Only The Tip of The Iceberg....

You look at the person stood next to you at the bar or that holds the door open for you. You have no idea what their past is like....you know that girl who borrowed your pen in the lecture because she had forgotten hers? Well she is having an affair with a married man twice her age. Looking at her....you wouldn't have guessed it. The boy that walks in late? His dad is a film star and multi-millionaire. Oh and the little quiet girl in the glasses who you haven't noticed before.....well....I don't think I can say ;-)

Brands could be said to be like people - it takes a lot for them to get where they are - some succeed and some fail. When you look at that fizzy drink on the shelf you don't think about the hours of market research it took, the battles between advertising executives and managers to gain funding, the prototypes and taste tests, briefs from the client, pitches from agencies, the discussions with manufacturers, the production - all the elements that have to come together to create this one product. All this effort for a consumer to pick it up off the shelf and say:

'Ewwww.....I don't like it....'

If people put effort into a brand then they can make it succeed - if it's equipped with everything it needs to enter the market place: a good advertising campaign, catchy music, the knowledge that people will buy it and good packaging then its onto a winner :-) Almost like a person, sure they might have done something wrong in the past but just like 'zombie brands' they need picking up, dusting off and giving a second chance.

You could say I am going soft....I would then deny it and blame it on my age....don't think that works at 19 though :-)

Are you sure?!

Walking down the street, back from university....as usual the level crossing is down. I hear Leona Lewis blasting out of someones headphones - I turn around to give a disapproving look and think to myself:

'Gosh they are going to ruin their ear drums...'

I expect to see a 5ft something, blonde haired girl wearing clothes from New Look, with at least 1 pink accessory.......Instead a 6ft hefty boy with a long black coat on, long brown hair swept back into a pony tail and a bag with studs on the strap.

This made me wonder - do you think if he knew people could hear it he would still be listening to it ?! Or am I missing something and Leona's fan base has drastically changed....I sort of hoped that if I followed him (but I wouldn't...I think that's classed as stalking....haha) that S Club 7 would come on next.

Market research is very important in the decision making process about which strategies marketers need to take in their campaigns. It forms the basis decisions about how to target the consumer and if you get that wrong then the success of the product/service is jeopardised. But what if people lie?

Social desirability can affect peoples responses - if this gentleman was asked what his favourite music was my money is on the fact he wouldn't say Leona Lewis...as it doesn't fit in with his appearance and they way he wants to portray himself - he is more likely to say Metalicca.

Interviewer bias can also be an issue - if it was an interviewer from NME asking him what type of music he listened to then he wouldn't admit the Lewis Saga....he would emphasise on the bands he thought would be acceptable.

It is therefore important to understand the importance of different techniques of market research but also recognise the weaknesses associated with each and use a variety of techniques in order to counteract them.

***Just as a final point....I do NOT think there is anything wrong with Leona Lewis or wearing long black coats and having long hair..... :-) Or indeed doing both !!

Who would have thought?!

Now I can't just walk into a shop and buy a dress.....I ask myself why I am buying it - is it my friends influence? Because the ambiance in the shop is right? Has that print advert tipped me over the edge? What are my affective and cognitive thoughts and feelings about this purchase? Sometimes I wish my mind wandering off to heuristics would just stop. Then I had a brain wave.......

If studying buyer behaviour makes me think this much and sometimes put me off buying products surely this would be the best type of rehab for shopaholics ?!?!?!

Clothes are very important to me and before I learnt about the thought processes involved with buying things I just used to amble into the shop and pick it up if I thought it looked pretty. But now all I can seem to do is link my purchase to the wheel of consumer analysis (and you thought that dazed look was because I couldn't decide if I thought velvet was in this season :-) It is by the way.....)

My consumer environment is swamped with influences of the products - my friends wearing the brand, complimenting me on certain outfits, celebrities wearing the clothes and getting into the best dressed lists - surely it makes it fashionable?! *ahem* I want social approval.....(means-end chain.....it just doesn't stop!!!!)

My affect and cognition decide to build emotions and thoughts up about the brand, heuristics form 'If I wear this brand then I get compliments....' I have a positive relationship with the brand and they never seem to let me down....

All this (as you may be wondering where this is going...) affects my consumer behaviour - off I tootle into the shop in question and purchase these items.

So in conclusion - if someone is spending too much money remind them of the real reasons they are purchasing and they may just pop that item back on the rail....it's made me think more !!

.............my bank balance thinks its a good idea but I am starting to forget what my credit card looks like !!