CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR PROJECT ASSIGNMENTS 1. Select a product category and identify three or four key benefits.

Select a sample of product users and ask them to identify the most important benefit desired. On this basis, form three or four benefit segments (e.g. Consumers who emphasise lets me sleep, freshly brewed or economy for coffee). Try to ensure that there are at least 10 consumers in each benefit segment. As the sample for information on the following: a. Demographic characteristics b. Brand regularly used c. Frequency of the use d. A select number of lifestyle characteristics Prepare a presentation on the following: a) What are the differences between benefit segments based on this information? b) What are the implications for a. New product positioning b. Repositioning of existing products c. Advertising d. Media selection e. Pricing strategies 2. Show consumers an ad for a high involvement product (a car or an investment service) and a low involvement product (toothpaste, paper towels). As consumers are looking at each ad, ask them to express their thoughts. Classify their comments into those that are related to message content versus those that are related to nonmessage (peripheral) elements in the ad (the use of a spokesperson, scenery etc). Based on theory, we would expect more message related thoughts when viewing high involvement ads and more non message thoughts when viewing low involvement ads. Does your study confirm this? Prepare a presentation demonstrating this. 3. Trace a family decision for two families: one a couple with two or more children, the other a joint family with a parent or parents and their children and grandchildren living together in the same house. Be sure that product or service involves joint decisions by parents and children (e.g. a family vacation, selection of a college or school, purchase of an automobile). Identify each family members a. Specific roles b. Perceptions and attitudes of the alternatives being considered c. Conflicts in decision making d. Modes of conflict resolution e. Post purchase evaluation Present answers to the following: a) What are the differences in the decision processes between the two families? b) What are the implications of decision making for

a. Advertising b. Product line development c. Product positioning d. Pricing 4. Identify a website that reflects a subculture of consumption; that is, a site that revolves around a product or set of products with the characteristics in the following list: a. The product serves as a lifestyle focus b. Social interactions revolve around the product c. The product defines a common value system among users or owners d. Interest in the product results in a social hierarchy related to expertise Present the following: in what ways does the site you selected reflect the preceding characteristics? What are the implications for marketing strategy? 5. Select a sample of teenagers and Generation Xers (people between 35-50 years of age). Ask consumers in each group to rate the importance to them of a wide variety of products (life insurance, cars, jeans, banking services, phosphate free detergents, cameras, deodorants, cereals etc). Ask respondents for their a. Demographic characteristics b. View of their economic future c. Political preferences d. Level of price consciousness Present the following: a) What are the similarities and differences between the two age groups on the variables you measured? Explain these similarities and differences b) Can you identify a more and a less price conscious group in each age segment? Are these differences related to demographics? To economic outlook? 6. Select a particular brand to study (preferable a consumer packaged good). You would like to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the brand relative to the competition. To do so, you decide to utilise a multiattribute approach. Conduct a number of depth interviews with consumers to develop a vocabulary of attributes that consumers use in evaluating brands. Construct scales to measure a) How consumers evaluate each attribute in the vocabulary b) Beliefs about the brand under study and two or three key competitive brands, based on the vocabulary of attributed Select a sample of users of the product category so that at least one third of your sample uses the brand under study. Present on the following: a. What are the brands strengths and weaknesses based on a comparison of the brand to i. Desired attributes ii. Competitive brands b. How do brand ratings differ between users and nonusers of the brand?

c. What are the implications of your findings for i. Possible repositioning strategies for the brand ii. Formulation of new product concepts to meet consumer needs 7. Pick two closely competing brands in two product categories: a high involvement category (e.g. cars) and a low involvement category (e.g. toothpaste). Identify a number of consumers who own or regularly use each brand. Ask consumers to rate the two competing brands (their own and the close competitor) on a number of need criteria (for cars it might be economy, durability and style). If consumers perceive brands selectively, they are likely to rate their own brands much higher than they do the competitive brand. This selective perception should be more likely for the high involvement than it is for the low involvement category. Present on the following: a) Do your findings find it to be true that selective perception is more likely for the high involvement category? That is a. Are brand ratings for the consumers own brand much higher than those of the competitive brand and b. Are the differences in ratings between the regular and competitive brands greater for the high involvement product category? b) Do consumers rate their own brand much higher on certain attributes but not others? c) Do these differences reflect a process of selective perception?

