Chapter 7 Attitudes

The Power of Attitudes An attitude is a lasting, general evaluation of people, objects, advertisements, or issues.

Consumers have attitudes toward a wide range of attitude objects, from very product-specific behaviors (e.g., using Crest toothpaste rather than Colgate) to more general, consumption-related behaviors (e.g., how often one should brush one’s teeth).

Attitudes help to determine whom a person chooses to date, what music she listens to, whether she will recycle or discard aluminium cans, or whether she chooses to become a consumer researcher for a living.

The consistency principle According to the principle of cognitive consistency, consumers value harmony among their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and they are motivated to maintain uniformity among these elements. This desire means that, if necessary, consumers will change their thoughts, feelings, or behaviors to make them consistent with their other experiences.

Cognitive Dissonance and Harmony Theory of cognitive dissonance: when a consumer is confronted with inconsistencies among attitudes or behaviors, he will take action to resolve the “dissonance”.

Changing an attitude vs. modifying a behavior The theory of cognitive dissonance states that when a person is confronted with inconsistencies among attitudes or behaviors, he will take some action to resolve this ‘dissonance’, perhaps by changing an attitude or modifying a behavior.

Self-perception theory Self-perception theory assumes that people use observations of their own behavior to determine what their attitudes are, just as we assume that we know the attitudes of others by watching what they do.

Self-perception theory The theory states that we must have a positive attitude toward an object if we have bought or consumed it (assuming that we freely made this choice). Thus, buying a product out of habit may result in a positive attitude toward it after the fact –why would I buy it if I didn’t like it?

Self-Perception Theory Why would I buy it if I didn’t like it? Watch out! The reason may lie in the following persuasion techniques applied to you: FOOT-IN-THE-DOOR TECHNIQUE If he has first agreed to comply with a smaller request, consumer is more likely to comply with a request LOW-BALL TECHNIQUE Person is asked for a small favor and is informed after agreeing to it that it will be very costly. DOOR-IN-THE-FACE TECHNIQUE Person is first asked to do something extreme (which he refuses), then asked to do something smaller (acceptance).

Foot-in-the-door technique examples If he has first agreed to comply with a smaller request, consumer is more likely to comply with a request A person in the street asks me directions, which I give. They then ask me to walk a little way with them to make sure they don't get lost. In the end, I take them all the way to their destination.

Foot-in-the-door technique examples (cont.) If he has first agreed to comply with a smaller request, consumer is more likely to comply with a request Dad, can I go out for an hour to see Sam? [answer yes] ...I just called Sam and he's going to the cinema - can I go with him? ...I haven't got money -- could you lend me enough to get in? ...Could you give us a lift there? ...Could you pick us up after?

Low-ball technique examples Person is asked for a small favor and is informed after agreeing to it that it will be very costly. Example 1) A sales person says that a product 'starts at' a low price. During the sales process they introduce necessary extras. Example 2) A family books a package holiday. They find that there are surcharges. They pay these without question.

Door-in-the-face technique examples Person is first asked to do something extreme (which he refuses), then asked to do something smaller (acceptance). Will you donate $100 to our cause? [response is no]. Oh. Well could you donate $10? [response is yes]. Can you help me do all this work? [response is no]. Well can you help me with this bit? [response is yes]. Can I stay out until 4 a.m.? [response is no]. OK. How about midnight? [response is yes].

Chapter 8 Attitude Change and Interactive Communications

Changing Attitudes Through Communication What influences people to change their minds or comply: Reciprocity Scarcity Authority Consistency Liking Consensus

Changing attitudes through communication Persuasion refers to an active attempt to change attitudes. Persuasion is, of course, the central goal of many marketing communications.

People are more likely to give/donate if they receive. Reciprocity People are more likely to give/donate if they receive. Example: That’s why including money in a mail survey questionnaire increases the response rate by an average of 65% over surveys that come in an empty envelope.

