing, as it is the easiest to change but also the hardest to correct it back if it’s wrong , which generates a turnover for the organization.

Sometimes, marketers also need to enhance the product’s perceive value instead of dropping prices in order to outshine it’s competitors. 3. Functionality The essential need of the car, the basic transportation need, the need of comfort , the need of luxury the need of fuel consumption are the consideration into committed to a vehicle as it’s a big time investment for the consumer. It’s a product of high value with deprecating value. Functionality being one of the criteria ,its helps to form an image in the consumer’s perceptual mind mapping.

In the context for cars, the complexity of the functions can appear both as a downside turn away for some consumers as well as an attraction to others. It varies in terms of the targeted demographics group of customer. For older customer ,they Just want a simple car for transportations uses only . Promotions Promotion consists tot tour distinct elements. ; Advertising, Public Relations, Personal Selling and Sales Promotion. For Advertising, Toyota has launches its products through many different ways and media such as advertising its products through favorable television programs.

Toyota also has its own very strong customer based , CRM from there it ‘s encourage consumers to respond by providing feedback to the advertiser through direct mail or catalogues. For Public Relations, Toyota has provided contacts for those customers who will be in need of any information from the company through it’s official website. In this way Toyota can create a mutual relationship with its customers and ensure that it serves the wishes and demands of TTS customers and at the same time to be aware of negative feedbacks and resolve them at the soonest possible time.

P&G divides its seines activities into three global units: health and wellbeing, household care and beauty. P&G is an American corporation based in Cincinnati, Ohio, which manufactures wide and popular range of products. More than three billion times a day, Procter and Gamble brands interact with the lives of people globally. This happens because the company offers superior quality branded products and value to enhance the lives of people. This results in profits, leadership sales, value creation and revenues, improving lives of shareholders, employees and communities in which Procter and Gamble prospers.

P&G manufactures and markets more than 300 branded products. The company operates in more than 80 countries, employs nearly 135,000 people, and possesses a wide consumer base in more than 135 countries. P&G started as a small family runs soap and candle Business Company now offer products and services of excellent quality and value to customers in 135 countries. P&G is a public limited company. The company lists its stocks on London, New York Consumer Behavior By hookiest and Paris Stock exchanges. P&G is tomato tort spending million dollars tort its search activities.

Its continuous efforts in innovation and research provide a value and a wide range of products for consumers to select. P&G also pioneered its leadership in the field of market research, investigation of consumer needs and product appeal. On January 27, 2005, P&G acquired the Gillette Company, engaged in the production of male grooming products that include blades, shaving preparations, razors, and also female grooming products. The company successfully acquired several leading companies in the last two decades that show its powerful market reference. These acquisitions assisted in including several powerful brands in its portfolio.

Bigger acquisitions such as lams, Claire, Tamarinds and smaller acquisitions such as Moist Mates helped introducing some popular brands such as Fresh Mates and Crest Spicebush, an electronic tooth brush. P&G presented net income of $13. 4 on revenue of $79 billion. With $ 79 billion global sales in fiscal 2010 and 25 brands with $1. 5 billion of sales each, Procter and Gamble divides its business into three Gabs (global business units) that produce and develop products ender the control of the corporate group, which handles the administration and operation of the company (Procter and Gamble 2010). Consumer Affect and Cognition Consumer influence and cognition imply to two types mental responses that a consumer demonstrates towards stimuli and conditions in their environment. Affect implies to their feelings regarding stimuli and conditions, for example, whether they possess liking or disliking for a product or service. Cognition is a state of mind that implies to their thinking that is their beliefs regarding a specific product. Affective espouses can be unfavorable or favorable and can differ in intensity.

For example, affect comprises acute emotions, anger or love, less or strong state of feeling such as frustration or satisfaction, moods such as relaxation or boredom, and mild attitudes such as liking Tide detergent powder or disliking other detergents (Seaports, 1995). P&G marketers design marketing strategies to establish positive affection to enhance the probability that a consumer will purchase Tide and other brands. Cognition implies to the mental structures and processes included in understanding, thinking, ND interpreting events and stimuli.

It comprises the beliefs, meanings, and knowledge that consumers have established from their experiences and stored in their minds. It also contains the processes that associates with giving attention and understanding events and stimuli, recollecting past incidents, evaluations forming and making buying decisions and options (Fitzgerald, 1963). Although several features of cognition are conscious thinking processes while others are essentially automatic, P&G often tries to attract attention of consumers to Tide detergent and knowledge with new added features.

For example, Tide ads often features regarding the safety features of a product to increase consumers’ knowledge about the contents contained in the detergent so that they are confident while buying Tide detergent. The next section explains a comprehensive treatment of consumer cognition and affects and offers the significance of understanding them for designing marketing strategies (Procter and Gamble, 2010) Learn more about T ide Detergent mission statement

2. Consumer Behavior

Consumer behavior implies the physical actions of consumers, which can be directly measured and observed by other.

It is also known as overt behavior to differentiate it room mental activities, which is not possible to observe directly, tort instance, thinking. Hence, buying a Tide or another detergent includes behavior; deciding whether to buy or not is overt behavior since it cannot be noticed by others. Examples of such behaviors involve shopping Tide on the internet or at stores and using credit cards. Behavior is crucial for designing effective marketing strategy as only through behavior sales can be achieved and revenue earned.

Although P has developed many marketing strategies for Tide to impact consumers’ cognition and affect, but Hess strategies should result in overt consumer behavior to add value for the company. Hence, it is crucial for Procter and Gamble marketers to understand, analyze overt behavior, which forces them to buy Tide or drifts away from Tide. This can be possible in several ways, by offering superior quality, lower prices, and greater convenience, easier availability, and superior services.

Marketers can also impact overt behavior by offering branded products that are trendier, sexier, more popular, and more prestigious than competitive offerings (Hawkins, 2004).

2. 1 Consumer Environment

The consumer environment implies to external stimuli of consumers, which affects what they feel, think, and do. It contains social stimuli, for instance the action others in subcultures, cultures, reference groups, social classes, and families, which impact consumers. It also contains other physical stimuli, for instance, stores, advertisements, products, and signs that can alter consumers’ feelings, actions, and thoughts.

