Consumer behavior refers to how people purchase and use goods and services to meet personal needs. Market research helps understand consumer behavior through qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative research explores attitudes through focus groups and interviews. Quantitative research uses surveys, experiments, and observations to collect hard data. Account planners at advertising agencies represent consumer views to define advertising strategies. Research informs decisions on target audiences, message elements, and media selection.

1. MCOM 341<br />Week 6 Summary<br />Communication and Consumer Behavior<br />DEFINITIONS:<br />consumer behavior The activities, actions, and influences of people who purchase and use goods and services to satisfy their personal or household needs and wants.<br />stimulus Physical data that can be received through the senses.<br />learning A relatively permanent change in thought processes or behavior that occurs as a result of reinforced experience.<br />persuasion A change in thought process or behavior that occurs when the change in belief, attitude, or behavioral intention is caused by promotion communication (such as advertising or personal selling).<br />motivation The underlying drives that stem from the conscious or unconscious needs of the consumer and contribute to the individual consumer's purchasing actions.<br />evoked set The particular group of alternative goods or services a consumer considers when making a buying decision.<br />evaluative criteria The standards a consumer uses for judging the features and benefits of alternative products.<br />cognitive dissonance The theory that people try to justify their behavior by reducing the degree to which their impressions or beliefs are inconsistent with reality.<br />postpurchase evaluation Determining whether a purchase has been a satisfactory or unsatisfactory one.<br />OTHER CONCEPTS:<br />The Human Communication Process<br />SourceEncodingMessageChannelDecodingReceiverFeedback Noise <br />The Communication Process in Advertising<br />Source:Message:Channel:Receiver:The sponsorThe adThe mediumThe consumer<br />The Perception Process<br />Ad/commercialPromotionNews itemProduct/storePrice tagConversationPhysical Data(Stimuli)SightHearingTouchTasteSmellPhysiological Screens (Sensory)PersonalitySelf-conceptAttitudesBeliefsHabitsPsychological Screens (Emotional)AwarenessNonawarenessCognition(Awareness)InformationNeedsWantsMental Files (Memory)Feedback<br />Maslow’s Hierarchy of NeedsMotives<br />Account Planning & Research<br />DEFINITIONS:<br />account planner The individual at an advertising agency primarily responsible for account planning.account planning A hybrid discipline that bridges the gap between traditional research, account management, and creative direction whereby agency people represent the view of the consumer in order to better define and plan the client's advertising program.<br />marketing research The systematic gathering, recording, and analysis of information to help managers make marketing decisions.<br />advertising research The systematic gathering and analysis of information specifically to facilitate the development or evaluation of advertising strategies, ads and commercials, and media campaigns.<br />media research The systematic gathering and analysis of information on the reach and effectiveness of media vehicles.<br />qualitative research Research that tries to determine market variables according to unquantifiable criteria such as attitudes, beliefs, and lifestyle.<br />quantitative research Research that tries to determine market variables according to reliable, hard statistics about specific market conditions or situations.<br />OTHER CONCEPTS:<br />How Advertising Research is Applied<br />Results of Advertising Strategy Research<br />Target Audience SelectionMessage Element SelectionMedia SelectionProduct ConceptStrategy Research<br />Types of Qualitative Research<br />FocusGroupsProjective TechniquesIn-Depth InterviewsIndirect questions: What kind of people do you think shop here?One-on-one session with carefully planned questions about individual’s feelings and motivations.Group interview with 6+ member s of the target audience to discuss the production/situation.<br />Types of Quantitative Research<br />SurveyExperimentObservationResearchers monitor consumers’ actions.UPC codes allow instant data collection.Researcher offers different stimuli to test group and control group. Primarily new products.Researcher gains information by questioning current or prospective customers.<br />Types of Ad Testing Methods<br />Direct QuestioningCentral Location TestsClutterTestsPretestingAttitudeTestsRecallTestsInquiryTestsSalesTestsPosttesting<br />