Consumer’s Product Knowledge & Involvement Com 343 Consumer Behaviour Consumer’s Product Knowledge & Involvement Chapter Four

MARKETERS NEED TO UNDERSTAND CONSUMER REACTIONS TO PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES AND BENEFITS

LEVELS OF PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE LEVELS OF MEANING ARE FORMED WHEN PEOPLE COMBINE SEPARATE MEANING CONCEPTS INTO LARGER CATEGORIES OF KNOWLEDGE. EG. CAR BRAKING, ACCELERATION, CORNERING = HANDLING FOUR LEVELS OF PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE PRODUCT CLASS MOST INCLUSIVE LEVEL SOFT DRINKS PRODUCT FORM SEVERAL BRANDS COMMON TRAITS - DIET BRAND DIET COKE MODEL HAS UNIQUE FEATURES OR ATTRIBUTES (355ML ALUMINUM CAN) NOTE: MARKETING STRATEGIES TEND TO BE BRAND ORIENTED Why?

BRAND IDENTITY TENDS TO BE COMPANY SPECIFIC HENCE A PROPRIETARY INVESTMENT MARKETING RESEARCH TENDS TO FOCUS ON CONSUMER’S KNOWLEDGE & BELIEFS ABOUT BRANDS MARKETERS NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW CONSUMERS ORGANIZE THEIR PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE IN RELATION TO THESE DIFFERENT LEVELS (CLASS, FORM, BRAND, MODEL) AS SEPARATE PURCHASE DECISIONS CAN BE MADE AT EACH LEVEL.

THREE TYPES OF PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE ATTRIBUTES OR CHARACTERISTICS BENEFITS OR POSITIVE CONSEQUENCES VALUES THAT THE PRODUCT HELPS SATISFY OR ACHIEVE

THE BUNDLE APPROACH PRODUCTS ARE PERCEIVED AS BUNDLES OF ATTRIBUTES (THIS IS HOW MARKETERS SEE THEIR PRODUCT) MARKETERS CAN (AT THEIR PERIL) ADD NEW ATTRIBUTES, REMOVE OLD ONES, MODIFY EXISTING ONES CONCRETE ATTRIBUTES PHYSICAL PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS ABSTRACT ATTRIBUTES SUBJECTIVE INTANGIBLES (STYLE, COLOUR)

PRODUCTS AS BUNDLES OF BENEFITS (THIS IS HOW THE CONSUMER SEES A PRODUCT) WITH FUNCTIONAL CONSEQUENCES TANGIBLE USAGE OUTCOMES PSYCHOSOCIAL CONSEQUENCES HOW YOU FEEL AND HOW OTHERS FEEL ABOUT YOU AFTER USEAGE

CONSUMERS STORE BOTH COGNITIVE & AFFECTIVE EXPERIENCES AS KNOWLEDGE IN MEMORY BENEFITS ARE DESIRABLE CONSEQUENCES OF USEAGE PERCEIVED RISK NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF USEAGE INFLUENCED BY DEGREE OF UNPLEASANTNESS PROBABILITY PHYSICAL RISK (AFTER TASTE, SHOCK) FINANCIAL RISK (WARRANTY LIMITATIONS) PSYCHOSOCIAL RISK (FRIENDS LAUGH)

PRODUCTS AS… VALUE SATISFIER BUNDLES VALUES ARE PEOPLE’S BROAD LIFE GOALS AND NEEDS (AFFECTIVE & COGNITIVE) INSTRUMENTAL VALUES PREFERRED MODES OF CONDUCT (GOOD TIME) TERMINAL VALUES PREFERRED ULTIMATE STATES OF BEING (HAPPY, SUCCESSFUL) CORE VALUES THE CENTRAL ASPECT OF PEOPLE’S SELF-CONCEPT BECAUSE VALUES REPRESENT PERSONALLY RELEVANT CONSEQUENCES THEY ARE OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH STRONG AFFECTIVE RESPONSES.

