The shift towards affirmation
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The shift towards affirmation
- 1. The Shift from Aspirational to Affirmational Marketing
- 2. Aspirational Marketing Affirmational Marketing Factors Affecting Marketing Consumer Research Recommendations Limitations Conclusion Agenda
- 3. What’s common here? ASPIRATIONAL Aspirational Marketing
- 4. Prompts you to become someone else Promises success OR change in persona Assume you are not there yet A Fantasy ride Aspirational Marketing
- 5. `88 Scott was designed for a certain kind of individual. Successful. Informed. Quintessentially Urban ………………. is the embodiment of personal success and style. Maybe it`s the time to let the world know that you have arrived` Affirmational Marketing
- 7. Encourages people to embrace their own individuality Celebrates personal success Reinstates that individual & brand are tied through common values You`ve arrived Affirmational Marketing
- 8. “You sell” Want to be unique Self-esteem to narcissism Technology advancement Ego Boom
- 9. Consumer Behavior Religion Financial Status Social Education Culture Gender Marketing Factors influencing Marketing
- 10. Is Affirmational Marketing against religious beliefs? Religion
- 11. Rise of self-help books Affirmation Reassurance Validation Permission Education
- 12. Different generations Baby Boomers Generation X Millenials Idealists Hard-working Stressed Self reliant Self focused Accept Diversity Reject Rules Techno-wise Sophisticated Celebrate Diversity Re-write Rules Generations
- 13. Illustration
- 14. Shift towards Affirmational Coca Cola final message India (2011)US (1990) US (2011) Coca Cola going GLOCAL
- 15. Cultural Implications Hofstede Cultural Dimensions Culture is playing an important role in establishing the shift in marketing Greater the power distance, greater the sense of collectivism, greater is the shift towards aspirational marketing As societies evolves marketing strategy needs to change Social Status GenderCulture
- 16. Hypothesis needs to be tested • Aspirational marketing versus affirmational marketing – the difference in perception according to • Gender • Age • Nationality (culture) • Level of religious beliefs and • Education • *Income Hypothesis needs to be tested
- 17. Sample size – target 50, actual sample size 54 respondents Gender : Male : Female = 40.7% : 59.3 % Age: 18-30 – 92.6 % North America 33% Europe 22% Asia 35% Latin America 6% Africa 4% Nationality Survey Time Level of religious beliefs Not religious or less religious than average 50.1 % Cannot really tell about their level of religious beliefs 20.4 % Religious or more religious than average 29.8 %
- 18. Gender factor does not affect customer preferences to large extent Age group (18-30) is more receptive to affirmational marketing and less receptive or neutral to aspirational marketing Affirmational: Higher rate of positive responses for North America Aspirational: High preference rate for Asian customers Level of religious beliefs does not affect customer preferences Education Level (Bachelor’s/Master’s) by assumption broaden customer horizons to be open to innovation Survey Findings
- 19. Age, income, education affect receptiveness to affirmational marketing Culture but not religion as an influence Range of consumer preferences within the same culture Insights
- 20. Adopt mix of aspirational / affirmational marketing • Extent of each depending on factors Recommendations Gender Religion Financial Status Culture Social Education
- 21. Implementation Customization • “illusion of choice” Customer-generated content • Product features • Brand Democratic process leads to higher customer loyalty
- 22. #1: One way is not the way LIMITATIONS Nike “Real Women” Nike “Make Yourself” Limitations
- 23. #2: Customers decide what is affirmative LIMITATIONS Company Customers Customer’s did not perceive Tata Nano as an affirmation of their economic status Limitations
- 24. Mattel, which stopped Body Shop’s real women campaign, is forced to introduce Bald Barbie #3: Influence of Strategy depends on Customers LIMITATIONSLimitations
- 25. Difficult to use affirmational marketing in TV industry #4: It does not apply to every industry Limitations
