MKTG203 LECTURE 6

LECTURE 6:

Chapter 5: Consumer Perception:

Perception  it is individual. The process by which sensations are selected,

organised and interpreted. The study of perception focuses on what consumers add
(cognitively, affectively and behaviourally) to the stimuli in order to give them
meaning.

The importance of perception in CB:

In order to change the consumer behaviour, we have to change the perception. To
truly, permanently, change a customer buying behaviour, you first need to change
their perception of your company, products and services.
A change in perception can lead to a permanent change in behaviour.

Sensory dynamics of perception:

Perception is defined as the process by which an individual receives, selects and
interprets stimuli (any of the 5 senses) to form a meaningful and coherent picture of
the world.
Two individuals can be exposed to the same stimuli under the same conditions, but
can react differently based upon their own needs want and expectations.

Sensory Systems:

Vision: marketers rely heavily on visual elements in advertising, store design, and
packaging. Meaning are communicated on the visual channel through a products
colour, size, and styling. Colours may influence our emotions more directly.
- Arousal and stimulated appetite (red).
- Relaxation (blue).
Some reaction to colour comes from learned associations.
e.g. Black is associated with mourning in the United States, whereas white is
associated with mourning in Japan.
Some reaction to colour is due to biological and cultural differences.
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e.g. Women tend to be drawn to brighter tones and are more sensitive to subtle
shadings and patterns.

Smell:
Odours can stir emotions or create a calming feeling. Some responses to scents
result from early associations that call up good or bad feelings. Marketers are finding
ways to use smell:
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 Scented clothes.
 Scented stores.
 Scented cars and planes.
 Scented household products.
 Scented advertisements.

Sound:
Advertising jingles create brand awareness. Background music creates desired
moods. Sound affects people’s feelings and behaviours. Muzak uses a system it
calls “stimulus progression” to increase the normally slower tempo of workers during
mid-morning and mid-afternoon time slots.

Touch:
Relatively little research has been done on the effects of tactile stimulation on the
consumer, but common observation tells us the this sensory channel is important.
People associate textures of fabrics and other surfaces with product quality.
Perceived richness or quality of the material in clothing is links to its ‘feel’, whether
rough or smooth.

VITNER servicescape MODEL:

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Exposure occurs when a stimulus comes within the range of someone’s sensory
receptors.
Consumers concentrate on some stimuli, are unaware of others, and even go out of
their way to ignore some messages.

Sensory Thresholds
Absolute Threshold:
- The lowest level at which an individual can experience a sensory stimulation.
- The minimum amount of stimulation that can be detected on a given sensory
channel.

Differential Threshold:
- The ability of a sensory system to detect changes or differences between two
stimuli. The minimum difference that can be detected between two stimuli is
known as the j.n.d (just noticeable difference).
- These are important considerations for marketers to grab our attention
appealing to the senses.
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