AN ASSOCIATIVE NETWORK MEANS-END CHAIN IS CREATED FROM SEQUENCED PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE STARTING WITH PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES AND ENDING WITH SELF-RELEVANT VALUES ATTRIBUTES  FUNCTIONAL CONSEQUENCES  PSYCHOSOCIAL CONSEQUENCES  VALUES CONSUMERS DEFINE PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES IN PERSONAL, SUBJECTIVE TERMS

THE MEANS-END MODEL PORTRAYS HOW CONSUMERS CREATE KNOWLEDGE STRUCTURES OF LINKED MEANINGS THAT CONNECT TANGIBLE PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES TO MORE ABSTRACT ATTRIBUTES AND CONSEQUENCES, WHICH IN TURN ARE ASSOCIATED WITH MORE SUBJECTIVE, SELF-RELEVANT VALUES & GOALS. THE MEANS-END MODEL IS PREDICATED ON THE PREMISE THAT THE MEANING OF A PRODUCT ATTRIBUTE IS GIVEN BY ITS CONSEQUENCES.

FOUR IMPORTANT POINTS ABOUT MEANS-END CHAINS CHAINS VARY CONSIDERABLY IN NUMBER AND TYPES OF MEANINGS THAT THEY CONTAIN. NOT EVERY MEANS-END CHAIN LEADS TO AN INSTRUMENTAL OR TERMINAL VALUE (CAN BE INCONCLUSIVE). SOME MEANS-END CHAINS WILL BE INCOMPLETE WITH MISSING LEVELS OF MEANINGS. CONSUMER’S MEANS-END CHAIN CAN HAVE CONFLICTING (POSITIVE & NEGATIVE) ENDS.

MEASURING MEANS-END CHAINS (USING A ‘ONE ON ONE’ PERSONAL LADDERING INTERVIEW) INFORMATION GAINED THRU RESPONSES TO SEQUENTIAL QUESTIONS STARTING WITH PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES (AS THE CONSUMER PERCEIVES THEM) TO ULTIMATELY PERSONAL VALUES AND GOALS. THIS PROCESS HELPS MARKETERS TO UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN EACH LINK OF THE MEANS-END CHAIN FROM OR

ZMET INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE THE PROCESS PRE-INTERVIEW SUBJECT SELECTS PICTURES FROM ADS THAT EXPRESS THEIR THOUGHTS & FEELINGS ABOUT A BRAND, SITUATION OR IDEA. INTERVIEW STORYTELLING: SUBJECT READILY DESCRIBES THE FEELINGS THOUGHTS PORTRAYED BY THE PICTURE (SIC) EXPAND THE PICTURE SIZE TO FURTHER REINFORCE THE FEELING OR THOUGHT. SENSORY IMAGES: SUBJECT ASKED TO SUPPLEMENT EXISTING IMAGES, METAPHOR WITH SENSORY METAPHORS VIGNETTE: SUBJECT IS ASKED TO DEVELOP SHORT STORY / MOVIE WITH THE BRAND HAVING A PART AS A CHARACTER. THIS HUMANIZING OF THE BRAND REVEALS ELEMENTS FOR A BRAND PERSONALITY. DIGITAL IMAGE: SUBJECT MORPHS THE KEY IMAGES FROM THE ADS HE ORIGINALLY CHOSE INTO A COLLAGE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT IMAGES AND PROVIDES A NARRATION OF THEIR PROCESS. THE CONCEPT THRU ILLUSION & TRANSFERENCE TECHNIQUES SUBJECTS EMOTE DEEPER & MORE COMPLEX FEELINGS & BELIEFS THAN THEY COULD/WOULD NORMALLY BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE.

CONSUMERS AND PRODUCT INVOLVEMENT INVOLVEMENT IS THE PRECEIVED IMPORTANCE OR PERSONAL RELEVANCE OF AN OBJECT OR EVENT AND HAS BOTH COGNITIVE AND AFFECTIVE ASPECTS. THE LEVEL OF PRODUCT INVOLVEMENT A CONSUMER EXPERIENCES DURING DECISION-MAKING IS DETERMINED BY THE TYPE OF MEANS-END KNOWLWEDGE THAT IS ACTIVATED IN THAT SITUATION.

