CONSUMER ATTITUDE FORMATION

& CHANGING ATTITUDE

Consumer Attitude Formation
Attitude have been associated with the notion of “Likings & Disliking
someone or something. Attitude are inner expression or feelings that reflect
weather a person is favorably or unfavorably predisposed to a product or
brand or establishment.
It is primarily a learned disposition to respond in a consistently favorable &
unfavorable manner with respect to a given object.
Thus an Attitude is the way we think, feel & act towards some aspects of our
environment, such as Product (a Energy Drink) a brand (Horlicks) etc.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ATTITUDE:-
a) Attitude have an object.
b) They have direction, intensity & degree.
c) They have structure
e) They are learned
f) They may be strongly & weakly held.
g) Attitudes are dynamic & can be changed
h) Some attitudes are fundamental than others and more resident to
change.
i) Attitudes has evaluative nature.
Sources of Attitude
 Personal Experience
 Needs
 Selective Perception
 Personality
 Group Associations
 Influential Others (relatives, experts, opinion leaders celebrities etc)
 Family
 Reference Groups
 Social Factors
 Direct Marketing
 Exposure to Mass Media
COMPONENTS OF ATTITUDE:-
 1. Cognitive Component :- the knowledge & perception about a product.
 Like color, shape, size price etc.
 2. Affective Component:-what the person subjectively feels about the
attitude product.
 3. Behavioral Component:- what is the response of the person towards
the attitude object
A simple presentation of TRI- Component Attitude
Model

Cognitive

Affective Behavioral
Cognitive Component
 Attitudes primarily consist of a consumer’s belief about an object.
these beliefs are based on a combination of the knowledge,
experience & perception about the attitude object.
 Example:- a person may believe that Dettol soap is
 Antibacterial
 Effective
 Not perfumed
Not an early bathing soap. Etc
Effective Component :-
 Consumer's feelings & emotional reactions to an object represent
the affective component of an attitude. this relates to consumers
overall evaluation of the attitude object. the evaluation can be
either good or bad, favorable or unfavorable.
 Example:- A Consumer who says “ I like Coca-cola”, or Pepsi is not a
“Good cold drink “is expressing the result of an effective evaluation.
Behavioral Component
 It is one’s tendency to respond in a certain manner toward an object or activity
 A series of decisions to purchase or not to purchase a Canon inkjet Printer would
reflect the behavioral component of an attitude. This component provides response
tendencies or behavioral intensions.

 Attitude Components & its Manifestations

 Exposure Components Manifestation Attitude
Beliefs about specific
Cognitive attributes or overall
object

Product, Emotions or feelings Overall

Situations, Retail
Affective about specific attributes orientation
outlets, Salesman, or overall object towards
Advertisement etc object

Behavioral intensions with

Behavioral respect to specific
attributes to overall object
Functions of Attitude
 Utilitarian Function:- this attitude serves consumers in achieving desired
benefits.web develop a favorable towards the product because of its utility
function.
 The COLDARIN (An anti-cold remedy), UJALA (Neel which is not blue)
 Ego Defensive Function:- Attitude formed to protect the ego, or self
image, from anxieties & threats help fulfill this function.
 Ads for many personal care products such as mouthwashes, toothpaste,
deodorants, antipimple creams & cosmetics & SOAPS etc.
 Value Expressive Function:- attitude reflect the consumer’s self image,
values & outlooks particularly in a high involvement product. a consumer
develops an attitude based on his general value, life style & outlook.
 “YAMAHA RXG “motor cycle is targeted at young people who prefer a powerful
bike.
 Knowledge Function:- individual have a strong need for knowledge &
seek consistency stability & understanding. The knowledge function also
reduces uncertainty & confusion.
 “Oral–B-Toothbrush” focus on its indicator which will tell the user the time
when they are required to chance. It.
Relationship between Attitude & Behavior
 Marketers are most interested in predicting & then able to alter the behavioral
components of attitiude.they want consumers to like their products (brands),
purchase them, remain loyal & even recommend its usage to others.
Cognitive & Affective Behavior
components of Component of
Attitude Attitude
Intervening Factors
Cognitive & Resultant
Affective behavior
components of
Attitude Unforeseen
based on
circumstances Attitude
Time gap
Extent of stability
Situational factors
Strength of attitude
Accuracy of attitude
Conflict of attitude
Attitude Change
 It is easier to change beliefs than benefits.
 It is easier to change brand beliefs than brand attitude s
 Changing attitudes is a more relevant vehicle than beliefs for hedonic
products.
 It is easier to change attitudes for low involvement products. Because they
are not committed to brands.
 It is easier to change weak attitudes than the strong ones.
 It is easier to change attitudes of consumers who have less confidence in
their brand evaluation.

 Strategies of Attitude Change:- A change in attitude Is

better ensured through:-
 SOURCE CREDIBILITY:- source credibility comprises of two dimensions:
trustworthiness & expertise. If the source of the message is considered
credible by the target market, influencing attitude becomes easy.
 a) CELEBRITY AS SOURCE:- the source could be an identifiable
person (Sharukh Mayur Khan) an unidentifiable person (Lalita Ji)
that’s why Lux is endoresd by film stars,BOOST with Sachin
Tendulkar.
Strategies To Change Consumer
Beliefs
 Positioning by :-
 Brand personality
 Product category
 Association with competitors
 Country or geographic area
 Celebrity recognition

 Product attributes
 Consumer benefits
 Intangible attributes
 Price
 Application
Appeal Characteristics
 Fear Appeals:- Fear appeals primarily used in advertising range from
using physical fear, to social fear. Fear appeal was effectively used in the
SAFFOLA advertisement.(accident in case of drunken driving)

 Humor Appeal:- humor in an advertisement has the following

impact.
 Attracts attention
 Does not generally affect comprehension
 Does not generally increase persuasion
 Increases liking of the followings.

Comparisons:- Comparative advertisements are generally undertake

by follower companies/brands which wish to challenge a better establishment
brand ( like LG challenging BPL or SANTRO challenges MARUTI)
Emotional Appeal:- most of the purchase are emotional only the extent
of emotions involved may vary. They are designed to elicit a positive effective
response rather than provide information or arguments.
like DE BEERS, ICICI, LIC, JHONSON & JHONSON etc
Value Expressive Appeal
 Value expressive appeal attempts to build a personality for the product or
create an image of the product user.

 (ANCHOR WHITE TOOTH PASTE 100% VEGETERIAN)

 UTILITARIAN APPEAL- It is most effective for products of general
utility. NESTLE convinced people for MILKMAID for preparing
desert & sweets
 One sided Vs. two sided message characteristics:-
(positive & negative features) like my shampoo is 100 times better
than others.

 Nonverbal Components:- (images, picture music)

Four Strategies to change Attitude
 By changing the values consumers
place product attribute
 By changing consumer’s brand
beliefs
 By changing brand evaluations
 By changing behavioral intensions