Hierarchy of effect

Hierarchy of effect is the model that explains the relationship between consumers feelings, thoughts and behaviours. This theory holds that there are four hierarchies known as standard learning, low-involvement, experiential and behavioural.

  1. Standard learning hierarchy, learn-feel-do is the approach in which a consumer approaches product decisions as a problem solving process that is typically associated with high involvement decisions.
  2. Low-Involvement hierarchy, learn-do-feel sees the consumer act on limited knowledge in which low-involvement purchase decisions are made.
  3. Behavioural hierarchy, do-learn-feel inherently sees consumers behaviour dictate their attitudes in relation to habitual and impulse purchases.
  4. Lastly, the experiential hierarchy, feel-do-learn holds the concept that consumers buy products due to the sentimental appeal/emotions elicited through effective marketing communications e.g. purchasing messages, repetition, classical condition or mood. Post purchase, consumers reflect on their learned experiences and the associated consequences of a product. The experiential hierarchy is based on hedonic consumption which is known as consumption to enhance one’s emotional pleasure once our basic needs for survival have been satisfied (utilitarian consumption). Dove’s campaigns and advertisements frequently bombard viewers with strong pathos appeals which stimulate deep self-reflection and emotional responses such as passion and invigoration.

A clear example of the experiential hierarchy is in Dove’s 2017 ‘Celebrate the many Shapes and Sizes of beauty’ Ad. The 40 second commercial evokes a strong sense of appreciation and recognition of diversity with Dove’s iconic body wash product re-modeled into 6 exclusive bottle shapes, aimed to inclusively celebrate all bodies, shapes and sizes. By tapping into the ever-changing definition of beauty, Dove created a limited-edition range to reflect the unique differences that set us apart from each other and utilised this concept to differentiate its own brand position. This effective marketing campaign aimed to tug on the heartstrings of consumers and encourage women around the world to purchase a design that celebrated and reflected their diversity. Lastly, formulation of beliefs and attitudes is achieved during the post purchase phase which prompts consumers to reflect on their learned experiences with the product, its perceived importance and deliverance of consumer value.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs – Dove

As humans, we all inherently possess basic needs/motives which are imperative towards one’s livelihood. Marketers must therefore tap into the consumer psych to explore both basic and complex motives which drive consumer decisions. The conceptual theory which encourages marketers to determine strategies that communicate a product/service, functional/physiological properties, safety, belongingness/social appeal, ego driven needs or a sense of self actualisation to different market segments goes by the name of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

You may think, what determines a product’s hierarchy?

  • Physiological needs are those which sustain life e.g. food, water, nourishment. Until these primitive needs are met, one will not seek social needs etc.
  • Safety: Once our physical needs are catered for, one aims for a sense of security, e.g. safe living standards, financial security and medical insurance.
  • Social needs: once a sense of security and safety is met, one’s need for social interaction, sense of belonging and love is recognised.
  • Esteem: after a person feels a sense of ‘belonging’, we stem the need for both internal and external esteem. Internal esteem relates to ideas of self-respect, self-belief and achievement whereas external esteem needs call for status/reputation, validation, appreciation and attention.
  • Self-actualisation: the concept of reaching one’s full potential. This need however can never truly be satisfied due to opportunities and means for individuals to continuously grow. Self-actualised needs include truth, wisdom and meaning. (NetMBA business knowledge centre n.d.)

Maslow’s ‘hierarchy of needs’ is presented in a five-level pyramid which displays the idea that higher needs can only be achieved once the most primitive needs (e.g. food, water, safety) are met. The 4 lower levels “physiological, security, social and ego” are known as the deficiency needs due to the idea of satisfying these lower levels to avoid deprivation and its ramifications. Maslow effectively dubbed the highest level as the growth needs, in which humans desire to continuously grow and enhance their individual capabilities. Moreover, rather than separating the layers, Maslow believed the hierarchies are inter-related. (Solomon et al 2018)

Dove has utilised the esteem need in recent campaigns including #ShowUs which is solely grounded in crowd sourcing and actively listening to their audience.