8. Select two advertising campaigns that are informationally oriented and two that rely on symbolism and imagery and can be regarded as more ambiguous. Select a sample of consumers and measure a. Unaided advertising awareness for the four brands b. Awareness of key points in the advertising message Present on the following a) was awareness of the informationally oriented campaign more accurate than that of the more ambiguous campaign? b) were consumers more likely to project themes and messages not actually in the ads into the more ambiguous communications? If so, what was the nature of these projections? c) Did you detect any misperception or misinterpretation of the advertising messages? Did these misperceptions reflect perceptual defense? 9. Select a product category that you believe is likely to be affected by the usage situation (soft drinks, paper towels, coffee, snacks etc). Conduct several depth interviews with consumers to define a. The four most frequent usage situations for the category b. A vocabulary of evaluative product attributes. Then develop a questionnaire in which consumers are asked to rate the following:

10.

11.

12.

13.

a. The importance of each of the attributes by the four most important situations you defined in the depth interviews (e.g. how important is a soft drink that is refreshing when drinking it alone? When drinking it at a party?) b. The three leading brands by the vocabulary of product attributes for the four most important situations (e.g. Rate Pepsi on refreshing when drinking it alone, drinking it at a party and so on) Present on the following: a. What is the variation in importance ratings by usage situation? b. What is the variation in brand ratings by usage situation? c. What are the implications of variations in importance ratings and brand image by situation for a. Positioning a new product b. Repositioning an existing product c. Advertising strategy d. Definition of a target group Select an electronics product that is likely to cost at least Rs. 25,000. Conduct interviews with consumers who have purchased the item within the past year or who are currently considering purchasing. Present on the following a. Describe the decision making process for both the decision to buy the product and the particular brand to be purchased b. Does the decision making process conform to the complex decision making model? c. What are the implications of the decision making process for i. Market segmentation ii. Product positioning iii. Advertising strategy Select an electronics product that is likely to cost under Rs. 1000. Conduct in-depth interviews with consumers who have purchased the item within the past year or who are currently considering purchasing. Present on the following: a. What is the decision making process? b. What are the implications of the decision making process for i. Market segmentation ii. Product positioning iii. Advertising strategy Choose any two fast food chains that run television commercials. Study one commercial for each chain. a. Describe the target market group for each commercial as clearly as you can, explaining your conclusions. b. Based on the commercial for each chain, explain how the fast food chain is positioned on key benefits, characteristics and image, against the completion or both. What is it about the commercial that makes you think so? c. What would you recommend to the executives of each of the fast food chains to sharpen their targeting and positioning presentations on television? Interview five individuals who have purchased a pair of running shoes in the last 12 months.

14.

15.

