1) Purpose of your paper To explore the psychology behind effective marketing.

2) Thesis Understanding the irrational tendencies of the human subconscious is essential for
effective and successful marketing.
3) Evolution of American Marketing
a) Argument 1: Freud
i)
Evidence:
(1) As the father of psychoanalysis and critic of all things American, he was an unwilling
contributor to the rise of Western consumer culture.
(2) He argued that people are governed by irrational and unconscious urges, therefore altering their
behavior.
ii)
Explain how it relates to thesis: In the American business world, there were public relations
campaigns inspired by Freudian ideals of the all-controlling human-subconscious.
b) Argument 2: Bernays
i)
Evidence:
(1) Father of public relations
(2) Linked Freuds theory with practice For instance, Berneys linked smoking to womens rights,
fostering an empowering sense of independence within the female consumer.
ii)
Explain how it relates to thesis: In his written Propaganda, Bernays hypothesized that by
understanding the group mind it would be possible to manipulate peoples behavior without
their even realizing it.
c) Argument 3: Ditcher
i)
Evidence:
(1) Ernest Dichter believed that most people have absolutely no idea why they buy things. He
believed that to understand what truly motivated the consumer, it was necessary to get them to
talk at length about their everyday habits. Instead of subjecting people to many questionnaires,
he prefered the deeper, more psychoanalytical approach of in-depth interviews.
(2) Ditcher understood that every product has an image, a soul, and is bought not only for the
mere purpose that it serves but for the values that it appears to embody. For, our possessions are
extensions of our own personalities, which serve as a kind of mirror which reflects our own
image (Sex and Advertising Retail Therapy, 2011). Dichters message to other advertisers was
to figure out the personality of the product in order to figure out how to market it. Individuals
seek out products that correspond with the group that they want to associate with, for every
object has a special meaning that often relates to sex, insecurity, or a desire for prestige (Sex
and Advertising Retail Therapy, 2011).
ii)
Explain how it relates to thesis: Time magazine described Dichter as the first to apply to
advertising the real psychology that tapped into the hidden desires and urges of the consumer.
Dichter chalked up his own success to the importance of examining not how people should
behave but how they do behave.
4) Theories
a) Argument 1: Brand Zealots
i)
Evidence:
(1) For it has been suggested that individuals sometimes form relationships with brands in much of
the same way in which they form relationships in a social context. Brand zealots are individuals

(2)
ii)

b)
i)
(1)

(2)

ii)

c)
i)
(1)

ii)

5)
a)
i)

who develop a relationship with a particular brand that goes well beyond the fulfillment of
functional needs (Aggarwal, 2004).
Brand zealots are militant in their commitment to their brand, creating positive word of mouth
for the brand and experiencing the products to the fullest.
Explain how it relates to thesis: If a brand betrays their core values, then a trust is broken. If
brand zealots feel betrayed by a brand, they could possibly launch frontal attacks on the
company (Rozanski et al., 1999). Therefore, brand managers are required to act as chaperones
of these relationships, for they have the difficult task of attempting to strike a balance between
commitment to the core of the franchise and the desire to reach out to new segments
(Rozanski et al., 1999). Currently, companies spend billions of dollars in creating positive
feelings towards brands in the form of advertising.
Argument 2: Brand Evangelicalism
Evidence:
A brand evangelicalist is a consumer who communicates positive information, ideas, and
feelings concerning a specific brand freely, and often times fervently, to others in a desire to
influence consumption behavior. (Doss)
It is an extension of positive word-of-mouth communication Although word-of-mouth
communication is not necessarily founded on a persuasive viewpoint, brand evangelism is a
mode of persuasion as the evangelist acts as an unpaid spokesperson of the brand. (Doss)
Explain how it relates to thesis: Leads to engagement with both consumers and with the brands
company These communications may include complaints about the brand and potential
solutions to those concerns. True devoted brand consumers and brand evangelists can even
continue with the brand long after the brand has been discontinued by the originating company.
(Doss)
Argument 3: Emotional Loyalty
Evidence:
Technically, consumers cross the threshold from a mere brand relationship into emotional
loyalty when they animate the brand, thus giving it quasi-human qualities and relating to the
brand in the same way in which they relate to human beings (Rozanski et al., 1999). Crossing
such a threshold leads to a deeper bond, which has the potential for negative feelings of betrayal
or infidelity.
Explain how it relates to thesis: Most brands have some proportion of emotionally loyal
consumers within their franchise, and yet there is no one specific pattern or sequence for forming
emotional loyalty. Professor Susan Fournier of Harvard University suggests that there is a broad
window of opportunity for creating emotional loyalty, that ranges from the sublime to the
mundane and from conspicuous consumption to private delight. She states that the key to
emotional loyalty in less about marketing honed in on creating a specific feeling within the
consumer, but about crossing major thresholds in the very relationship between the consumer
and the brand.
Approaches
Argument 1: Sex Appeal
Evidence:

(1) Although the free use of sex in advertising succeeds in capturing attention, research has recently
displayed that the old marketing cliche sex sells may not hold. While focusing on spontaneous
evaluations of sexually themed ads, these authors found that in contrast to men, who reported
positive attitudes, women on average exhibited a marked negative reaction to explicit sexual
content in advertising (Dahl et al., 2009).
(2) Perspectives in sexual psychology argues that there are stark differences in mens and womens
sexual beliefs and motivations. To explain womens negative response toward sex in the media,
the literature portrays that men have positive attitudes towards casual and recreational sex
while women value the emotional intimacy and commitment that can surround the sexual
relationship (Dahl et al., 2009). But, other extensive research in this area suggests that
consumers, regardless of gender, responds negatively to the gratuitous use of sex if it is viewed
as unethical (Dahl et al., 2009).
ii)
Explain how it relates to thesis: With social media as a fundamental component of todays
society, markets have resorted to increasingly radical tactics to capture consumer attention, in
order to cut through the enormous amount of clutter in advertising today. One of the most
popular tactics is to used explicit sexual images in advertising, even when the sexual image has
little relevance to the advertised product.
b) Argument 2: Bandwagon Approach
i)
Evidence:
(1) Bandwagon effect is a term coined to refer to the behavior of a consumer following a trend that
is created by the need or want of the mass populous
(2) When the public is swayed by a product or service, this creates a ripple-effect, which in turn
attracts new and unsuspecting potential consumers to desire the product as well. (Powell)
ii)
Explain how it relates to thesis: It feeds on the human emotion of, if everyone has one, I want
one too, by making a certain product seem desirable by all. If the bandwagon effect is executed
effectively, the illusionary trend seems accepted by a majority of people and others will join in.
It can increase the popularity of a product or service through persuasion, which is the primary
objective of this marketing strategy. (Powell)
6) Health Impacts
a) Evidence
i)
While it isnt possible to point a finger at any entity in particular, marketers bear significant
culpability in perpetuating the thin/muscular ideal and capitalizing on consumers lack of selfconfidence to sell product. A 2004 study by Hawkins, Richard, Granley, and Stein demonstrated
that exposure to the thin ideal portrayed by advertisers increased symptoms of body
dissatisfaction, negative mood, eating disorder symptoms, and lower self-esteem in college aged
women. (Daly)
ii)
...the Thin Ideal is rampant in marketing campaigns. The use of airbrushing and photoshop is
one of the most widely discussed issues in body-image and marketing. Most fashion models are
thinner than 98% of American womenbefore they are photoshopped to oblivion. And
photoshopped they are oftentimes poorly. A 2006 study conducted by Bissel found that even
when women were aware an image was digitally altered, they still engaged in body comparison
and desired to resemble the figure in the photograph.

b) Explain how it relates to thesis:

i)
...it would seem that in an effort to sway consumers long run satisfaction and persuade them to
purchase products that will enhance their appearance, marketers are deliberately using images of
models whose beauty and strength is unattainable for most consumers, at the expense of the
consumers short-term level of satisfaction. (Parker)
ii)
...marketers are taking advantage of digital marketing tactics to target women when they are the
most vulnerable in terms of self esteem. The media planning agency PHD released a new study
detailing the dates, times, and occasions when U.S. women feel their least attractive. The study
is designed to assist marketers in industries like the diet, fitness, and beauty markets to optimize
marketing messages. (Daly)