Items become more attractive when they are less available. Scarcity Items become more attractive when they are less available. Example: In one study that asked people to rate the quality of chocolate chip cookies, participants who only got 2 cookies liked them better than did those who got 10 of the same kind of cookie. That helps to explain why we tend to value ‘limited edition’ items.

Authority The importance of who delivers the message. We tend to believe an authoritative source much more readily. Example: That explains why the American public’s opinion shifts 2% when a news article is printed in the New York Times.

Consistency As we saw in our last lessons, people try not to contradict themselves in terms of what they say and do about an issue. Example: In one study, students at a university who solicited donations to help the handicapped doubled the amount they normally collected in a neighbourhood by first asking the residents to sign a petition supporting the handicapped 2 weeks before asking for donations.

As we will see later, we tend to agree with those we like or admire. Liking As we will see later, we tend to agree with those we like or admire. Example: In one study, good-looking fund-raisers raised almost twice as much as other volunteers who were not as attractive.

Consensus We often take into account what others are doing before we decide what to do. This desire to fit in with what others are doing influences our actions – Example: people are more likely to donate to a charity, if they first see a list of the names of their neighbors who have already done so.

Tactical Communications Options Who will be source of message? How should message be constructed? What media will transmit message? What target market characteristics will influence ad’s acceptance?

Tactical Communications Options (Cont.) Suppose a car company wants to create an advertising campaign for a new ragtop targeted to young drivers. As it plans this campaign, it must develop a message that will create desire for the car by potential customers. To craft persuasive messages that might persuade someone to buy this car instead of the many others available, we must answer several questions.

Questions to be answered Target market portrayed in an ad: Who will be shown driving the car in an ad? A career woman? A hip-hop star? A businessman? The source of a message helps to determine consumers’ acceptance of it as well as their desire to try the product.

Questions to be answered (cont.) The message: How should the message be constructed? Should it emphasize the negative consequences of being left out when others are driving cool cars and you are still tooling around in your old clunker?

Questions to be answered (cont.) The message: How should the message be constructed? Should it directly compare the car with others already on the market?, or maybe present a fantasy in which a tough-minded female executive meets a dashing stranger while cruising down the highway with the top down?

Questions to be answered (cont.) The media: What media should be used to transmit the message? Should it be depicted in a print ad? On television? Sold door to door? On a web site? If a print ad is produced, should it be run in the pages of Good Housekeeping? Car and driver?

Questions to be answered (cont.) The Characteristics of the target market: What characteristics of the target market might influence the ad’s acceptance? If targeted users are frustrated in their daily lives, they might be more receptive to a fantasy appeal. If they are status-oriented, maybe a commercial should show bystanders swooning with admiration as the car cruises by.

Interactive Communications - An Updated View Consumers have many more choices available and greater control to process messages. Permission marketing: marketer will be much more successful in persuading consumers who have agreed to let him try–consumers who ‘opt out’ of listening to the message probably weren’t good prospects in the first place. On the other hand, those who say they are interested in learning more are likely to be receptive to marketing communications they have chosen to see or hear.

New Message Formats New forms of blogging: M-commerce (mobile commerce) Blogging Moblogging Video blogging (vlogging) Podcasting RSS (Really Simple Syndication) Flogs (fake blogs) Twittering

The Source Source effects: the same words by different people can have very different meanings A “source”often a spokesperson in an ad—may be chosen because s/he is expert, famous, attractive, or a “typical” consumer What makes a good source? Source credibility: a source’s perceived expertise, objectivity, or trustworthiness Source attractiveness: movie star, super model

The Sleeper Effect In some instances the differences in attitude change between positive sources and less positive sources become erased over time. After a while people appear to forget about the negative source and wind up changing their attitudes anyway. We call this process the sleeper effect.

The Sleeper Effect (Summary) Sometimes sources become irritating or disliked. Sleeper effect: over time, disliked sources can still get a message across effectively. We “forget” about negative source while changing our attitudes.