16. 17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

a. Ask each of them to describe in detail the external search steps they went through. Compare the duration of the searches and the sources of information used. Classify the sources according to type. b. Suppose you were the manufacturer of a major brand of running shoes. Assuming the five people were typical of all target consumers, how would you adjust the way you make information available to potential customers? Choose a television commercial that, according to you, seems to lack a good persuasive message and to rely totally on repetition to be effective. Redevelop the commercial so that it will be more effective and less objectionable to the viewer. In redoing the commercial be sure to use the same product advantage stressed in the original commercial. Present a storyboard of the commercial and discuss the improvements you have made. Assume that Apollo Hospitals has appointed you to develop a corporate image campaign to get the public to feel good about the companys hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and other services. You realise that emotions are central to the campaign. You need to get the public to feel warmth and trust and to care about the company. Interview at least 10 people to get their typical emotions about the company and the brand (ensure you cover all their health services). Generate a series of rough sketches of advertisements that will induce feelings of warmth, trust and care towards Apollo Hospitals. Interview 6 people to find out their beliefs on : Coca Cola, Nike shoes and KFC restaurants. Compare and explain each belief. Explore how these beliefs were formed and present. Movie producers prefer inexpensive campaigns that generate a lot of word of mouth communication. Conduct a focus group of five students about their impression about a current movie playing in the theatres. Probe for their sources of information. Which sources have the most effective reach? Which sources have the most authority? You are planning to open a casual clothing store that targets teenagers. You want teens to feel comfortable in the store and enjoy shopping there. a. Put together two focus groups, one made up of four teenage girls and one made up of four teenage boys. Conduct the focus groups separately, gathering information to help you develop guidleines for store layout, atmosphere (decor, music and lighting), type and brands of merchandise, variety, price range and sales assistant behaviour b. Develop a description of the new store that meets all the required criteria Select a product and brand that you use frequently and list the benefits you receive from using it. Without disclosing your list, interview five other students who use a different brand in the same product category (ensure that you have a mix of both sexes) and ask them to make a list of benefits for each of their brands. Compare the lists and identify the implications for using benefit segmentation to market the different brands. A marketer of health foods is attempting to segment a certain market on the basis of consumer self image. Describe the four types of consumer self image and discuss which one(s) would be most effective for the stated purpose. Read the article available at the following url: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/31/business/media/31coke.html?_r=1&scp=5&sq=janua ry%2031%202009&st=cse a. Read the article and study the accompanying photo of the actual packages. Evaluate the change in the context of what you have learned about the JND

22. Read the article available at the following url: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/business/media/17adnewsletter1.html?scp=1&sq=fe bruary%2017%202009%20heinz&st=Search a. Read the article and study the accompanying photo of the actual packages. Evaluate the change in the context of what you have learned about the JND 23. Read the article available at the following url: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/business/media/23adcol.html?scp=1&sq=february%2 023%202009%20tropicana&st=Search a. Read the article and study the accompanying photo of the actual packages. Evaluate the change in the context of what you have learned about the JND 24. Visit a supermarket. Identify at least 10 packages where you think the marketers knowledge of stimulus generalization or stimulus discrimination was incorporated into the package design. Note these examples and present with explanations. 25. Research the HSBC Different Values campaign which was discussed in class and which is a strategy aimed at reducing advertising wearout. a. How does this campaign illustrate the concepts of consumer learning and perception? b. Do you believe the technique used by HSBC is likely to enhance the initial learning and subsequent recall of HSBCs message? Explain your answer 26. Find four products that have used Fishbeins multiattribute model to influence attitude change before a purchase and explain how the model was applied to change attitude. 27. Find three products that have used Katzs functional theory to change attitude before a purchase and explain how the theory was applied to change attitude 28. Find two brands that have used Heiders balance theory to change attitudes before a purchase and explain how the theory was applied to change attitude 29. Find five advertisements that encourage consumers to engage in word of mouth communication and present them. Explain who the opinion leaders would be and how the diffusion process would work for each advertisement. 30. Identify a product or service that recently was adopted by you or some of your friends. a. Identify what type of innovation it is and describe its diffusion process upto this point in time. b. What are the characteristics of people who adopted it first? c. What types of people did not adopt it? d. What features of the product or service are likely to determine its eventual success or failure? 31. With the advancement of digital technology, DTH companies are offering on demand, pay per view systems that will allow viewers to select films from video libraries and view them on demand. Among people you know, identify two who are likely to be innovators for such a new service and construct consumer profiles for innovators 32. Identify five people who have recently purchased a new model of cell phone (with some features that they consider to be new). Interview each of them. Ask them the following questions and any others that you may feel to be appropriate: a. Why did you select this cellphone over other cellphones that you were looking at or considering?

