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Manipulation Tactics in Consumer Behavior
- 1. Manipulation Tactics in Consumer Behavior Rebecca Hite Wilkes University April 28, 2018
- 2. Agenda • Consumer Behavior & Manipulation Definitions • Tactic of Manipulating Emotions • Research, Examples, Consumer Response & Ethical Concerns • Tactic of Using Psychological Needs and Self – Esteem • Research, Examples, Consumer Response & Ethical Concerns • Analysis • Recommendations for consumers and organizations • Questions
- 3. Definitions • Consumer Behavior • “the study of individuals and organizations and how they select and use products and services. It is mainly concerned with the psychology, motivations, and behavior” (Smith, 2016). • Manipulation • “to control or play upon by artful, unfair, or insidious means especially to one’s own advantage” (Merriam – Webster, 2018). • “that which attempts to play upon others’ hopes or fears to attain selfish ends while disregarding their aspirations or well – being” (Manral, 2011).
- 4. The Tactic of Manipulating Emotions • Emotions and Consumer Decisions • One wakes up to go to work in order to make money to be able to afford daily living and luxuries. • One goes to the dentist for semi-annual appointments. • One reads the paper, watches the news or checks out social media for information. • One takes dogs or kids to the park on the weekends. • One cleans up after partners, family members or friends. • Emotional Appeal • Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt (FUD) • Sex Sells
- 5. Examples of Advertisements Manipulating Emotions ‘Daisy’ Ad Virginia Slims Ad Figure 1. When LBJ’s Infamous ‘Daisy’ Ad Changed Politics Forever (Hart & Brown, 2014). Figure 2. You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby: Virginia Slims Advertising Year By Year (Lowbrow, 2016).
- 6. Examples of Advertisements Manipulating Emotions cont. Burger King Ad Figure 2. Sex Sells, 50 Creative Sexual Advertisements (Inspirationfeed, n.d.)
- 7. Consumer Response & Ethical Concerns Consumer Response • Outraged and fed up • Experience over story telling • Honest and truthful? • Research on color effects • Manipulation vs. Persuasion Ethical Concerns • Color effects and manipulation • Red car vs. blue car • Music • Subconscious manipulation • Consumers can’t protect themselves
- 8. The Tactic of Using Psychological Needs and Self -Esteem Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs • “Theory of Human Motivation” • Psychological and Self – Fulfillment needs differ per person • Exclusive Groups • Prestigious Brands • Strategic Messaging Figure 4. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Jones, 2017)
- 9. Examples of Advertisements Manipulating with Psychological Needs and Self -Esteem Marines Ad American Express Ad Figure 5. The Few The Proud (Pinterest, n.d.) Figure 6. When Companies Don’t Protect Their Brands – Will the Real Black Card Please Stand Up? (Hasan, 2010).
- 10. Examples of Advertisements Manipulating with Psychological Needs and Self –Esteem cont. COVERGIRL Ad Figure 7. Sofia Vergara CoverGirl 2012 Celebrity Endorsement Ads. (Pinterest, n.d.)