- 26. Affirmational marketing cannot be ranked on a black and white scale It is a grey area where success depends on combination of several factors • Determine influence of factors like Religion, Gender, Target Customer Generation, Culture, etc. For a future marketing manager, it is necessary to Research Consumer Behaviour and use managerial judgement Conclusion
- 28. Generational segmentation Generations Birth Years Approx. % of US population in 2010 Some characteristics Marketing strategy Baby Boomers 1943- 1960 22-26% Idealists, stressed, hard-working Aspirational Generation X 1961- 1981 12-18% Skeptical, better- educated, self- focused Affirmational Generation Y / Millennials 1982- 2001 24-27% diverse, techno- wise, striving to get ahead, strong egos Hybrid? Appendix A
- 29. • Sample size – target 50, actual sample size 54 respondents Survey Appendix B
- 30. 1. Do you consider different commercial campaigns in order to make a decision whether to buy a product or not? Yes/No 2. Please indicate on the scale from 1-7 the level of importance of the TV commercial for you in decision making process for the final purchase? Important-not important 3. Do you agree with a statement “TV/Online commercials in general are really powerful means of communication between a customer and a company”? Yes/no Survey Questionnaire Appendix C
- 31. Commercial #1 • LINK • Please evaluate the first commercial on the scale from 1-7 according to your preferences (Like-dislike) • Based on your customer experience, please rank the following statements, according to your first impressions after watching the given commercial (agree-disagree) • Inspires to buy the product • Looks artificial • Reflects modern woman needs • Shows current trends in cosmetics marketing • Doesn’t show the real beauty of women • Doesn’t provoke any feelings • Please, indicate the geographical region where this commercial would be successful in your opinion (more than one answer is possible) • North America • Europe • Asia • Latin America • Africa • Middle East Commercial #2 • LINK • Please evaluate the second commercial on the scale from 1-7 according to your preferences • (Like-dislike) • Based on your customer experience, please evaluate the following statements, according to your first impressions after watching the given commercial (agree-disagree) • Inspires to buy the product • Looks artificial • Reflects modern woman needs • Shows current trends in cosmetics marketing • Doesn’t show the real beauty of women • Doesn’t provoke any feelings • Please, indicate the geographical region where this commercial would be successful in your opinion (more than one answer is possible) • North America • Europe • Asia • Latin America • Africa • Middle East Customer preferences to online commercials Appendix D
- 32. • Gender Male/Female • Age • 18-25 • 26-30 • 31-35 • 36-40 • 41-45 • 46-50 • More than 50 • Nationality (Please choose a region) • North America • Europe • Asia • Latin America • Africa • Middle East • Please indicate on the following scale (from 1 – not religious at all to 7 – very religious) how do you consider yourself according to your religious beliefs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 • Education • High-school • Bachelor degree • Master’s • PhD Demographics Based on our hypothesis assumption, we designed the survey with the following demographics testing in order to analyze the correlation between gender, age, nationality (culture), level of religious beliefs and education Appendix E
- 33. Survey results - General questions Appendix F
- 35. Customer preferences comparison Commercial #2 Appendix H
Editor's Notes
- Ad1 - (AXE EFFECT) The company suggests that one can attract women using their products.Ad2 - (Fair and lovely) The company promises fair skin and more happiness as a result of that. The assumption here is that fair skin is considered superior.Ad3 - (Lotto 649) Buying a lottery ticket can change fortunes and it could take you from a office chair to a beach chair.So what's is the common thread in all these ads? - It is aspirational marketing.
- The features of aspirational marketing
- Recently, there has been another prevalent style of marketing. This ad was published in last week's Globe & Mail. So what do you notice here besides the women? If you look closely, it mentions the type of individual this condo was built forand affirms that you're that individual - successful, informed and urban. It doesn't prompt you to be someone else and confirms that you've arrived.This is affirmational marketing.
