What is a prime? How does it diller f ONSUMER BEHAVIOR CHALLENGE DISCUSS 416 Excessive food consumption may link to emotional issues such as feelings of inferiority or low sell 9.18 Why is it difficult to place a product in a consumer's esteem. In some situations people consume products evoked set after the person has already rejected that (especially food) as a reaction to prior life experi product? What strategies might a marketer use to ences such as loss of a loved one or perhaps abuse as a accomplish this goal? child. A British man whom the U.K. news media once 9-19 Technology has the potential to make our lives easier dubbed "the world's fattest man" when he weighed in as it reduces the amount of clutter we need to work at 980 pounds is a case in point. He explained that as through to access the information on the internet an adult his insatiable desire to constantly cat stemmed that really interests us. However, perhaps intelligent from an abusive father and sexual abuse by a relative: agents that make recommendations based only on "I still had all these things going around in my head what we and others like us have chosen in the past from my childhood. Food replaced the love I didn't limit us, in that they reduce the chance that we will get from my parents." (The good news: after a gastric stumble on something (c-g, a book on a topic we've bypass operation this man has lost almost two-thinks never heard of or a music group that's different from of his body weight). Obviously this is an extreme the style we usually listen to) through serendipity. case, and it certainly doesn't mean that everyone who Will the proliferation of "shopping bots" make our struggles with his or her weight is a victim of abuse! lives too predictable by only giving us more of the Nonetheless, emotion often plays a role-a dieter may same? If so. is this a problem? feel elated when he weighs in at three pounds less 9-20 It's increasingly clear that many postings on blogs than last week: however, if he fails to make progress and product reviews on websites are fake or are he may become discouraged and actually sabotage posted there to manipulate consumers' opinions. himself with a Krispy Kreme binge."Is it ethical for How big a problem is this if consumers increasingly food companies to exploit these issues by linking their look to consumer-generated product reviews during products to enhanced moods? the stage of information search? What steps, if any, 1-17 The chapter discusses ways that organizations can use can marketers take to nip this problem in the bud? "Budges" to change consumer behavior. Critics refer 9-21 Neuromarketing is a growing area of marksung. but to them as benevolent paternalism because they argue few really understand the science behind it. Some they force people to "eat their vegetables" by restrict- suggest that it is a means by which the decision- ing the freedom to choose. For example, several cit- making processes and behaviors of the consumer es, including New York and Philadelphia, have tried can be truly understood: they believe that consumers srauccessfully thus far ) to ban the sales of extra large do not actually know their own mind, and that neu- Portions of sugary drinks. What's your take on these romarketing reveals the truth. On the one hand, neu- ellions-should local, state, or federal governments romarketing claims to effectively cast the consumer be in the business of nudging citizens to be healthier? as an unknowing, passive, and unreliable entity. on364 Section 3 . Choosing and Using Products the other, it claims to speak for the consumer using so payment-at least at the time of purchase-is even technology rather than opinion - consumer opin- less painful. Are these formats going to create prob- ions have become secondary and neuromarketers lems if they prime us to think more about short-term can speak for them. Do you think neuromarketing is gratification and less about the long-term hit to our correct in positing that consumers are really driven budgets? Do marketers have an obligation to try to by emotion rather than rational choice? prevent these problems? 9-22 Research supports the argument that the way we pay 9-23 Country of origin can discourage sales in some situ- for a product changes the way we perceive it. More ations, and in some cases this is due to deeply held specifically, credit cards prime people to focus less on moral views. For example. some Jews refuse to buy the costs of the itern and more on the benefits. Using cars made by Mercedes-Benz and other German auto- plastic decouples the expense of the purchase so we makers due to their use of slave labor to make vehi- tend to buy more when we can charge it. Newer cles during World War II. Should a compute bear innovations like digital wallets take this a step further responsibility for decisions its predecessors me ? APPLY 24 Find examples of electronic recommendation agents and it's still where the famous Hershey's Kisser on the web. Evaluate these. Are they helpful? What made." Find examples of other companies that appe. characteristics of the sites you locate are likely to to their heritage. How effective are these messages? make you buy products you wouldn't have bought on your own? 9-29 Form a group of three Pick a 9-3 marketing plan based on eith Sometimes a company actually invents a determi decision making. What are il nant attribute: Pepsi-Cola accomplished this when it emphasis stamped freshness dates on soda chi $25 mi