This behavioral response creates attachment with Tide in the mind of consumers and while buying a detergent the memory of a consumer recalls this attachment with Tide that initiates its ultimate buying. The consumer environment is significant to marketing of Tide because it is the approach through which stimuli are placed to impact consumers. For instance, Tide commercials during TV shows are meant to persuade and remind their target customers to buy tide. P marketers even send free samples, catalogs, coupons, and advertisements to bring them into consumer’s environment.

Stores are distribution centers are close to populated areas to bring them in the vicinity of consumers. Web sites also forms a part of consumers’ environment if they are accessed (Baggage, 1999).

3. Relationships among Affect and Cognition, Behavior, and the Environment In figure 1, each of three elements connected by a two headed arrow signifies that any of either can cause or an influence of a change in one or more of the other elements. For instance, a consumer looks an advertisement for a new detergent, which promises to remove stains better than Tide.

This advertisement changes the thinking of the consumer regarding the new brand and leads to buy it. In such a case, a shift in the consumers’ environment (influenced by the advertisement of the new detergent) that led to a change in behavior (the customer having bought the new brand). A shift in detergent buying could also come in other ways. For instance, a consumer obtains free samples of a new detergent vide the mail, likes it, tries it, and ultimately buy this. In such instant, the free sample acting as a change in the consumers’ environment led to use and purchase leading to a change in behavior.

This ultimately led to a shift in the consumers’ cognition and affect (liking of the new brand). Likelihood is that a consumer does not have the satisfaction with current brand of detergent. On the next trip to store, the consumer looks other brands and chooses one, which promises o clean clothes whiter. In this case, a change in cognition and detect due to dissatisfaction brought a change in the consumer’s environment while inspecting other brands that led to a behavioral change (buying of a different detergent).

Figure 1: Three Elements necessary for Consumer Analysis Although changes can take place in other forms, these examples serve to demonstrate the concept of consumers that consumer processes do not only includes an interactive and a dynamic system, but it also represents a reciprocal system. In a reciprocal system, any of such elements can be a cause or an effect of a change at any time. Cognition and affect can cause a change in behavior of consumer and environments.

Behavior can cause consumer’s cognition, affect, and environments (Wright, 1973). These environments can subsequently change affect, cognition, and behavior of consumers. Viewing these processes as a reciprocal system including behavior, cognition and affect and the environments possess five implications. Firstly, any complete analysis of a consumer must regard all three elements and the appropriate relationship among them. Describing consumers in terms of one or two elements is not complete.

For instance, to consider that cognition and affect always result behavior and ignore the influence of the environment under valuates the dynamic nature of the consumption process. Likewise, to consider that the environment regulates behavior without consideration of cognition and affect also provides an incomplete description. In designing the development strategies for Tide, P&G should consider an analysis of all three elements, relationship, and the direction of changes that may occur some times. Secondly, any of three elements will be the starting point for conducting consumer analysis of Tide.

Although marketers emphasize that strategies should begin by analyzing the particular overt consumer behaviors and must perform to attain marketing objectives, useful analysis can start with cognition and affect by researching what consumers feel and thinks regarding issues such as several brands of a product. Besides, the analysis could be started with consumers’ environments by finding changes in their worlds, which could alter their cognition, affect, and behavior. However, irrespective of the starting point, it becomes essential that all three elements and their relationships need to be analyzed.

Thirdly, since his view is dynamic, it acknowledges that consumers can likely shift to buy other detergent brands. Although the shift to other brands may be temporary for a certain period, others may shift their affect, behavior, cognition, and environments often. Hence, maintaining abreast of consumers demands continuous research to find changes, which could impact marketing strategies of Tide detergent. Forth, here the example emphasizes on a single consumer, but this analysis is applicable at several levels. It is useful to analyze groups of consumers, which constitute a target market or an entire society (Salvoes, 1990).

The Cognitive Response Approach of Tide

The most popular methods adopted by P for analyzing consumer’s cognitive processing of ad messages is assessing their cognitive responses, the thoughts that come to them when viewing, reading and hearing a communication. These thoughts can be scaled when a consumer verbally report or write down his reaction to a message. The supposition is that these thoughts indicate the consumer cognitive reactions or processes and ultimately shape rejection or acceptance of the message from advertisement.

The cognitive response approach is widely used by both advertising practitioners and P&G marketers. Its touch NAS been to tint the types tot responses generated by an advertising message and how these responses associate to attitudes toward the Tide brand and purchase intentions. The researchers have identified the three categories of cognitive responses such as source oriented, product/message and advertisement execution thoughts and their relation to intentions and attitudes. Product message of Tide directed at consumers are the claims made in communication.

P&G, while communicating a message focuses on two responses that ad can generate such as counter arguments and support arguments. Counter-arguments are thoughts a consumer possess, which are opposed to the position of a message. For instance, in an advertisement for Tide a consumer can express disapproval or disbelief of a claim made by Tide as a consumer may not believe that any detergent can remove the stains. While others who view this advertisement may produce support arguments that confirm the claims in the message, which supports that Tide looks a remarkably good product, and there is no harm in trying this product.

While designing advertisements for Tide, P&G emphasize to generate supportive arguments so that the product leaves a lasting impact in the minds of consumers (George, 2000).

4. Tide Creating Customer Relationship through Affective and Behavioral Responses Establishing customer added value and building strong customer retention seem pretty lofty especially for a fortune company such as P&G that sells mundane, low involvement products such as shampoos and detergents, fabric softeners and toothpastes, and disposable diapers and toilet paper. Is it truly possible to develop a meaningful affective relationship with a detergent powder Tide?

For Procter and Gamble, the resounding answer is affirmative. For instance, P&G Tide detergent introduced in Canada in 1949 evolutionists the detergent industry as the first detergent to adopt synthetic compounds instead chemicals for cleaning clothes. Does Tide actually help get clothes cleaned? For decades, marketers of Tide have positioned the brand in the market on superior functional performance by hitting advertisements showing comparisons of before and after cleaning, but as it turns out, Tide has a lot of meaning to consumers than merely removing grass stains from clothes.