33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

b. Do you currently like the phone for the same reasons you purchased it or have you found other reasons why you particularly like it? c. What would you recommend to make the next model of this cellphone even better? d. After you are finished with the interviews, discuss what you have found Randomly select 10 advertisements from magazines. a. Develop questions designed to assess a consumers involvement in an advertisement (both cognitive and affective) and motivation to process information from the ad b. Select a sample of 20 consumers to look at the ads and create a presentation to answer these questions i. Which types of ads tend to evoke higher involvement? ii. Which types of ads tend to evoke lower involvement ? iii. How do these ads tend to differ in terms of 1. Recognition of consumer needs 2. Structure and content 3. Assumption of consumer knowledge or expertise Find 3 magazine ads which you think are most effective for generating exposure, attention and perception. Also find 3 ads which you think are ineffective for generating exposure, attention and perception. a. What makes the good ones effective? b. What do you think is wrong with the others and how could they be improved? Find 5 examples of brand extensions. For each one, indicate the following: a. Whether you think they are good brand extensions or not and why b. Whether any negative effects might be associated with these brand extensions c. Take e new product for which no brand extensions exist. Indicate new product categories this brand might successfully extend to Interview 10 consumers about their decision making behaviour for: laundry detergent, coffee and ice cream. Ask consumer to indicate a. On the average, how much time and effort do they spend on these decisions? b. How do they evaluate brands for each product category? c. What kind of advertising influences their beliefs and attitudes towards the product category? d. What are the marketing implications of your findings? Pick 5 durable or non durable product or service categories. Develop a set of questions to ask consumers to tell a. How satisfied they are with the offerings in each category b. Recall any instances when they have been satisfied in the past c. Indicate how they dealt with the situation when they were dissatisfied d. Identify how they felt about the company or retailer response (if any) Administer this questionnaire to at least 15 consumers. Based on the data, answer the following questions: a. With what types of products or services are consumers most satisfied? Why do you think this is the case? b. With what types of products or services are consumers most dissatisfied? Why do you think this is the case?

c. What are the most common responses to dissatisfaction? d. How well have companies handled dissatisfaction? 38. Interview 2 marketin g professionals (from different companies) either by phone or in person. Ask them to describe in detail a. How important satisfaction/dissatisfaction is to their business b. How they try to generate satisfaction c. What kinds of experiences they have had with dissatisfied consumers and how they handled these problems. Summarize your findings for each topic 39. Conduct a detailed research analysis of the marketing techniques used to appeal to males and females in the following areas a. Brands or services offered b. Package design c. Advertising content d. Media selection e. Sales promotion f. Distribution strategy Collect this information and answer the following questions a. Which techniques are used to market to both males and females? b. Which specific techniques are used to appeal to males? To females? You have been assigned to develop a marketing strategy for a new fruit drink that provides high energy and is high in nutrients. It is also light and very refreshing especially on a hot day. How would you market this product in different regions of India? Develop a detailed marketing plan for two regions that addresses the advertising message, media selection, distribution and sales promotion. Pick 3 products and services that households consume. Conduct an interview of individuals from 5 families and ask them to provide a thorough description of the processes used to acquire and consume these products or services. Summarize this information by answering the following questions: a. Which specific roles do household members play in the decision process? b. What is the nature of husband-wife interaction in the decision? c. Which role do children play in the process? d. How do household consumption patterns for these products and services differ from individual consumption patterns? e. Who disposes of the products and services and why? Develop a questionnaire to measure some of the key activities, interests, opinions of college students. Also develop a series of items to measure the consumption of 5 product or service categories that may be related to college lifestyles. Administer this questionnaire to 20 students. Summarize the results and answer the following questions: a. What are the key lifestyle segments of the college students you surveyed? b. For each segment, are there recognizable consumption patterns in terms of products or services? c. What general types of marketing strategies would you use to appeal to each group? As a marketing manager for a new brand of diet hot chocolate, you want to use an opinion leader to stimulate sales of the brand. How would you identify an opinion leader and what

40.

41.

42.

43.

strategies do you have for using an opinion leader in your marketing communications program? 44. Identify 2 innovative products and/or services a. Why are these offerings innovations? b. Describe whether you think adoption and diffusion of these offerings will be fast or slow and explain why 45. Identify two brands/products where marketers have tried to increase consumer involvement. Describe what strategies marketers have used for increasing involvement and for each product/brand explain why it has been a success or a failure 46. Find and describe 3 advertisements, one based on cognitive learning, another based on instrumental conditioning and a third based on classical conditioning. Discuss the nature of each advertisement and how it utilises that type of learning