- 11. Consumer Response & Ethical Concerns Consumer Response • No real issue (Psychological) • Autonomy over decision of needs • Issue with Self – Esteem manipulation • Beauty Industry standards and use of Photoshop Ethical Concerns • Pressure for young girls to mimic unrealistic body standards • Some will go to extremes to achieve standards that play on self – esteem
- 12. Analysis Recommendations for Marketers • Cease research on manipulative measures to influence purchasing (colors) and research most important product or service aspects and be transparent • Encourage brands to display realistic standards, product features, and cease use of Photoshop Recommendations for Consumers • Always research the company and product, read reviews, and leave reviews for other potential buyers • Understand what drive YOU to feel fulfilled, decide what boosts your self – esteem and why • Have a realistic understanding of what the product can do for you
- 14. References Smith, Kit. (2016, October 28). How to Understand and Influence Consumer Behavior. Retrieved from https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/how-understand-influence-consumer-behavior/ Manral, Kiran. (2011). Manipulative Advertising. Retrieved from http://www.theadvertisingclub.net/index.php/features/editorial/3260-manipulative-advertising (n.d.) Definition of Manipulate. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manipulate (n.d.) Emotional Appeals. Critical Thinking. Retrieved from http://www.cogsci.rpi.edu/~heuveb/teaching/CriticalThinking/Web/Presentations/EmotionalAppeals.pdf Rosenthal, Robert. (2014). 5 Psychological Tactics Marketers Use to Influence Consumer Behavior. Retrieved from https://www.fastcompany.com/3032675/5-psychological-tactics- marketers- use-to-influence-consumer-behavior Mulvey, Jeanette. (2012). Why Sex Sells…More Than Ever. Retrieved from https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2649-sex-sells-more.html Hart, Alexandra and Brown, David. (2014). When LJB’s Infamous ‘Daisy’ Ad Changed Politics Forever. Retrieved from http://kut.org/post/when-lbjs-infamous-daisy-ad-changed-politics- forever
- 15. References Lowbrow, Yeoman. (2016). You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby: Virginia Slims Advertising Year By Year. Retrieved from https://flashbak.com/youve-come-a-long- way-baby-virginia-slims-advertising-year-by-year-365664/ (n.d.) Sex Sells, 50 Creative Sexual Advertisements. Retrieved from http://inspirationfeed.com/sex-sells-50-creative-sexual-advertisements/ Jones, Tyler A. (2017). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved from https://journal.thriveglobal.com/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-5b021e203e34 (n.d.) The Few The Proud. Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/561613016003068486/ (n.d.) When Companies Don’t Protect Their Brands – Will the Real Black Card Please Stand Up? Retrieved from https://ideasinspiringinnovation.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/when-companies-dont-protect-their-brands-will-the-real-black-card-please-stand-up/ (n.d.) Sofia Vergara CoverGirl 2012 Celebrity Endorsement Ads. Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/472103973415820554/
- 16. References Jagdish, N. Sheth. (1985). History of Consumer Behavior: A Marketing Perspective. Retrieved from http://www.cfs.purdue.edu/richardfeinberg/csr%20331%20consumer%20 behavior%20%20spring%202011/readings/history%20of%20consumer%20behavior.pdf Eyal, Nir. (2012). The Art of Manipulation. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/nireyal/2012/07/02/the-art-of-manipulation/#22f7cec05009 (2014). Model Calls For A Burger King Boycott After She Was Featured In A Sexually Suggestive Ad. Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/food- drink/2014/08/13/model-calls-for-burger-king-boycott-after-was-featured-in-sexually-suggestive-ad.html Jonas, Matthew. (2017). Appealing To The Top Of The Psychological Hierarchy. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/05/18/appealing- to-the-top-of-the-psychological-hierarchy/#428a59d6885e Chalabi, Mona. (2015). What Percentage of Americans Have Served In The Military? Retrieved from https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/what-percentage-of-americans- have-served-in-the-military/ Hasan, Dian. (2010). When Companies Don’t Protect Their Brands – Will The Real Black Card Please Stand Up? Retrieved from https://ideasinspiringinnovation.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/when-companies-dont-protect-their-brands-will-the-real-black-card-please-stand-up/ Swinson, Jo. (2011). False Beauty in Advertising and the Pressure To Look ‘Good’. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/08/08/swinson.airbrushing.ads/index.html
Editor's Notes