For several years, Procter and Gamble has been striving to unearth and cultivate deep emotional affections that customers have with its products (Pharyngeal, 1998). Three years ago, Procter and Gamble marketing chief Jim Strange supported that Tide must speak to consumers’ eye-to-eye instead relentlessly driving product benefits. Strange further stated the company needs thinking beyond consuming and analyzing the role of the brand in consumers’ lives. Behind this strategy, there is a deep realization that competitors can easily copy benefits of a product, such as cleaning detergent.

However, they cannot imitate consumers’ feelings for a brand. Thus, Procter and Gamble true strength lies in the affective and emotional relationship, which it builds between Tide and consumers (Procter and Gamble, 2010). With this motive, the Tide marketers decided that there is a need of a new message for the brand. Tides brand share in the market is although large but has been stagnant for many years. Moreover, as a result of its hard penetrating functional ads, consumers noticed the Tide as arrogant, very male, and self absorbed.

The brand Tide demanded to recapture the minds and hearts of its prime female consumers. Hence, the marketers set out to tint a deeper understanding tot the emotional connection, which tamales have with their clothes, rather than carrying out the research surveys and usual focus groups. With this clear objective, marketing experts of Procter and Gamble along with its longtime associated ad agency, Stitch ; Stitch, took out a three week consumer involvement. They approached women in cities of North America when they worked shopped, and ran errands, and held discussions to find out what is beneficial to them.

The prime aim was to understand the role of laundry in women’s lives and their laundry habits. Form the consumers immersions, marketing team observed that, although Tide and laundry are not of prime significance in consumers’ lives, females are highly emotional and sensitive regarding their clothing. For instance, there were moments of Joy; divorced woman stated when she received a whistle from her boyfriend while wearing her sexiest outfit. According to P, everyday fabrics in females’ lives have meaning and touch in several ways.

Women adore taking care of fabrics and clothes because they contain memories, emotions, feelings and stories. The marketers decided that Tide can do much than solve women’s problems of laundry. It can provide a difference they truly care about the fabrics, which interact with their lives. With the understanding of these insights, Procter and Gamble designed an award winning ad campaign based on the theme “Tide recognizes fabrics best”. Rather than comparisons of previous Tide advertising and unfeeling demonstrations, the new Tide campaign used rich visual imagery and emotional connections.

For instance, P developed the campaign for the introduction of Ultra Tide that featured famous TV anchor Kelly Rip. This campaign touched the emotions and evoked affective response and had been Tides strongest unusual creation in the recent history. The consumers could relate to Kelly Rip and also the values she personifies (Huh, 1999). The “Tide recognizes fabrics best” has little to say regarding cleaning, but the message conveys that Tide allows women emphasize on life’s prime issues.

This advertising created the right mix of soft sell and emotional connections in the women’s lives. In one of its commercial, a pregnant woman drops ice-cream accidentally on one last t-shirt that still fits. The ad asserts that it is Tide with Bleach to your rescue so that all your laundry can outlast carvings. Other Tide advertising have shown touching scenes of a female first holding a baby in her arms and then cuddling passionately with her hubby, to the tuned of “Be My Baby. ” Tide advertising can mean to create the difference between smelling like a woman and smelling like a mom.

In advertising, a woman is playing with her daughter at a park in her white slacks, thanks to her confidence that she has in Tide with Bleach. Here, in this advertising, P has been successful in touching the affective and emotional responses of women by bringing much closer to Tide and awaking their cognitive feelings towards the brand for a life time (Bator, 1986). This article observes and the question: Is it possible to create an affective and emotional relationship with a detergent brand? For P, its answer is affirmative.

Some critics wonder if P is adopting this relationship much seriously and in a right way. All companies want to project their brand to this type of more rarefied level, but at the end detergent remains detergent.

Undoubtedly, it is hard to hold arguments with the success of Tide as no other brand is more successful than Tide. Tide consumers do not care whether laundry color dates. Tide continues to remain tot top among all detergents because there is an emotional and affective connection to the brand message, which furthers way back to its origination as part of American ultra heritage.

At the end, this paper concludes that consumer’s cognitive and affective feelings regarding the advertising may be Just as significant as their attitudes toward the brand in deciding effectiveness of an advertisement. The significance of affective responses and reactions evoked by the advertisement rely on various factors, among them are the character of the advertisement and the processing type engaged in by the consumer. Many advertisers by understanding the insight of consumer behavior use emotional advertising to generate affective responses as the theme of their creative strategy.

There has been a tremendous rise and increase in the e-commerce. E-commerce refers to Electronic commerce which includes buying and selling of goods carried out electronically mostly on the Internet and World Wide Web. E-commerce concept Is In its full swing in India. The people of India have welcomed the E-commerce concept. There is continuous increase in the buying and selling of goods on the Internet. Cryptographic Segmentation of Indian People And E-commerce Segmentation is dividing the market In to different segments In order to select the argent customers.

Market can be segmented on various bases. Cryptographic Segmentation is done on the basis of lifestyle of the people. In India there been a continuous change in the lifestyle of the people found depending upon the new trend. There is a vast effect and attraction of the western culture on the lifestyle of people. In India the lifestyle of the people Is deferent from people that live in the cities and that in the village. The lifestyle of the people living in cities is far more advanced than villagers due to higher facilities and the adaptability of the quicker hang by the urban population.

The E-commerce sector had made a very good use of this segment. The people In clues easy and quick access to Internet and there Is also a large use of internet found in this place. They readily and quickly accept the new trends In fashion. The latest clothing trends seen in the movie or any of the glamour world personality is rightly kept in to sell by the shopping sites like Gabon, Mantra, and Shopper’s etc. For Ex-: Lean, Margins and Varian Divan these popular young superstars of plywood followed and liked youngsters were selected s brand ambassador of Gabon.

Also various imitation Jewelry is being sold online keeping in mind the likings of urban ladies who enjoys wearing new patterns of jewelry. Jaywalkers. Com is an example of such a shopping site where only Jeweler Is being sold. Also in order to wait in long lines and going out for having your favorite fast food giants like Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Sub Way and various other have enabled online ordering. The availability of the products of various International brands like Emperor Airman, Role and other luxurious brands shows the sign of success of e-commerce.

Looking at the lifestyle of urban citizens who like to have dinner out every weekend the coupon’s are made available at sites like Group of big v star hotels like Grand Hyatt, which offer weekends buffet dinners. Demographic Segmentation of Indian People and E-commerce In Demographic segmentation the market is segmented on the basis of the Age, Gender, Education, Religion, Nationality, Income, Social Class etc. Starting with the major head Age It has been found that it Is the young generation vastly use Internet on their laptops and mobile phones.