The campaign aims to shatter traditional beauty standards, boost self-esteem and create relatable connections by creating the world’s largest photo gallery which is created by everyday women and non-binary individuals. With more than 70% of women still believing they don’t see themselves represented in both media and advertising, Dove has developed an incredibly influential campaign which encompasses confidence, strength, self-belief, personal and social acceptance and respect from others. By tapping into the importance of esteem needs in women’s lives, Dove has successfully marketed their brand as a leading advocate in authentically representing women and how they internally view themselves. Doves quest to ‘redefine beauty’ has not only maximised Dove’s profitability, but also their brand sentiment and its morals, values and what it stands for at large.

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Brand Personality

Statistically speaking, 64% of consumers cite shared values as the primary reason they have a relationship with a brand and 77% of marketing leaders say branding is critical to growth (Hagee 2017).

So, what exactly is brand personality? (Solomon et al 2018) defines brand personality as the set of traits people attribute to a product as if it were a person. Hence, the more quality, value and trait compatibility between the brand and buyer will yield greater incentives for consumer purchases. This idea is also known as the ‘self-congruence theory’ in which consumers prefer brands which align/ are congruent with their values, self-identity and personality. Personal care brand ‘Dove’ has executed an approachable, confident, embracing and all empowering brand personality which encourages women around the world to feel comfortable and beautiful as they are. With highly successful projects including the Dove ‘Self-Esteem’ project seeing Dove partner with leading body health and psychology professionals to help raise the confidence, self esteem and potential of the next generation of children. Dove’s programme offers world class resources which has enabled over 625,000 teachers deliver self-esteem workshops and more than 1.5 million parents the opportunity to engage with online content (Dove self-esteem project 2019). Hence, Dove’s transmitted values of positivity, honesty and noticeable two-way dialogue with its community have inherently helped fortify its brand intelligence, nurturing and genuine personality.

Moreover, the symbolic branding of the dove logo indicates their ongoing endeavour to generate universal acceptance and their commitment to instilling faith within ourselves and others. Dove’s use of non-generic models to further represent their stance towards diversity and embracing all types of shapes, sizes and colours. Lastly, its non-invasive marketing strategies promote the idea that Dove is a genuine friend who cares for themselves just as much as it care for you/others.

Brand personality is therefore argued as an imperative factor towards building brand differentiation and securing customer relationships which drive our purchase decisions.

References

Classical Conditioning

Consumer learning can be defined as the process in which consumers acquire information and experience from prior product consumption which acts as an informative source for future buying decisions. Subsequently, learning occurs through the unique experiences we encounter and process that results in a concrete behaviour change (Kasi n.d). Ask yourself, can you recall an experience with a product and/ or service which has influenced a subsequent repeat purchase or search for an alternative substitute?

Women’s personal care brand Dove has utilised the behavioural learning approach which is concerned with learners responding to forms of stimulus within their environment which serves as knowledge/experience (Solomon et al 2018). The behavioural approach homes two main theories which are known as classical conditioning and instrumental conditioning. Today, I want to pay close attention to the classical conditioning theory which occurs when two stimuli are closely linked together to produce a specific outcome even when one stimuli is absent, the same outcome is produced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRi80V8ire8

Doves Shower Foam: Molly’s Story commercial features a blind beauty and lifestyle youtuber to share her experience of the shower foam product through the sense of touch. The commercial aims to promote the overlooked power of touch and its dire importance to our everyday lives and the way we experience the world. Moreover, by emphasising physical touch as opposed to sight, Dove encourages consumers to identify key benefits of the product through its direct contact to our skin as opposed to the aesthetic appearance and appeal of the product. Dove’s product commercial stimulates a sense of purity, lightness and tranquility through the connection of touch, hence the concept of classical conditioning and its association between two stimuli resulting in a learned response is achieved (Cherry 2019). In addition, classical conditioning in marketing aims to create positive sentiment and views towards a product. Dove has further delivered this concept through pairing the positive and enlightened reaction of the spokesperson to the formulated product with hopes of consumers emulating the response.