- Emotions & Consumer Decisions * Emotions drive consumers to make decisions every day 1. One wakes up to go to work in order to make money to be able to afford daily living and luxuries. (happiness) 2. One goes to the dentist for semi-annual appointments. (fear) 3. One reads the paper, watches the news or checks out social media for information. (curiosity, knowledge) 4. One takes dogs or kids to the park on the weekends. (happiness) 5. One cleans up after partners, family members or friends. (love, anger) Emotional Appeal * Appeal to fear, desire, anger/outrage, humor, guilt/shame, pride/vanity/flattery, indignation, pity, disrespect, reverence, reciprocation, revenge, etc. FUD – used to persuade consumers to stay away from even considering other competitor’s products. Can be so powerful that other products can be completely ignored (ex. – GMO vs. non-GMO products, organic vs. inorganic – toxins in body = fear) Sex sells – most effective when used for low risk/impulse purchases (gum, candy, drinks, etc.) use of sex in advertisements for each industry (Health & Hygeine @ 38%, Beauty @ 36%, lowets, Entertainment @ 21%) Here are a few examples……
- ‘Daisy’ (FUD) – Lyndon B. Johnsons vs. Barry Goldwater “These are the stakes. To make a world in which all of God’s children can live, or to go into the dark. We must either love each other, or we must die.” Virginia Slims (Happiness, Anger, Liberation, Sex Appeal, Belongingness, Fear) – “In 1915, Mrs. Cynthia Robinson was caught smoking in the cellar behind the preserves. Although she was 34, her husband sent her straight to her room. Virginia Slims are slimmer that the fat cigarettes men smoke. They’re tailored slim to fit your hands, your lips, and your purse. And blended with the kind of flavor women like. Rich, mild Virginia flavor. Extra Long. Light one up.”; “You’ve come a long way, baby”; ( Ad not shows)“I thik women are inferior to men” “I think women got no business votin’ or smokin’.” The third man says, “I think I just swallowed a seed.” Then the beautiful and slim woman in the front says,”Too bad he wasn’t eating avocados “ (humor, power, beauty, freedom)
- Burger King Ad (Sex Appeal) (Singapore) – “blow your mind away. Fill your desire for something long, juicy and flame-grilled with the New BK Super Seven Incher”; good or bad publicity, Burger King was talked about
- Exclusive Groups Exclusive groups can vary from consumers who own a Rolex, to people who are Navy Seals, and those who have climbed Mount Everest Exclusive groups bring joy and a sense of accomplishment to consumers Prestigious Brands Owning something from a prestigious brand means the consumer is part of an exclusive group. Prestigious brands are those that promote the idea of exclusivity Strategic Messaging Without strategic messaging, exclusivity is lacking and less appealing. For example, owning and operating a small business makes the owner part of an exclusive group. Why? Because the public has been taught that if one owns a business, they are contributing to the community, the larger economy, offering a desirable product or service to the public and making money by doing what you love. However, if the concept of owning a small business is broken down, anyone can have an idea, anyone can lease a building, anyone can put a price on something, and anyone can make money. The exclusivity is shown through messaging, captions, slogans, and images. Without this strategy, exclusive groups wouldn’t appeal to the psychological needs and self – esteem
- Marines Ad Exclusive Group – Smallest U.S. Miolitary division with 186,000 active duty members and 38,500 reserve members (compared to 3.1% of Americans served in Army, 0.8% Marines) Tough training, missions = exclusive “The Few. The Proud.” slogan invokes sense of prestige and respect. Few = exclusive, Proud = fulfilling self – esteem and psychological needs American Express Ad “Membership has its privileges” No credit card label, instead, it’s a charge card – customers have memberships Commercial example - American Express member is shown at the airport after missing a flight, but is lucky enough to get the last seat on the plane and it’s in first class. Once the plane lands, he is surrounded by other travelers curbside waiting to catch a cab. He scans the road and is waived over by a cab driver, another ‘privilege’ shown Privelage, belongingess, group
- Why do I love clean? Because the clean look is sexy!”. By using Vergara as the model and glamourizing her perfect looking skin, Covergirl is playing on the self – esteem of consumers, specifically majority female consumers, and their desire to look beautiful Self – esteem and desire to look beautiful
- Autonomy – example – Marines doesn’t appeal to me ¼ womem are depressed about their body 1/3 women would give up a year of their life to achieve their perfect body ½ women – hardest things about being female is constant struggle and pressure to look good Calvin Klein – Barbie, constant images of unrealistic body types and standards of beauty