They are also the biggest fashion crazy people OFF Gabon, Mantra and Jungle. On the basis of the gender also a separate segment for men, women and children’s can be found on the sites like eBay, Amazon etc. Also there are sites like www. Sheepishness. Com are only for ladies. Keeping in mind the cultural and religious thought and its heavy impact on the Indian customers there are various products like beautiful lightings being sold at the time of dalai also colors and Pushchairs are being sold at the time of Hold.

Even idols of god are being made available and the clothing at various festivals such as China Chili and Karts t the time of Invariant etc. For Ex-:Trades. Com Conclusion Various other factors that stand to the success of e-commerce in India are the positive thought in the minds of the people about the originality of the product, also giving the trial option, warranty and cash on delivery and cash back guarantee increases the faith in customers and encourage them to buy online.

It has been also perceived that the online price is less as compared to the retail outlets due to the eradication of middlemen in between. Also looking at the rush at various public laces in cities as well as villages the government has also enabled online booking of tickets, voter ID cards and passport application facility on the internet. Anus 2-: Marketing Mix is the combination of elements of marketing and the role played by each and every element in the process of marketing There is difference in the behavior of a customer from a city and from that of a customer of a village.

Product The villages buy with concept of fulfilling Just necessity and the urban people buy with the concept of fulfilling necessity and also for standard, wish, pleasure and comfort. The products that would be kept for sale in to villagers will mostly comprise of the goods related to the basic necessities such as grains, cloths and various other products that would be a part of their day today life. The products would also be such that which the villagers would easily prefer. For Ex-: The sale of olive oil would not be good in villages as compared to cities.

Studies say that villages have great brand loyalty from that of cities. It is important to keep the products of customer’s preference in the store. Place The villagers do not have goods means of transportation so the place to be chosen or the retail store must be near to the village as well as the place must be not far away from the main road. As the villagers own vehicles like cycle and motor cycle in due to increase in the transpiration facility and ownership of cars it is easy for them to travel a little longer distance.

Price Price would play an important factor in the success of the store. The villagers earns from agriculture and other allied activities. The income of the villager is low as compared to that of an urban citizen. The purchasing power of villager is less due to his income. So it is to be kept in mind that the products to be sold must not be of high price. For this individual packets off product such as biscuits should be sold rather than that of family packets. Even though they can even be reduced in a pack of 4 of 5 biscuits per pack.

Promotion Promotion in villages should be done on mediums such as at bus stations, writing on the buses, radios, television etc. Personal Marketing at the time of various meals in the villages can also be very useful. Personal Marketing will have a greater impact on the village customers as all their doubts can be cleared and all the description of the reduce can be given. Also various local events like night matches which happen in villages can be sponsored. In cities the promotion can be done on internet, Railway stations and holdings.

People People refer to the persons who would directly do the marketing to the village customers. It is to be kept in mind that the persons selected for personal marketing must be having additional skills like the knowing the local language of the village. It would be best if the marketing person selected would be one among the village which would help in more effective communication with the villagers. In cities it not important to find a person from the area itself and he must know any local language.

Process Process is a secret key which can help in winning the minds of the customers. Suppose a customer from the buys a electronic product from the retail store and it has an onsite warranty, it needs to be registered online and there is a need of demo for the usage of the new product then the at the time of the selling the product the online warranty activation can be done at the retail shop itself, the customer can be given the facility to talk to the customer care and confirm his registration process and he demo can also be shown at the shop.

As the city customers are well educated they can themselves do this by their own. Physical Evidence Physical evidence refers to the surrounding environment. It is important that the sales persons have a proper uniform look clean, they have their cards, and the store has a wider space and a good interior. Physical evidence is much essential in cities as the service expected by the people is more due to competition in the cities while due to less competition in the villages some of the factors like uniform and other big store space can be overlooked.

Define motivation by using a figure to explain the motivation process 2. Discuss the statement “marketers don ;t create needs; needs pro-exist marketers. ” Can marketing efforts change consumers’ needs? Why or why not? Can marketing efforts arouse consumer needs? If yes, how? 1 Marketers do not create needs, though in some instances they make consumers more keenly aware of unfelt needs. The tact that many new products take illustrates that marketers often do not recognize or understatements needs and that they cannot create a need for products.

On the other hand, there are countless examples of products that have succeeded in thematically because they fulfill consumer needs. 2 Marketing efforts are generally not designed to change consumer needs but to create or trigger “wants” for products/services that countermeasures then purchase to satisfy needs that already exist. Market-reincorporates use consumer research to uncover relevant needs, translate thiamine “wants” by designing appropriate products and services, and position 3. Explain two types of goal by giving an example. Eating fruits is healthy for your body.

Lead Goals = eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables will lead me to the bigger goal. Lag Goals = the easy to measure, end goal that lags behind the total results of the smaller goals all added together. When I step on the scales I will know if I have, or have not reached the goal. LAG Goals are: They are easy to measure. You either make it or you don’t. Then often are associated with The Big Goal (hence the term “Big Hairy Audacious Goal … Or BAG) They tend to extend out over a longer period of time. They are often seen as “Team” or “Organization” goals. LEAD Goals are:

Predictable and Influence. They lead to the bigger, LAG goal. The question is asked, “what two or three things can you do to move you toward the bigger goal? ” Shorter term, usually a week or less in nature. These are often the efforts of an individual, and sometimes a Team. Chiffon’s – Consumer Behavior – Chapter 4&5 By garnering 4 Explain two types tot motives by giving examples tot the advertisement used Informational Advertising Presumably every advertisement includes some element of information, be it nothing more than the identity of the advertised brand.

We define an informational advertisement, however, as one which provides consumers with factual (I. E. , presumably verifiable), relevant brand data in a clear and logical manner such that they have greater confidence in their ability to assess the merits of buying the brand after having seen the advertisement. An important aspect of this definition is that an advertisement can be designed with the intention of providing information, but it does not become an informational ad unless it is perceived as such by consumers.