- Harley Davidson is the epitome of Affirmational marketing and all riders take pride in the common values associated with the brand.This video describes these values and beliefs in detail.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPqkCxV8SkI&feature=related
- The features of Affirmational marketing
- The current generation of youth in Western societies has more ego than ever before. Self-esteem is turning into narcissism. People believe they are good the way they are, and want their uniqueness to stand out. In addition, technological progress has greatly facilitated personalization of people’s needs and wants: with internet access, we can purchase customized items and create our own profile. Marketers have identified this trend and are now engaging in the “you sell”: instead of selling a product, they are selling a concept, a value proposition that aims to make individuals unique. The crux of this idea is the reinforcement, or affirmation, of consumers’ self-image.
- From a Buddhist perspective, the more attached you are to your ‘image’, the more you are likely to suffer. Buddhists believe that Personal Branding is not healthy for your soul. In most religions, people visit places of worship and values are shared and externally defined. Therefore, many argue that affirmational marketing or the concept of “You Sell” will not work in a very religious society. In reality, however, it doesn’t conflict too much with traditional religious views. God still exists. Only instead of being something external – something greater than any one individual – God is inside you.
- With the increase in education levels or literacy rates throughout the world, more and more self-help books are seen in the shelves of bookstores. This is not only true for western world or developed countries but also for the urban areas of the developing countries. The messages sell because they give people something they’re hungry for – affirmation, reassurance, validation, permission.
- Baby Boomers, as the cartoon suggests, still shoot for the moon and aspire to be something great. Aspirational works for them.Generation X - The rule breaker in them identifies with a Harley Davidson which is always marketed as an affirmationalMillenials - Re-write rules. We still may not be sure of what works for them – there is no concrete data available, we can assume a few things, we need to on consumer research. Maybe they need a bit of both – a sort of a hybrid strategy which we will discuss later.
- Video – Coca Cola http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vKDOWAf5M8&feature=related
- Summary of the messageShift from Aspirational to Affirmational in North American Market. More of a hybrid marketing (blend of aspirational and affirmational) in USMore of aspirational marketing in India owing to cultural, social and economic conditions‘GLOCAL’ perspective taken by Coca Cola
- Belief (value) systems are the shared understanding of the “way the world works”. Our cultural beliefs are defined around five dimensions of cultural variability (adapted from Hofstede). 1) Power DistanceThis focuses on the degree of equality or inequality between people. A high power distance indicates that inequalities of power and wealth have been allowed to grow in that society. Low power distance indicates that society de-emphasizes the differences between citizen’s power and wealth.2) IndividualismThis focuses on the degree the society reinforces individual or collective achievement. High individualism indicates that individuality and individual rights are paramount with the society. Individuals in these societies form a larger number of loose relationships (rather than close ties with a few individuals.)3) Masculinity & Femininity (Gender)This focuses on the degree that society reinforces, or does not reinforce, the traditional masculine work role model of male achievement, control, and power. High masculinity ranking indicates that society experiences high degree of gender differentiation.Typical “masculine” traits include aggressive, competitive, ambitious, dominant.Typical “feminine” traits include kindness, sympathy, pity, emotional, sensitive.4) Uncertainty AvoidanceThis focuses on the level of tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity (i.e. unstructured situations) within society. High uncertainty avoidance leads to a rule-oriented society that institutes laws, rules, regulations, controls. There is less acceptability to change.5) Long Term OrientationThis focuses on the degree the society embraces long-term devotion to traditional values. High long-term orientation indicates a society that prescribes to the values of long term commitments and respect for tradition. Change happens more slowly here.
- The results of our survey are consistent with existing literature: we have found that consumers who are younger, have a higher income and level of education than average are more receptive to affirmational marketing. This is because the younger generation grew up with technology, which is the facilitator for the ego boom. Also, higher income and educational levels lead to higher self-esteem. However, different cultures still perceive aspirational and affirmational commercials differently. The gap in perception between developing and developed countries, as well as Western and non-Western cultures, still affects customers’ receptiveness to the marketing method. This difference in the decision-making process means that the correct marketing method must be selected for the right audience at the right time. We must keep in mind that despite these cultural differences, preferences are not absolute: instead, there is always a range.