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Experiential Marketing

Have you recently found yourself drawn to a particular marketing campaign which you felt emotionally connected to? Was the campaign so engaging because it stimulated emotions and thoughts from past experiences? Was it the overwhelming feeling of invigoration, confidence and acceptance that made the campaign so impressive and memorable?

The development of technological resources (e.g. ad block) which limits both the reach and frequency of marketing messages means marketers have been faced with the question of “How do we deliver potent messages that engage our target market?” This challenge for marketers has effectively prompted the popularity of experiential marketing. This concept aims to engage consumers via their sensory receptors with the objective of drawing upon their personal experiences to create an artificial sense of belonging and identification to products advertised (Olenski 2018).

Personal care brand Dove has proven highly successful in utilising this marketing technique to secure substantial brand loyalty and awareness. A potent example of experiential marketing is highlighted in Dove’s 2013 ‘Real Beauty’ campaign, showcasing the damaging effects of unrealistic beauty standards upon everyday women. The commercial captures ordinary women giving a trained FBI forensic artist a description of their own appearance and a stranger also providing a separate observation. Uploaded in 25 different languages, viewed in more than 110 countries and with more than 68 million YouTube views, the campaign sparked immediate international recognition as it explored the gap between our own and others’ perceptions of our self-beauty and worth (Stampler 2013). The campaign not only recognised how often we criticise, belittle and doubt our self-worth, but it also emphasised the intrinsic importance of inspiring ourselves and others to accept the inevitable imperfections that make us human.

“Over half (54%) of women globally agree that when it comes to how they look, they are their own worst beauty critic, which equates to a staggering 672 million women around the world.”(Stampler 2013). By utilising this statistic, Dove strategically assembled a marketing masterpiece which resonated with their targeted market on a worldwide scale. By tailoring a distinct message and breaking away from mainstream beauty campaigns, Dove successfully tapped into the unpleasant experiences that were inextricably linked to body image insecurities.

The overwhelming praise received from thousands of consumers via social media, blogs and forums, not to forget the popularity stimulated by the media only further accelerated Dove’s globalised notoriety and brand awareness. It’s safe to say that through eliciting a strong pathos response, Dove constructed a distinct brand positioning that chooses to confidently challenge what defines beauty.

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Consumer Buying Process

Decision making, sounds familiar right? As consumers we are constantly bombarded with overwhelming waves of information and messages which we individually compare and evaluate based off the total product offering. Before we rationalise and make sense of this offering, consumers formulate needs which are driven by either habitual, cognitive or even affective needs. After addressing our needs, we embark on the consumer decision making process which describes the thought pattern consumers take before they purchase a product. So, what are these steps you may ask?

  • Starting with the problem/need recognition, consumers will recognise what needs must be met. For example hunger will trigger the need for food.
  • Secondly, information search requires consumers to discover the right solution to solve these underlying needs. Information search can be classified as either internal (scanning your own memory for product information and alternatives) or external (obtained from outside sources).
  • Evaluation of alternatives encourages the consumer to assess and compare the differing characteristics, capabilities and features of a product in relation to competing offers. Customers will effectively choose the product which they believe will deliver the greatest benefit and satisfaction.
  • Consumers will then finalise their purchase decision and undertake their post-purchase evaluation in which consumers reflect on their experience and expectations of the product.

Recently, I have made several purchasing decisions in which I addressed key components which form part of the decision-making process.

Last week I went shopping in search of a new jumper for the approaching cold change in weather. I had no intention of browsing online apparel outlets prior to shopping as I knew all to well that I wanted to try on a specific style… a style of which I have never worn before and was uncertain if it would even suit me! Based off what clothing shops I typically shop at, I followed my gut instinct and headed to several well-trusted clothing stores. Upon entering one store, I was automatically drawn to the front rack showcasing sale shirts and dresses which I had no need or intention of purchasing. However, I quickly became frustrated as I found no jumpers which matched my need criteria. As I wandered around, the discounts were too hard to fight and I ended up walking to the change rooms with 5 shirts that were totally unnecessary. Swayed by the bargain prices and disappointment of not finding what I needed, I ended up purchasing 3 shirts. Upon reflection, these purchases acted almost as a ‘compensation gift’, to myself. A way of making myself feel that the trip wasn’t entirely unsuccessful and a complete waste of time…or at least that’s what I convinced myself to believe.