THE FOCUS OF THE INVOLVEMENT CAN BE: PRODUCTS, BRANDS PEOPLE (SALESPERSON, BARTENDER) PHYSICAL OBJECTS (ADVERTISEMENTS) ENVIRONMENTS (PUB) ACTIVITIES (SPORTS) MARKETING RELATED ACTIVITY (COUPON COLLECTING, BARGAIN HUNTING) MARKETERS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE FOCUS OF THE CONSUMERS INVOLVEMENT

FACTORS INFLUENCING CONSUMER INVOLVEMENT INTRINSIC SELF-RELEVANCE PERSONAL SOURCES OF INVOLVEMENT MEANS-END KNOWLEDGE STORED IN CONSUMERS’ MEMORY. INFLUENCED BY OTHER PRODUCT FACTORS SUCH AS: SOCIAL VISIBILITY (WILL PEOPLE KNOW) SITUATIONAL SELF-RELEVANCE SITUATIONAL SOURCES OF INVOLVEMENT ARE ASPECTS OF THE IMMEDIATE PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT THAT ACTIVATE IMPORTANT CONSEQUENCES AND VALUES AND LINK THEM TO PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES, THUS MAKING PRODUCTS AND BRANDS SEEM SELF-RELEVANT. MARKETERS NEED TO UNDERSTAND BOTH THE FOCUS OF CONSUMERS INVOLVEMENT AND THE SOURCES THAT CREATE IT.

NOTE: A CONSUMER MAY NOT BE PERSONALLY INVOLVED WITH THE PRODUCT BUT MAY WELL BE INVOLVED WITH THE PROCESS OF BUYING THE PRODUCT E.G. A WATER HEATER. MARKETING STRATEGY IMPLICATIONS MARKETERS NEED TO DEVLOP MARKETING STRATEGIES THAT WILL CONNECT THEIR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO CONSUMERS’ GOALS AND VALUES AND INFLUENCE CONSUMERS’ PRODUCT INVOLVEMENT.

UNDERSTANDING THE KEY REASONS TO PURCHASE USE THE MEANS-END CHAIN TO IDENTIFY THE KEY ATTRIBUTES AND CONSEQUENCES UNDERLYING A CONSUMER’S PRODUCT PURCHASE DECISION EG. FAST FOOD INDUSTRY MAJOR FACTORS ON DECIDING WHERE TO EAT ARE: TIME OF DAY TIME AVAILABLE PRICE

UNDERSTANDING THE CONSUMER/PRODUCT RELATIONSHIP MARKETING MANAGEMENT’S TASK IS TO MANAGE THIS RELATIONSHIP MARKETING STRATEGIES SHOULD BE DSIGNED TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN MEANINGFUL CONSUMER / PRODUCT RELATIONSHIPS AND TO MODIFY RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE NOT OPTIMAL ATTEMPT TO SEGMENT CONSUMERS IN TERMS OF THEIR PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT (A POSITIVE MEANS-END OR FAVOURABLE BELIEFS AND FEELING ABOUT THE BRAND)

FOUR DIFFERENT SEGMENTS BASED ON DIFFERENT PERSONAL SOURCES OF INVOLVEMENT BRAND LOYALISTS - ONE FAVOURITE BRAND AND HIGH LEVELS OF INVOLVEMENT DURING DECISION MAKING. ROUTINE BRAND BUYERS - LOW PERSONAL SOURCES OF INVOLVEMENT BUT DO HAVE A FAVOURITE BRAND BASED ON OTHER TYPES OF CONSEQUENCES (EASE OF PURCHASE) INFORMATION SEEKERS - POSITIVE MEANS-END KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE CATEGORY. LITTLE BRAND LOYALTY. BRAND SWITCHERS - LOW PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT WITH EITHER A BRAND OR THE CATEGORY. RESPOND TO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS SUCH AS PRICE OR PROMOTION

INFLUENCING PERSONAL SOURCES OF INVOLVEMENT REQUIRES THAT… MARKETERS UNDERSTAND THE MEANS-END KNOWLEDGE THAT MAKES UP A CONSUMERS’ PERSONAL SOURCES OF INVOLVEMENT, THEY CAN DESIGN PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES THAT CONSUMERS WILL CONNECT TO IMPORTANT CONSEQUENCES AND VALUES. EG CHRYSLER’S MINI VAN. INFLUENCING SITUATIONAL SOURCES MARKETERS CAN USE NUMEROUS STRATEGIES SEMI-ANNUAL CLEARANCE SALES PREMIUMS LINK PRODUCT TO A SOCIAL CAUSE