Rather than residing wholly within the advertisement, this definition resides in the consumers’ perceptions of the ad’s contents. Transformational Advertising A transformational advertisement is one which associates the experience of using (consuming) the advertised brand with a unique set of psychological characteristics which would not typically be associated with the brand experience to the same degree without exposure to the advertisement. Thus, advertisements in this category “transform” the experience of using the brand by endowing this use with a particular experience that is different from that of using any similar brand.

It is the advertisement itself which links the brand with the capacity to provide the consumer tit an experience that is different from the consumption experience that would normally be expected to occur without exposure to the advertisement. 5. Explain the “Moscow Hierarchy of Needs. What are three types of products related to more than one level of Measles Hierarchy of Needs. Motivation theory which suggests five interdependent levels of basic human needs (motivators) that must be satisfied in a strict sequence starting with the lowest level.

Physiological needs for survival (to stay alive and reproduce) and security (to feel safe) are the most fundamental and most pressing needs. They are followed by social needs (for love ND belonging) and self-esteem needs (to feel worthy, respected, and have status). The final and highest level needs are self-actualization needs (self-fulfillment and achievement). Its underlying theme is that human beings are ‘wanting’ beings: as they satisfy one need the next emerges on its own and demands satisfaction and so on until the need for self-actualization that, by its very nature, cannot be fully satisfied and thus does not generate more needs.

Food is one of the physiological needs for survival, but in my opinion it is also a self- fulfillment need if you eat expensive “Gourmet” food. Chapter 5 Questions: 1. Explain the definition of personality and its nature. General: Relatively stable, consistent, and distinctive set tot mental and emotional characteristics a person exhibits when alone, or when interacting with people and his or her external environment. 2. Contrast the major characteristics of the following personality theories: a) Freudian theory, b) neo-Freudian theory, and c) trait theory.

In your answer, illustrate how each theory is applied to the understanding of consumer behavior a) Freudian (or psychoanalytic) theory is based on the premise that subconscious deeds, especially biological and sexual needs, are the center of human motivation and personality. Because of its clinical origin, this theory stresses measurement of personality through qualitative or subjective approaches (e. G. , projective techniques). The major application of Freudian theory to consumer behavior is Ernest Etcher’s work. ) Neo-Freudian theory contends that social relationships are fundamental to the development of personality. For example, Adler proposed that overcoming feelings of inferiority is the major factor in human motivation, and Sullivan viewed reduction of anxiety as a key factor. The most systematic application of neo-Freudian theory in consumer re-s-e-a-r-c-h is the development of the CAD scale-?a personality test based on Karen Hornet’s proposition that individuals can be classified into three personality types: compliant, aggressive, and detached.

These personality types and the re-s-e-a-r-c-h findings of studies that used the CAD scale are described in the text. C) Trait theory, in contrast to Freudian and neo-Freudian theories, is quantitative in its orientation. It views personality as a set of enduring traits rather than the result of pugnacious drives. These traits are usually expressed in numerical scores obtained on self-administered paper-and-pencil tests. Single trait personality tests have been particularly successful in adding to the understanding of consumer behavior, and such tests are increasingly being developed for use in consumer re-s-e-a-r-c-h.

Personality traits have been linked to many consumption behaviors including purchase patterns of various products (but seldom to consumption of specific brands), store choices, purchasing foreign made products, and to differentiating between innovators and non-innovator . How would you explain the fact that, although no two individuals have identical personalities, personality is sometimes used in consumer research to identify distinct and sizable market segment No two individuals have identical personalities, but everybody has almost the same needs.

There are different market groups where every human being fit in one of those. Everybody needs food, but there are different groups tot tastes. And there are also monopolists as an example: Apple. Their target group are students, photographers, IT-Specialists and everybody you want to life the “Apple Style of Life”. So they are comparison a lot of people in their segment. 4. Describe personality trait theory. Give five Examples of how personality traits can be used in consumer research. The trait approach to personality is one of the major theoretical areas in the study of personality.

The trait theory suggests that individual personalities are composed broad dispositions. If someone asked you to describe the personality of a close friend, what kind of things would you say? A few things that might spring to mind are descriptive terms such as outgoing, kind and even- tempered. All of these represent traits. A trait can be thought of as a relatively stable characteristic that causes individuals to behave in certain ways. Innovativeness, Dogmatism, Social Character, Need for uniqueness, optimum simulation level 1 .

Describe the type of promotional message that would be most suitable for each of the following personality market segments and give an example of each: (a) highly dogmatic consumers, (b) inner-directed consumers, (c) consumers with high optimum stimulation levels, (d) consumers with a high need for cognition, and (e) consumers who are visualize versus consumers who are verbalizes. ) HIGHLY DOGMATIC CUSTOMERS: It is a personality trait that measures the degree of rigidity (versus openness) that individuals display towards unfamiliar and towards information that is contrary to their own established beliefs .

A person who is high in dogmatism approaches the unfamiliar defensively while the person who is low in dogmatism will rarely consider unfamiliar or opposing beliefs. Consumers who are low in dogmatism I. E. Closed minded persons generally prefer innovative products to traditional alternatives while consumers who are high in dogmatism prefer established products rather than the innovative product alternatives. So here the Promotional message towards which the highly dogmatic customers are more receptive is Ads for new products or services that contains an appeal from the authoritative figure.

So here the marketer uses celebrities and experts to their new product advertising for making it easier for the potentially reluctant customers. While in contrast low dogmatic customers who have high innovativeness seems to be receptive towards messages that stress factual differences, product benefits and other forms of product usage information ) Inner-directed consumers tend to rely on their own inner values or standards in evaluating new products and are likely to be consumer innovators.

Inner-directed people seem to prefer ads that stress product features and personal benefits, which enabling them to use their own values and standards in evaluating products. C) Consumers with a high optimum stimulation level are more open to risk-taking, more likely to be innovative, try products with many novel features, and shop in new retail outlets. Consumers Witt high OSLO are likely to respond deplorably to promotional assuages stressing more rather than less risk, novelty, or excitement. ) Consumers with a high need for cognition are ones who often crave or enjoy thinking. They are likely to be responsive to ads that are rich in product-related information or De-s-c-r-I-p-Zion and are unresponsive to the auxiliary or contextual aspects of an advertisement. E) marketers should stress visual dimensions in attracting visualize (I. E. , consumers who prefer visual information, products that stress the visual) and detailed De-s-c-r-I- p-t-ions and explanations in targeting verbalizes (I. E. , consumers who prefer written and verbal product information).