References:

  • Solomon, M, Bennett, R & Previte, J 2018, Consumer Behaviour – buying, having, being, 4th edn, Pearson Australia.

Addictive Consumption

What kind of shopper are you? Are you a bargain hunter who loves a great sale and is forever looking out for the best promotion deals to reflect your modest and content lifestyle? Are you a practical shopper, whose sensible and not easily persuaded by constant bombardment of advertising campaigns? What about the impulse buyer, do you make snappy shopping decisions which are fuelled by the excitement and rush of the moment? (Understanding different types of shoppers, 2017).

What about addictive consumption, heard of that? Solomon, Bennett and Previte 2018 define consumer addiction as the psychological and/ or physiological dependency on products or services. The addictive consumer is unmotivated by practical and useable products, but is rather motivated to possess goods/services which stimulate thrill and excitement during their shopping experience. It can be noted that unlike most consumers, addictive consumption is not driven by habitual needs but rather is fuelled by a deeper desire and compulsive behaviour which act as a coping mechanism and way of managing our lives.

Research conducted by Sue Eccles reveals the experiences and subsequent consequences of forty-six women who are classified as addictive consumers. Eccles’s results have suggested that the consumption behaviour amongst the participants is merely identical, however the consumers are not a homogenous group. This theory evidently poses a threat to the individual’s mentality and ability to retaliate persuasive marketing and advertising campaigns which often feed and promote addictive behaviour.  

What seems most alarming is the confronting and vicious cycle that addictive consumers experience. “They persistently repeat the behaviour despite it leading to severe financial and social consequences, such as huge levels of personal debt, potential marital breakdowns and not to forget the self-destructive guilt.”(Understanding different types of shoppers, 2017). These devastating repercussions force us all to analyse our own spending and consumption behaviours and reflect if we too engage ourselves in recurring retail therapy which affects our overall livelihoods.

For now, I will finish this topic with a quote for us all to think about…

Everyone is a potential addict—they’re just waiting for their drug of choice to come along.

References

Digital Self

One could say that our ‘digital self’ acts as form of self-expression amongst the digital world, a way of showcasing our lives and who we are, or at least what we perceive to be an accurate representation of our true self. Others might argue that our digital self acts as a façade or coping mechanism to protect us from the real life anxieties and insecurities we face.

To be honest, I think we can all admit that at least one point in time we have questioned whether or not to post that caption, that photo or that video which grants the entire world access to analyse the fragile and intimate elements of our lives that define us as humans. Scary right? As (Consumer Behaviour 2018) puts it, “You are what you post” has certainly become one mainstream view towards grading ones self-integrity and online/offline image.

The digital self concept has inherently seen the overwhelming rise and success of social media personalities also known as “influencers”. With followings worldwide, it seems consumers are actively choosing to follow other online identities and communities who illustrate compatible characteristics and interests that they fondly associate with. For example, YouTube has provided everyday people access to plight their voice amongst a mass audience without the production costs like traditional communication mediums.

In today’s technological driven world, digital identities have proven to act as a pioneering force for shifting consumer behaviour patterns. Instantaneous documentation and sharing of information from one digital self to another is transforming how consumers make informed decisions. “Influencers” are now recommending “followers” their holy grail, go-to, and genuine love for products which they can’t live without, seeing online consumers conform to both the complex societal norms and ever-changing trends of worldwide internet users. I guess we could say that consumers are progressively moving away from traditional forms of sales promotion services and the added pressure to purchase products on the spot.

Our online voices have enabled consumers greater flexibility and time to think, process and easily compare products simultaneously. I believe consumers are not necessarily choosing products based off their core function, but rather for its online popularity and recognition. So, what does this mean? Well the ongoing pressure to stay in touch and conform to online trends may be feeding those feel good purchases and need for online attention when you post that picture of your new $300 pair of shoes.

I believe the digital self concept is only heightening and encouraging consumers to choose products which act as an extension of who we are, what we stand for and how we choose to present ourselves to the world.