- *Ways in which managers can implement affirmational marketingWith the ego boom generation in developed, primarily Western markets, people WANT to feel unique and want products that reflect and further reinforce their own identity. Recognizing these trends, depending on markets, marketers will likely want to engage in some level of affirmational marketing. So now the question remaining is HOW? Given both theory and empirical data, we have arrived at the following recommendations for managers.Provide choice when possible, but only make cosmetic changes that are low-cost and don’t require changing the core product. Make people think they are choosing freely, but only let them choose within a controlled range.Involve customers in generating both the desired product features and brand. The first can be done by gathering customer feedback, but also engaging them when possible in design contests to come up with their ideal product features. The second can be done by providing an easy forum for customers to gather and engage in discussions about the company’s products, eventually leading to some level of consistency in the value proposition. It’s important however for managers to maintain control over certain aspects of this process, such as core elements of the brand and the way in which the discussion is conducted (HD Summit).
- Limitation #1: The company’s can not make an explicit choice of using either aspirational or affirmational marketing. It is a grey area in which companies have to use a hybrid approach, depending on the product and customers they are targeting.Nike started “Real Women” campaign, in which it focused on six parts of female body. In the picture on left above, the focus is on “thunder thighs”, which sounds to have a negative connotation, however, the explanation appended to it explains why a hardworking exercising women should be proud of her thunder thighs, which she has developed through practice and exercise.On the other hand, Nike has another campaign, “Make Yourself” for women, in which it uses image of seven top athletes and urges women to be like them through the support of Nike’s products
- Limitation #2: It is the customers who make the final decision on whether a company’s marketing is affirmative and whether customers associate with it. Tata Nano was developed with the idea that it would be a similar cost alternative to those Indian customers who are forced to drive their family on a scooter due to absence of an alternative that they could afford. The company pitched Nano as an affirmation to the customer’s economic status and offered a car at the price they could afford. However, customer’s who always aspired to graduate from a scooter to a car, did not perceive Nano in the affirmative way and the car has struggled in sales. The customers rather chose to spend 50% more on the next best alternative, an Alto, which they perceived as a car and aspired to have one.
- Limitation #3: Affirmational marketing is not a new concept and its success or failure is hugely dependent on the power of the customers that it is trying to attract. In 1998, Body Shop started the “Ruby” campaign in which they used a full bodied doll to say that “Barbie” wasn’t a real representation of a real women. They placed posters of “Ruby” on each of their shop fronts, however, they were quickly threatened by Mattel, who made Barbie dolls. And, since Body Shop did not have the power to fight Mattel, they were forced to take off the “Ruby” campaign. However, in 2011, under the pressure of its customer’s demand, Barbie came out with a “Bald” Barbie to affirm that even bald is beautiful and that those girls or women who loose hair to their cancer treatment are indeed beautiful. If the consumers had the same power as they have today, the outcome of Body Shop’s “Ruby” campaign would have been much different.
- Limitation #4: The effectiveness of Affirmational marketing is also dependent on the industry in which it is being applied. For example, this marketing technique will not work for electronics industry like TV. The constant selling point for this industry is aspiration. Until and unless the customers will aspire to have the next better TV, the companies will struggle to sell their products.
- Conclusion: It is hard to rank Affirmational marketing on a pure Black and White scale because it is a grey area. The success of affirmational marketing depends on combination of several factors like religion, gender, target customer, generation, culture, etc. And a key take away for future marketing manager is to research the current consumer behaviour and identify the exact customer segment that is being targeted before deciding on the marketing campaign.
- Appendix Modified from MBAS 833 Session 4 Slide 33
- As we can see from the data received from the survey, there are 66.7 % of the respondents who pay attention to different commercial campaigns while they make the final purchase decision in the decision making process and 74.1 % of customers who actually believe that “TV/Online commercials is general are really powerful means of communication between a customer and a company”. Based on these results, we may conclude that there is a room to use new and different marketing methods and become a first mover using offensive marketing strategies in order to push/pull customer towards buying a product – in our case to aspire or affirm customer to buy a product.