The message ‘ketchup zaroori’ is aimed at communicating the same. We have not Just said ‘ketchup zaroorl’, we have said ‘National Ketchup zaroorl’ hence our campaign Is not promoting the category but the National Ketchup brand specifically. ” On promoting the 100g sachet to end consumers: “We have had the 100g sachet for a long time but have never promoted it before. Our sachet SKUs (log and 100g) are generally used and distributed by hotels, estaurants and fast food chains.

However we want to encourage impulse buying for this SKU and thus promoted it to the general consumer. Showing this SKU in the lunch boxes of kids is based on the insights we gathered from a LJ&A study we conducted across Pakistan whereby we learned that mothers often put these sachets in their kids’ lunch boxes. ” On out of home and inside home ketchup consumption habits: “The sachet SKUs are generally consumed out of home as they are easy to carry on the go. The bottle and pouch are consumed inside the home and often in arty and dinner settings. A word from the agency – Umair Shams, Account Manager, IAL Saatchi ; Saatchi On changing consumer behaviour for ketchup: “There Is a simple consumer truth In this category: Pakistanis are obsessed with condiments. However, tnere Is a speclTlc conolmenvsauce tnat goes wltn eacn T example imli chutney is consumed with dahl baray, zeera raita with pulao etc. We wanted the Pakistani consumer to make an exception when it comes to National Ketchup and pour it on anything and everything.

Therefore, National Ketchup being the market leader has attempted to expand the usage and frequency of ketchup by showing a variety of snacks and foods that ketchup can be consumed with. The strategy was to show that ketchup is one versatile condiment, and when it’s National Ketchup, there really are no rules. ” On the campaign Jingle: “The Jingle is composed and sung by Shula Hyder from Speed of Sound. Hyder has developed great music for National Foods over the years which includes AaJ Yeh Kounsa Mehmaan Aaya and Rung Bharti Jao. “

content 1 Background1 2 Motivation and Value2 2. 1 Attributes2 2. 2 Outcomes2 2. 3 Values3 3 Reference group3 3. 1 Aspiration reference group3 3. 2 Informal group4 4 Culture and consumption5 4. 1 Supranational culture5 4. 2 National culture5 4. 3 Subculture5 4. 3. 1 Family6 4. 3. 2 Language6 5 Conclusion6 1 Background Social networking has brought a great change in to the way people build relations with others. These sites are online platforms where users can create profiles to provide personal information, exchange individual ideas and share their interests with the others.

Through social networking sites, people can keep in touch with friends despite the long distance and daily bustle. In this way, networking sites change the old communication pattern that people used to communicate face to face. In addition, more internet users accept this new way to build their social ties. According to the Pew Internet’s report on social networking(2011), the number of people using social networking sites raised from 34 of internet users in 2008 to 59% in 2010. Weibo, the second-largest social networking site in China, can be used as a good example to clearly demonstrate this huge success.

It operated by SINA corporation and launched in August 2009. As a microblogging platform, Weibo enables customers publishing, broadcasting and achieving instant information based on their relationship. It does not take too much time for Weibo to get a large number of users. On the second quarter financial report released by SINA Weibo 2012 (cited in LU, 2012), there are 368 millions registered users and 36. 5m daily active users on Weibo by the end of June this year. The first driving force of Weibo to attract massive users is its ideally integrating the functions of Twitter and Facebook.

Weibo require people to publish posts within 140 Chinese characters and enables people to view embedded pictures and media without leaving the original page. The second appealing feature of Weibo is its Micro topics page that groups up all tweets on a certain topic. Similarly, the hottest trends categorization page and the famous people collection page, named Board of Fame and Hall of Celebrity respectively, are third attributor to the success of this site. In following, the means-end chain theory, perceptual model and the self will be applied to explain the achievement of Weibo: Motivation and Value Gutman (1982) presents the Means-end chain that consumer buying behavior determines by fulfilling desired values which could be obtained from the consequence of enjoying the product or service attributes. Desire values could be obtained due to satisfaction of customers in product or services attributes. More specifically, the reason why people consume a certain product/ service is that the nature of the product/ service can generate some outcomes that can achieve individuals’ values. This theory can be used to illustrate the success of Weibo. 2. 1 Attributes

Each product has its own attributes. However, as a microblogging service, the attributes of Weibo is different from that of physical products. What has been provided by the service, rather that what it looks like, is the features for Weibo. According to Sohn and kim (2012), seven features can be used to identify social networking sites: information, share, communication, interaction, entertainment, intimacy and connection. However, in this case, interaction with other users can be regarded as a two way communication and connection to their friends can be described as the result of communication.

Therefore, main attributes for Weibo are information, communication and entertainment. Regards to information, each profile contains personal information like hometown, interests and schools, etc. And individuals can publish feeds about what they think and what they have seen. Users can possibly follow everyone who they are interested in, like super star, corporation CEO, organization. Then, all the new feeds will be shown once customers log on their account. Meanwhile, people can Retweet the message they like, providing such information to their friends who may not know it. By this way, Weibo provides much information for its users.

The second function is communication: users can send immediate message to have chat with friends. Besides this, the opinions of customers are clearly expressed via commenting and replying upon a specific feed. With providing a two way communication among users, people can also enhance their offline social network. Lastly, Weibo provides entertainment functions for users. For instance, there is a medal reward system, where medals can be earned by some simple actions like tweet containing a certain word. Similarly, a gaming portal consisting of various mini web games is provided by this site. 2. 2 Outcomes

After experiencing all functions of Weibo, customers can enjoy serval results. Firstly, people can widen their horizon of knowledge and expand their social network through information attribute. As numerous consumers from all fields of life have opened accounts in Weibo, people can get huge amount of information like business news, social issues and fashion trends. And through sharing personal information and emotions in profiles, Weibo makes it easy to find friends with the same interest. Secondly, with various ways to communicate with others, it is convenient for customers to sustain offline relationships and strength online friendships.

