2. 6-2
Personality
• Personality: a person’s unique psychological
makeup and how it consistently influences the way
a person responds to his/her environment
3. 6-3
Freudian Systems
Personality = conflict between gratification and
responsibility
• Id: pleasure principle
• Superego: our conscience
• Ego: mediates between id and superego
• Reality principle: ego gratifies the id in such a way
that the outside world will find acceptable
4. 6-4
Freudian Systems (cont.)
Marketing Implications
• Unconscious motives underlying purchases
• Symbolism in products
• Sports car as sexual gratification for men
• Phallic symbols, such as cigars
• Latent motives for purchases
• Dichter’s motives (see table)
5. 6-5
Dichter’s Consumption Motives
Motive Associated Products
Power-masculinity-virility Power tools, hot rods, coffee, red meat, razors
Security Ice cream, home baking, hospital care
Eroticism Sweets, gloves
Moral purity-cleanliness White bread, cotton fabrics, bathing, oatmeal
Social acceptance Toys, sugar, honey, soap, beauty products
Individuality Gourmet foods, foreign cars, vodka, perfume
Status Scotch, carpets
Femininity Cakes, dolls, silk, tea, household curios
Reward Cigarettes, candy, alcohol, ice cream, cookies
Mastery over environment Kitchen appliances, boats, sporting goods
Disalienation Home decorating, skiing, morning radio broadcasts
Magic-mystery Soups, paints, carbonated drinks, vodka
6. 6-6
Motivational Research (cont.)
• Criticisms
• Usually invalid or hard to believe
• Too sexually-based
• Appeal
• Less expensive than large-scale surveys
• Powerful hook for promotional strategy
• Intuitively plausible findings (after the fact)
• Enhanced validity with other techniques
7. 6-7
Neo-Freudian Theories
• Karen Horney
• Compliant versus detached versus aggressive
• Alfred Adler
• Motivation to overcome inferiority
• Harry Stack Sullivan
• Personality evolves to reduce anxiety
• Carl Jung
• Collective unconscious
• Archetypes in advertising (old wise man, earth
mother, etc.)
10. 6-10
Trait Theory
• Personality traits: identifiable characteristics that
define a person
• Some Traits relevant to consumer behavior:
• Individualism
• Self-consciousness
• Self-esteem
• Need for cognition
• Frugality
• Extraversion
• Willingness to take risk
• Emotionality
• Others???
11. 6-11
Idiocentric vs. Allocentric
Idiocentrics
(individualist orientation)
Allocentrics
(group orientation)
Contentment More satisfied with current
life
Less satisfied with current
life
Health
Consciousness
Less likely to avoid unhealthy
foods
More likely to avoid
unhealthy foods
Food Preparation Spend less time preparing
food
Love kitchen; spend more
time preparing food
Workaholics More likely to work hard and
stay late at work
Less likely to work hard
Travel and
Entertainment
More interested in traveling to
other cultures
Visit library and read more
12. 6-12
Lifestyle/Personality Variables for Soup
Lifestyle Personality
Active Lifestyle (Vegetable):
I am: outdoorsy, physically fit,
workaholic, socially active
Mentally Alert (Clam Chowder):
I am: intellectual, sophisticated,
creative, detail-oriented, witty,
nutrition conscious
Family Spirited (Chicken Noodle):
I am: family-oriented, churchgoer,
traditional
Social (Chili):
I am: fun at parties, outgoing,
spontaneous, trendsetter
Homebody (Tomato):
I am: a homebody, good cook, pet
lover; I enjoy spending time alone
Athletic (Cream Soups):
I am: athletic, competitive,
adventurous
Intellectually Stimulated Pastimes
(French Onion):
I am: a technology whiz, world
traveler, book lover
Carefree (Minestrone):
I am: down-to-earth, affectionate,
fun loving, optimistic
13. 6-13
Problems with Trait Theory
• Prediction of product choices using traits of
consumers is mixed at best
• Scales not valid/reliable
• Tests borrow scales used for the mentally ill
• Inappropriate testing conditions
• Ad hoc instrument changes
• Low correlations with behavioral predictions
14. 6-14
Brand Personality
• Brand personality: set of traits people attribute to a
product as if it were a person
• Brand equity: extent to which a consumer holds
strong, favorable, and unique associations with a
brand in memory—and the extent to which s/he is
willing to pay more for the branded version of a
product than for a nonbranded (generic) version
15. 6-15
Brand Behaviors and
Personality Inferences
Brand Action Trait Inference
Brand is repositioned several times or changes
slogan repeatedly
Flighty, schizophrenic
Brand uses continuing character in advertising Familiar, comfortable
Brand charges high prices and uses exclusive
distribution
Snobbish, sophisticated
Brand frequently available on deal Cheap, uncultured
Brand offers many line extensions Versatile, adaptable
16. 6-16
Lifestyles
• Lifestyle: patterns of consumption reflecting a
person’s choices of how one spends time and
money
• People sort themselves into groups on the basis of:
• What they like to do
• How they spend leisure time
• How they spend disposable income
• Example:
• Magazines targeting specific lifestyles: WWF
Magazine, 4 Wheel & Off Road, Reader’s Digest
• Lifestyle and tastes/preferences evolve over time
17. 6-17
Food Cultures
• Food culture: pattern of food and beverage
consumption that reflects the values of a social
group
• Differences in international food cultures:
• In China, milk chocolate has less milk
• In United States, Campbell’s soup is saltier than
in Mexico
• In Germany, food is healthier
• In the Middle East: Saltier, Halal, Kosher (kashrut)
• In Japan and France: portions smaller
