Indian Institute of Management Calcutta

Course: Consumer Behaviour

PGPEx 16-17
QUIZ 1

Name: Saranya Roy

Time: Please

Reg. No: 51

turn in your papers by Nov 15, 11AM (IST)

Full Marks: 20 Marks

Note: Please write your answers ONLY within the space provided. Please be brief and to the point. Wish you the very
best! You may use reference articles (Cited properly inline)
THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT QUIZ!
Q1. Identify the behavioural factors and clearly establish the linkages between these factors driving/guiding

consumers towards buying a premium brand of jeans, say, Calvin Klein. (20 Marks)
Note: Credit will be awarded for clarity and the ability to link the disparate factors, rather than for including factors
in a haphazard manner.

Dear Sir,
Per my knowledge and research the following are the behavioural/psychological factors towards buying
CKJ:
Price: When it comes to premium brands such as Calvin Klein, Keller (2009, 292) argues that price is a major indicator
of quality, hence also an indicator of how prestigious a brand is. Again, on other hand, my research ended me up
with the Veblen theory. It suggests that demand of premium brands (in general) is not determined by price, and
gives the consumers a feeling of wealth, in turn acts as a motivation for consumers to buy sooner than later.
Quality: Customers expect an extremely high quality when purchasing Calvin Klein jeans. Example: from personal
life: I bought a lightest denim on earth series of CK Jeans, expecting it honours the exact words at the tagline.
Aesthetics: The quality of CKJ brand is also said to be reflected in its design, shape, cut, colours, stich and other
graphical elements are ever more important in this category because they also reflect the consumers lifestyles and
values.
Rarity: Not every back flaunts CKJ logo! Apart from that, it is available only at premium stores at premium location.
Extraordinarity: Calvin Klein Jeans consumers want to stand out from the crowd and signal others that they are
confident about what they are doing.
Symbolism: That famous Futura typeface, that famous logo; which has been associated with innumerous icons
worldwide. Consumers love to associate with that.
Performance: Though this comes as very less important factor in case of premium brands, but still my research
cannot totally ignore it. Basic jeans parameter like durability, material, comfort, fit etc. still matters a bit.
Persona: While pedigree of the brand is important, nowadays even luxury brands must sustain a contemporary
appeal. Persona is a mix of emotional values, mystique and brand personality.
Public figures: As celebrity endorsement is not solely just for premium brands anymore, these brands use celebrities
in a different way. The strategy is less in-your-face as opposed to traditional endorsement. Examples of this
strategy may be accessorizing celebrities (such as Zoe Saldana, Diane Kruger, Lara Stone etc.) for fashion shows or
red carpet events wearing CK jeans.

Congruence
between
Personality and
self-image

Psychologi
cal factors
(As above)
Utility
factors
(e.g. color,
style etc.)

Overall evaluation
of Brand