Finally, with a variety of entertainment activities, hanging around Weibo have become a good way for recreation among netizens. 2. 3 Values As above-mentioned attributes and outcomes offer a clue, people consume this microblogging service with the hope to achieve these values: belonging, fun and entertainment, warm relations with others, being well respected, self-respect and security, based on the nine consumer values by Kahle(1989). Firstly, Maslow (1943) defines belonging as a feeling of accepted by other members in a community. As in Weibo, individual can be recognized as a unique person by other users through personal page.

Then, all new friends and old friends form a special community for that user. What the user post will receive friends’ comments, serving as a indicator of acceptance. Next, people can obtain pleasure and recreation in their lives on Weibo. Having a chat with friends, sharing and viewing opinions on current affairs, playing mini online games, and seeing what their friends are doing can make consumers have a rest from their works or studies. Thirdly, people can enhance friendships by using Weibo. Viewing others’ feeds can provide users information about friends’ interests, happiness and sorrows.

People can know clearly what to talk about with each friend. Furthermore, customers can feel respectable from friends. In Weibo, people show their concerns about what you post by viewing and commenting, even retweeting when they like it. 3 Reference group Reference group means groups that have influence on an individual’s attitudes, behavior, beliefs, opinions and values (Thompson & Hickey, 2005). If people in reference group have a positive attitude towards a certain brand, they can use their power to attract more users for that brand.

Therefore, it is essential for one brand to figure out reference groups that exert effects on its target customers and to give a good impression on those groups. In the case of Weibo, the company has successfully used two reference groups, which are aspiration group and informal group, to increase user number. 3. 1 Aspiration reference group Those people who are admired by the public, like actors, athletes, business people, make up the aspiration group (Solomon et. Al 2010). Many companies have used these celebrities in their advertisements or endorsements to promote its brand.

Not surprisingly, Weibo have adopted this tactic along its development to appeal more users. At the initial testing stage, Weibo enhanced its brand awareness by sending out exclusive registration codes to celebrities. The SINA company firstly invited notables, opinion leaders and industry leaders, who are existing customers of SINA blog, to open account in Weibo. Then, each invited celebrity would be asked to send out 20 special invitation codes to his/her friends, encouraging them to log in Weibo. Then, Weibo used those available notable accounts to attract massive fans to open accounts on Weibo.

Consumers hope to get up-to-date information about their idols from following idols’ Weibo profile. “I was a early adopter of Weibo. ” said Iris, a Chinese girl from Management major in Leeds University, “I opened my Weibo account in November 2009. Wanting to know more about my idol–Ashin, a Taiwanese singer, is the main stimulation for me to register in Weibo. With just two or three sentences in a feed, Weibo keep me informed about the daily routines of my idol and let me feel more closer to his life. ” As another attraction to customers, Weibo guarantees authenticity of idol accounts to customers.

All those celebrity accounts would be verified through real-name system before opening, and be added “V” after their user names to distinguish with ordinary users. Furthermore, owing to facilitate users to find their idols easily, Weibo gathered all these approved accounts into one page, named Hall of Celebrity. Until March 2012, there are 165,000 celebrity accounts in Weibo. On 2nd December 2012, the number of fans for the top one celebrity is over 27 million. As can been seen from these features and data, Weibo has paid huge attention on reference groups and gained plenty of users from these groups. . 2 Informal group Besides using aspiration group, Weibo took advantage of informal group to acquire more users. Thanks to more involvement in others’ everyday lives, informal group poses tremendous effects on their consumer behavior, such as whether or not using social networking sites, which specific site to be used. Weibo, just as other social networking sites, want to enable consumers to get connected with their offline friends and meet new friends with same interests. So as to be successful, large customer database should be provided for new users to find friends.

Most of Weibo users firstly know this networking sites from their friends. Another three users’ experiences are used to support this statement. Juliet, a Chinese girl in Advertising and Marketing in Leeds University, said, “I knew Weibo from several friends’ recommendations. They had already opened accounts. With sharing feelings and interesting news no more than 140 characters, my friends found it user-friendly and amusing. So they hoped I could join with them. After one trial, I fell in love with this site. And I have recommended this site to my friends who have not had Weibo account yet. The same with Juliet, other two users opened their accounts because of their friends’ influence. They said, “It is just a habit to keep logging into Weibo to see new feeds from friends. And, if I have not used Weibo while others have, I would feel very outdated. And I also persuaded some of my friends to use Weibo. ” As stated above, individual can be influenced by his/her reference group to register in Weibo, and then become one member of reference group to alter other’s attitude. With this process goes on, Weibo gets an increasing number of users, which leads to its success. Culture and consumption Culture is the learned and shared beliefs and values that influence the formation of attitudes and behaviors among members of a society(). There are three different level of culture: supranational culture, national culture and subculture. The success of Weibo can be explained by these levels. (Baldwin, 2006) 4. 1 Supranational culture Supranational culture aspect can indicate that the success of Weibo is not a exception. Before the launch of Weibo, Twitter, an American microblogging service, has be prevalent in a global scale, with over 18 million users in 009 (Wolfe, 2011). With global growth of internet usage, people have shared a cosmopolitan culture with same beliefs: time-conscious(Hongladarom, 2005). Caring more about time has a strong impact on the habit of writing and reading. People are more willing to write and read posts of daily lives within few sentences. That is a big driving force to the invention of microblogging sites, which provide people to publish feeds in just 140 characters. 4. 2 National culture In this level, because of its Chinese interface, Weibo is exclusively popular in China.

The alteration of national values has led to the success of Weibo. With the affection by western culture, Chinese are becoming increasingly emphasis on liberalism. Freedom has been highly valued in every aspects of life, especially freedom of speech. In the past, only the people with strong power can make their voices heard and it is unable for the public to talk about the government. But Weibo changed this situation by giving the discourse power to common people. In this site, everyone can speak out his/her opinions on trending news and more people can read those ideas with the function of forward.

Also, people can become ‘we media’ to spread out the news around them, which is known by few people but of importance on the society. 4. 3 Subculture Subculture is the same culture shared barely by a small group in a nation/society. It is largely influenced by the personalities of members in that group. In this level, the characteristics of new netizen generation could explain the widespread usage of Weibo. Weibo has designed its website tailoring to characteristics in this subculture. According to the Enfodesk report, customers aged from 20~34 accounted for 76. 52 percent for the Weibo users.

It means that major customers of Weibo are born in 1980s and 1990s, which is a new generation in China after the “only one child” policy. There are there typical elements affecting this culture group. 4. 3. 1 Family In oriental culture, like in China, people put more emphasis on relationships with other. And family is the most important relation that plays a vital role in the formation of personalities. And Child tend to be more self conscious in small families than large families. In China, the structure of family experienced huge changes after the ‘one child’ policy.

The ‘China Population Statistics Yearbook 2000’stated that the family size gradually reduced in scale since the policy and the average number of each family dropped from 4. 51 in 1982 to 3. 58 in 1999. Having only child in their family among the generation of 80s and 90s, parents putted all attention and family resources on their child, which lead to a certain degree of doting on that child. As a result, the new generation is more self-centered, revealing a era of self. And, people in this group wanted to be different from their parents’ generation and tend to more emphasis on the self expression.

The customization feature of Weibo satisfies this value by provide a stage for people to show themselves. Individual can differentiate with others by showing own ideas towards fashion and current affairs, display his/her interests and create personalize profile. 4. 3. 2 Language Special language is other component to form the subculture. In culture among the generation of 80s and 90s, people usually use the internet catchword in their daily conversation. This words can be defined as a peculiar way of saying something which has become established after long use in netizens.

Because of their simplification and humorous, many youth use these special phrases in their feeds in social networking sites. As a result, more users know these catchphrases and spread them out to create even larger influence. Moreover, people need to frequently surf the internet to keep up with the newest famous words because of its time-sensitive. For Weibo, it provide a free place to enhance the popularity of pop words online and vice verse the pop words would attract more users for Weibo. According to Baidao website, Weibo fueled the prevalence of Internet catchwords in 2011. 5 Conclusion

In brief, this essay has discussed three consumer behavior theories, that are the means-end chain, the power of reference group and the three levels of subjective cultures, to explain the success of Weibo. Firstly, Weibo clearly created its major features catering to the desired values of its target customers. With functions of information, communication and entertainment,this site enables people to build self image, get friends’ up-to-date information, enhance social network and have a recreation. Consequently, consumers can fulfill their values of self expression, sense of belonging, entertainment life and self-esteem.

Then, this site have used the reference power of celebrities and friends to attract more users along its development. By firstly encouraging important people to open accounts, Weibo induced thousands of their fans. Similarly, these early users influence their friends to use this service. Finally, supranational culture, national culture and subculture lays a foundation to the achievement of Weibo. The widespread presence of social networking sites could be used to indicate the success of Weibo. And the Chinese national culture and youth culture have speeded up the popularity of Weibo.

Though Weibo is successful in certain degree, there are still some measures which could be taken to enhance its publicity. On one hand, Weibo should provide a internal version for foreigners. Only using Chinese as the instructional language is big problem that leads to the limitation of global users. The fact is that there are increasing number of foreign users who access the website in recent time, such as Boris Johnson–the mayor of London, David Mitchell–the author of Cloud Atlas. However, they can not use the website efficiently because they are not familiar with Chinese language.

So it would be beneficial for Weibo to have another vision using global language. On the other hand, Weibo should try to create some culture based features to allure and keep customers. As can be seen from many famous products, people ReferenceBOYD, D. M. , N. B. ELLISON. 2007. Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication [online]. 13(1), [Accessed 1 December 2012], pp. 210-230. Available from : http://jcmc. indiana. edu/vol13/issue1/boyd. ellison. html. BBLOOK website. 2009. Why Weibo is so popular [online]. [Assessed 8 December 2009].

Available from: http://www. bblook. com/News/touxi/200912/11052. html. DOUBAN WEBSITE. 2011. Top 10 internet catchwords in China 2011 [online]. [Accessed 20 December 2011]. Available from: http://www. douban. com/group/topic/26003562/. GANG,L. 2012. SINA Weibo Reached 368millions Users And $10m Ads Revenue in Q2[online]. [Accessed 17 August 2012]. Available from: http://technode. com/2012/08/17/sina-weibo-reached-368millions-users-and-10m-ads-revenue/. GUTMAN, J. 1982. A means-end chain model based on consumer categorization process. Journal of Marketing[online]. 46(2), [Accessed 26 November 2012], pp. 60-72.

Available from: http://www. jstor. org/discover/10. 2307/3203341? uid=3738032&uid=2&uid=4&sid=21101403686123. HALEY, R. I. 1968. Benefit segmentation: A decision oriented research tool. Journal of Marketing[online]. 32(3), [Accessed 24 November 2012], pp. 30-35. Available from: http://www. jstor. org/discover/10. 2307/1249759? uid=3738032&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21101403686123. KEITH,H. , S. G. Lauren. , R. Lee. , P. Kristen. 2011. Social networking sites and our lives[online]. [Accessed 16 June 2011]. Available from: http://pewinternet. org/Reports/2011/Technology-and-social-networks. aspx. KOTLER,P. 997. Marketing Management-Analysis, Planning, Implementation, and Control. 9th ed. , NJ: Prentice-Hall International, pp. 313-314. LAHLE,W. 2011. Twitter Statistics – 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 How Many People Use Twitter? [online]. [Accessed 09 September 2011]. Available from: http://womeninbusiness. about. com/od/twittertips/a/twitter-statistics. htm. ROKEACH, M. J. 1973. The Nature of Human Values. New York: The Free Press[online]. [Accessed 1 December 2012] Available from:GAO, X. F. 2011. microblogging focus on expanding the user base [online]. [Accessed 27 April 2011]. Available from: http://www. enet. om. cn/article/2011/0427/A20110427852798. shtml. THOMPSON,W. ,H,Joseph. 2005. Society in focus. Boston, MA: Pearson, Allyn &Bacon. Web journal of Chinese management review. 1999. Applying Means-end chains analysis to establishing marketing research variables and marketing strategies. Journal of Chinese management forum [online]. 2(6), [Accessed 5 September 1999], pp. 107-108 . Available from: http://cmr. ba. ouhk. edu. hk/cmr/oldweb/n8/981085. html. ENDODESK WEBSITE. 2011. Industry data: the distribution of users in major Weibo websites in September 2011[online]. [accessed 11 November 2011]. Available from: