UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, JAMAICA

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR (MKT 3005)
Module Outline Semester 2; 2014-15
LECTURERS/TUTORS:
OFFICE HOURS:

Miss. Petula White, Mr. Clifton Neil, Miss Jodi-Kaye Watson,

Mrs Dorothy Pringle

______________ CONTACT #: ________________

E-MAIL: _________________

Module Description:
The Course will review the psychological, sociological and anthropological principles that underpin the
Customers buying decisions, and examine the relevance of these principles to all Consumers within the
competitive marketing environment. The students will be gain in depth knowledge of consumer behavior science
in order to employ relevant marketing strategies and tactics in a wide variety of marketing situations.

Module Objective/Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this module, the student should
1) Understand the theoretical contributions and concepts related to the study of customers and how
information technology impact consumer behaviour.
2) Understand the connection between consumer research, market segmentation, targeting and
positioning and the development of marketing strategies to influence consumer behaviour.
3) Understand the psychological concepts that influence individual consumption behaviour.
4) Understand how communication links consumers as individuals to the world and people around
them.
5) Know the cultural and social dimensions of consumer behavior and their impact on the attitudes
and behaviour of the consumers.
6) Appreciate the importance of marketing ethics and social responsibility in the context of consumer
behaviour.
ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE:
Coursework:
1. Presentation/Class Participation
2. In-Course Quiz (2)
3. In-Course Test
4. Group Project
TOTAL COURSEWORK
Final Examination
* TOTAL MARKS

15%
10%
10%
15%
50%
50% (See UTech Notice Board)
100%

ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE:
1. Tutorial Presentations & Participation

15%

(Ongoing)

Students will be required to answer assigned questions from tutorial sheet or do a case analysis for 10%
of grade. Students will be assessed based on their level of preparation, knowledge and application of
content, and presentation (oral/written) skills). Students who meet the following criteria: attend 90% of
tutorials sessions, answer tutorial questions, contribute to discussions and complete assigned readings
can earn a maximum of 5% of grade.
2. In-Course Quizzes

10%

Week of February 2-7 & March 23-28, 2015

Two (2) quizzes will be administered in the tutorial session during the week stated above. The format
will be objective-type assessments (multiple choice/ true-false). The dates are final unless otherwise agreed
on by Tutors.

3. In-Course Test

10%

Week of February 23, 2015

The in-course test will be a case/essay-type assessment administered during the tutorial session.
4. Group Project

15%

Week of March 30, 2015

Students will work in small groups (3-4 persons) to complete a project. The project will require students
to examine and apply consumer behavior concepts and principles in a real life setting and make
recommendations accordingly. The project accounts for 15% of the overall coursework grade. This will
be assessed based on written submission and an oral presentation. Tutor may use a variety of ways to
ensure learning takes place among all members of the group and may modify requirements as deemed
necessary.
5. Final Examination

50%

(See UTech Notice Board)

(any area of the outline can be tested)

TEXTBOOK & OTHER RESOURCES

REQUIRED TEXT:
Schiffman, Leon G. & Kanuk, Leslie L., (2010) Consumer Behavior. 10th Edition. Pearson Prentice Hall
Publishers.
OTHER RESOURCE MATERIAL * Students may refer to these and other Consumer Behavior Texts
Sheth, Jagdish N. & Mittal, Banwari. (2004) Customer Behavior: A Managerial Perspective. 2nd Edition. Thomson South
Western Publishers.
Assael, Henry (2004). Consumer Behavior: A Strategic Approach. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Hoyer, Wayne D. & MacInnis, Deborah J., (2004) Consumer Behavior. 3rd Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Arnould, E. Price, L. & Zinkhan, G. (2002) Consumers. 1st Edition. McGraw-Hill Publishers.
Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G. (2004) Principles of Marketing. 13th Edition. Prentice Hall Publishers.
Kotler, P. & Keller, Kevin K. (2006) Marketing Management. 12th Edition. Prentice Hall Publishers.
Solomon, Michael. (2001) Consumer Behavior: Buying, Having and Being. Prentice Hall Publishers.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR (MKT 3005)

LECTURE OUTLINE (January 12 April 10, 2015)
DATES
Jan. 12
Jan. 19

Jan. 26
Feb. 2

LECTURE
INTRODUCTION TO CUSTOMER BEHAVIOUR &
CONSUMER SEGMENTS
Defining Customer Behaviour
Customer Behaviour & the Marketing Concept
Customer Value, Satisfaction, Trust & Retention
Interdisciplinary Influences on the study of Consumer
Behaviour
Impact of New Technologies on Marketing Strategies
Simplified Model of Consumer Decision-Making
Segmentation process

Bases for Segmentation

Strategic Targeting
CONSUMER RESEARCH & CONSUMER MOTIVATION

Feb. 9
Feb. 16

Feb. 23
Mar. 2

Consumer Research Process (Quantitative &

Qualitative Research)
Model of the Motivation Process
Dynamics of Motivation
Types & Systems of Needs (Maslow, Murray, Trio of
Needs)
Motivational Research Techniques
PERSONALITY & CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
Nature of Personality
Theories of Personality
Personality & Understanding consumer behaviour
Brand Personality
Self & Self Image
CONSUMER PERCEPTION

Sensory Dynamics of Perception (sensation, absolute &

differential thresholds)
Elements of Perception (perceptual selection,
organisation & interpretation)
CONSUMER ATTITUDE FORMATION & CHANGE

Mar. 9

Mar 16

CHAPTER GUIDE
Chapter 1 & 3

Chapter 2 & 4
Week of February 2 - 7
Quiz on Unit 1

Chapter 5

Chapter 6
MID SEMESTER TEST
Week of February 23-28
Research, Motivation,
Personality
Chapter 8

Attitude formation
Strategies for Attitude change

COMMUNICATION & CUSTOMER BEHAVIOUR

Communication Model Source, Message, Medium,
Receiver, Feedback
Reference Groups
Brand Communities
Source credibility /Celebrity Endorsements
Branded Entertainment
Online/Mobile Consumer Behaviour (independent
reading)

Chapter 9

DATES
Mar. 23

Mar 30
Apr. 6

LECTURE

CHAPTER GUIDE

CONSUMERS IN THEIR SOCIAL & CULTURAL

SETTINGS
Family & Social Class influences on consumer
behaviour
Cultural & Sub-Cultural influences on consumer
behaviour
MARKETING ETHICS & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Chapter 10, 11, 12

Week of Mar. 23
Quiz on Perception &
Attitude
Chapter 16

Negative Effects of Marketing

Exploitative Targeting
Manipulating Consumers
Social Responsibility
Advocating Socially Beneficial Causes
Green Marketing
--- Tutors will provide additional readings and cases as necessary --BusinessWeek.com
AllBusiness.com
Newsweek.com
CNN.com
PrenticeHall.com
SalesandMarketing.com
FindArticles.com
Entrepreneur.com
JournalofMarketing.com

MarketingWeek.com
HarvardBusinessReview.com
BrandWeek.com
AdvertisingAge.com
SalesandMarketingManagement.com
JournalofConsumerMarketing.com
JournalofMarketingResearch.com
JournalofConsumerMarketing.com
WallStreetJournal.com

Group Project
OPTION #1
a) Students will be expected to develop and present a portfolio related to a specific industry (eg. Automobile), a
specific product category (eg. SUVs), a specific brand (BMW), Service organizations (eg. Banks, Hotels), an
Event (eg. Jazz & Blues, Sting), or Causes (eg. Family planning) and show how consumer behaviour
concepts/principles are portrayed by reviewing and compiling related materials.
b) Each project group will select concepts/principles related to one (1) of the following topics
a. Consumer Personality & Self Image
b. Consumer Attitude
c. Consumer Perception
d. Cultural/Sub-Cultural (family, groups, race, religion, etc),
b) Students will be expected to
a. provide background information about the portfolio category chosen
b. review selected material (advertisement, infomercial, advertorial, video, journal article, news feature,
statistics, ratings, reviews, etc) that utilizes the consumer behaviour topic chosen
c. evaluate how the selected material demonstrate the consumer behaviour concepts or principles related to
the topic and the likely impact on the targeted consumers
c) Develop at least two promotional materials based on a well thought out positioning statement for a target market
of choice. These promotional materials should be based on concepts and principles learnt in the module.
OPTION #2
PROJECT 1
Students will be expected to:
A. Design and use appropriate research tools to study the behaviour of college students regarding their
consumption/use/support of any one (1) of the following areas of interest.
Areas for Research:

(tutor will assist students in fine tuning research area and entertain other suitable areas of interest expressed by students)

The use of Bleaching, Body piercing &

tattooing products/services
The shift to natural hairstyles
Entertainment interests
Alcoholic consumption
Social media habits

Smoking habits (including use of

Marijuana
Recycling practices
The shift to e-Books
Online shopping

B. Students should conduct desk research to study the topic/behaviour/practice selected above.
C. Students should provide a Report on their findings and discuss the related marketing implications.
D. Students will develop an appropriate communication message based on a well thought out positioning
statement for a target market of their choice based on findings.

Guidelines

Students should choose one (1) of the two group assignments with no less than three (3) and no more than
five (5) students. Individual projects will NOT be accepted, unless otherwise approved by Tutor.

The project must include an attractive cover page, table of contents, introduction, reference in the APA
format and relevant appendices.

The project should be typewritten, using double line spacing.

The allocation and submission of work from each group member must be included (this does not mean
the students should not contribute to the entire project)

The assignment accounts for 15% of the overall coursework grade.

A written and electronic submission of project is required. Tutors will provide details about the time and
requirements for an oral presentation.

Please remember to complete and include the Declaration of Authorship Form in your project.

TUTORIAL PRESENTATION SHEET

THE STUDY OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
1. Explain the link between the following concepts and understanding consumer behavior
(a) Customer satisfaction, customer value, customer retention, marketing concept, and the societal
marketing concept
2. Define extensive problem solving, limited problem solving, and routinized response behavior. What
are the differences among the three decision-making approaches? What type of decision process would
you expect most consumers to follow in their first purchase of a new product or Brand in each of the
following areas: (a) chewing gum, (b) sugar, (c) mens facial moisturizer, (d) living room chandelier, (e)
weekend at a hotel, (f) a smart phone, (g) a luxury vehicle? Explain your answers.
MARKET SEGMENTATION
3. Consumers do not buy drill bits they buy ways to make holes Assuming that this is true, what are
consumers really purchasing when they buy/choose the following:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)

A life insurance policy

A pair of Levi Jeans
A trip to Mystic Mountain
Obama as US President
Viewing Religious Hard Talk
Bleaching Cream
Tattoo(s)
Natural Bran Bread
The Knutsford Express Bus Service
The TGIF restaurant
BMWs X6

4. You are a marketer of a chain of Fitness clubs or a Spa in Jamaica. Use the VALS TM Segmentation
Profiles to determine two (2) segments you would target for your club (a) how would you position the
Health & Fitness club to appeal to each of these segments and b) what marketing mix strategies would
use to appeal to any one (1) of the two segments.
5. Develop a psychographic profile of two (2) individuals and their associations (male and female) based on
their social media presence and content. What marketing mix clues have you observed that would impact
on how you would appeal to any one (1) of the two segments?
CONSUMER RESEARCH
6. Explain how you would use any one of the following research: [Observational, Experimentation
or Survey] in each of the following scenarios: (Give reasons for your choice)

(a) The School of Business Administration would like to introduce a new minor in Retail
Management and would like to ascertain the level of interest, by whom and how the
minor should be offered (eg. Saturday and Sundays only) etc.
(b) The Marketing Division would like to determine whether the part time students perform
better academically than the full time students since the introduction of semesterisation in
2009.
(c) The Island Grill food outlet on campus would like to: Add a vegetarian meal combo to
the menu options, and

(d) The Island Grill food outlet on campus would like to ascertain the impact that the introduction of
the Refresher cup has had on beverage sales since its introduction over a year ago.
7. Explain the ways in which local or international companies have made use of developments in technology
in conducting quantitative and/or qualitative research. These should include but not limited to a) eye
tracking devices; b) people meters; c) traffic counters; d) scanners; e) online focus groups; f) virtual
reality; g) google analytics. Practical examples are required.
CONSUMER MOTIVATION
8. Explain the dynamics of Motivation in relation to Consumer Behaviour. Find appropriate advertisements
that appeal to different needs and discuss the effectiveness of these advertisements in motivating
consumers to purchase/use products. Select Ads based on Trio of Needs and Murrays list of Psychogenic
Needs and any other needs category except Maslows Hierarchy.
9. Explain how motives are identified and measured. How have marketers in local or international
companies use Qualitative measures of motives. Eg. Metaphor analysis, storytelling, word association
and sentence completion etc. Practical examples are required.
PERSONALITY AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
10. a) Compare and contrast the major characteristics of the following Personality Theories: (a) Freudian
Theory (b) Neo-Freudian Theory, and (c) Trait Theory.
b) Demonstrate how companies have attempted to appeal to the following personality traits in their
promotional messages - a) Consumer Innovativeness; b) Consumer Ethnocentrism and c) Consumer
Materialism. Practical examples are required.
11. A marketer in the automobile industry is attempting to segment the Jamaican market on the basis of
consumer self-image. (a) Describe the types of consumer self-image that exist in the context of
Consumer Behaviour, and (b) Choose a Brand with several models and discuss which type(s) of consumer
self-image has been most effective in communicating with their target markets. Select relevant
advertisements that would support your choices.
12. Discuss how Product Anthropomorphism, Geography and Colour have been used to influence consumer
behaviour. Use local or international illustrations and/or examples in your answer.
13. Use the Brand Personality Framework to describe the personality of brands. Use both local and
international examples of brands for each category and justification your answer.
CONSUMER PERCEPTION
14. Explain the nature of Consumer Perception. Critically examine the use of the following concepts in
influencing consumer behavior toward specific products of your choice.
(a) Absolute threshold
(b) Differential threshold
(c) Subliminal perception
15. Select any two competing Brands in a product category of your choice. Examine their advertisements and
discuss the effectiveness of the use of the following concepts related to Perceptual organization and
interpretation:
Figure and ground
Grouping
Closure
Stereotypes

16. Benefit Segmentation as a type of Segmentation approach is most consistent with the Marketing
Concept (Discuss). Select a company that produces several version of the same product under the same
brand name locally. Visit the firms website or offices and prepare a list of the product items and the
benefits that each item offers to consumers. Are all these benefits believable and will they persuade
consumers to buy the different versions of the product. Explain your answers.
CONSUMER ATTITUDE FORMATION AND CHANGE
17. Discuss the factors that influence Attitude formation and how attitudes can be changed. Explain how you
would use three (3) attitude change strategies to increase sales for a) the manufacturer of a breakfast
cereal or an Online dating site of your choice.
18. Use an appropriate attitudinal scale to determine the attitude of your class toward i) voting for candidates
to serve on the Students Union Council or ii) offering themselves to serve on the Students Union
Council. Discuss the findings in the class and the implications.
IMPACT OF COMMUNICATION AND THE DIGITAL AGE ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR?
19. You are the Marketing Director of a local soft-drink company, a local clothing line, a mobile phone
provider and in the process of negotiating a contract for the use of a local endorser. Discuss the factors
that should be considered and the importance of (a) reference groups and (b) source/endorser credibility
in making your decision. What are the, if any, are some key limitations for the use of celebrities as
endorsers of any brand?
20. Discuss how local or international brands, institutions or organizations are using e-WOM as strategic
communication tools. Use examples in your answer. Explain how marketers can determine the
effectiveness of communication messages (communication feedback). Use specific examples in your
answer.
21. Research some global trends in consumer (buying) behaviour as a result of improvements in digital
technologies. What are the implications for marketing practice in Jamaica?
CONSUMERS IN THEIR SOCIAL AND CULTURAL SETTING
22. Compare and contrast the buying decisions and consumption behaviour of a Personal Consumer, a
Traditional Family and a Non-traditional Family with the use of one Product Brand or Service.
23. How do local marketers use Culture and Sub-culture as vehicles for building awareness of Products,
Brands and Promotional messages? Choose one local company and describe the ways in which its
marketing efforts have consistently been directed toward (a) Culture, and (b) Sub-culture segments.
24. Describe the characteristics of the Older Consumers sub-culture. Identify six (6) Advertisements that
appeal to the different segments of the Elderly market. (a) To what extent are these Ads depicting
chronological vs. cognitive age or perceived age? (b) How could these advertisements be improved to
reflect the characteristics of the New-Age Elderly.
MARKETING ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
25. Students are asked to present six (6) advertisements (print, radio or electronic) that they find offensive,
and (a) to explain their personal reactions in the Class Presentation. (b) Students should also assess and
present the reactions of at least 20 other students. (c) Were the reactions similar to yours? Explain. (d) In
your opinion, who is responsible for reducing instances of offensive advertising in Jamaica? (e) What
changes, if any can be regulated by the Jamaican Government?

26. Argue both sides of the following statement using logic and evidence to support your views: Advertising
encourages sexual, violent, and materialistic values in young people.

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TUTORIAL DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Consumer Behaviour: An Introduction
1. Discuss the reasons why the study of Consumer Behaviour is useful to Marketers. Consider the
Sportswear industry generally in your answer. By what means do companies such as Puma, Adidas, and
Nike use specific Marketing Tools in an attempt to differentiate their products for women?
2. What two companies do you believe grasp and use the marketing concept? What is the specific evidence
that supports your beliefs?
3. Which of the products that you purchase regularly would you consider to be highly segmented? What are
the different segments that can be identified? Why is Segmentation useful to the marketer for these
products?
4. How does Island Grill or any other fast food chain create Value for the consumer? How do they
communicate this value?
5. (a) List the Colleges/Universities that you considered when choosing which College or University to
attend, to complete your Undergraduate Degree. (b) Which criteria did you use to evaluate each? (c)
Describe how you acquired information on the different Colleges/Universities (d) How did you decide
which of the different attributes were most important to you? (e) How did you make your final buyingdecision?
N.B. Be sure to specify the consumer decision rules used (compensatory/noncompensatory).
6. What types of Socio-Cultural inputs would influence the purchase of a:
a. Plasma TV
b. Hybrid vehicle
c. Sugar-free ice cream
d. Dishwasher
7. What are four ways that consumers reduce Postpurchase Dissonance? How can marketers work to help
consumers reduce the Dissonance?
8. Discuss the relationship between consumer research, marketing segmentation, targeting and positioning
and the development of the marketing mix for a manufacturer of HDTV sets, Blackberry phones or
Laptops.
9. Discuss the role of the social and behavioural sciences in developing the consumer decision making
model.
10. Explain the relationship between the following concepts and consumer decision-making. Chapter 15
a. Levels of Consumer Decision-Making routinized response behavior, extensive and limited
problem-solving
b. Models of Consumers: Four views of consumer decision making: the Economic, Passive,
Cognitive and Emotional Views.
11. Define extensive problem solving, limited problem solving, and routinized response behavior. What
are the differences among the three decision-making approaches? What type of decision process would
you expect most consumers to follow in their first purchase of a new product or Brand in each of the
following areas: (a) chewing gum, (b) sugar, (c) mens facial moisturizer, (d) living room chandelier, (e)
paper towels, (f) a smart phone, (g) a luxury vehicle? Explain your answers.

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12. Discuss Case One: The Whole Foods Effect Chapter 1 Question 1 (Page 21). N.B. Your discussion
must be supported by any example of a local brand of prepared-meals sold in supermarkets.
Segmentation
13. Considering the largest bank in your City, Town or Parish:
a. How might consumers needs differ?
b. What types of products might meet their needs?
c. What advertising media makes sense for the different segments of consumers?
14. What types of marketers might segment according to Social Class? What ethical issues might marketers
have when marketing to different Social Classes?
15. How might you differ from a person with similar demographics to yourself? How would this information
be important for marketers?
16. Some marketers consider Benefit Segmentation as the type of Segmentation approach most consistent
with the Marketing Concept. With the use of at least four relevant examples, outline why you may agree
or disagree with this view?
17. Outline and discuss under which circumstances, and for what types of products, should a Marketer
segment the market on the basis of (1) Awareness/Readiness status, (2) Brand loyalty, and (3) Usagesituation.
CONSUMER RESEARCH
18. Assume you are planning to open a new Pizza restaurant near your campus.
a. What might be three objectives of a research plan for your new business?
b. How could you gather these data?
19. Evaluate the following statements and determine if they are researchable and how you would approach
the research
a. Textbook sales are low for students at UTech.
b. UTech students in the School of Business Administration purchase textbooks that are less than
$3000.
c. Part time students tend to buy more texts than full time students
d. Students at UTech generally have a negative attitude toward the purchase of textbooks
20. Many people do not like the fact that their personal data is used by marketers. (a) How can marketers
justify their need for data? (b) How can they acquire data and maintain customer privacy? (c) How can
marketers justify their need for data?
21. (a) What might direct marketers of fast-moving Consumer Goods to undertake Experimentation
research? How can they use the results?
22. Explain how you would design and conduct Qualitative research. Identify two (2) marketing research
problems/issues and show how Qualitative research tools could be used to provide information for
management decision-making. (student should select a real-life marketing issue)
CONSUMER MOTIVATION

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23. Marketers dont create needs; needs pre-exist marketers.

(a) Discuss this statement in detail (b) Can Marketing efforts really change Consumers needs? Why or
why not?
24. (a) What are three generic goals you have set for yourself in the past year? (b) What are three productspecific goals you have set in the past year? (c) In what situations are these two related? (d) What
influenced the selection of these goals?
25. (a) What products might be purchased using Rational and Emotional motives? (b) What marketing
strategies are effective when there are combined motives?
26. (a) Identify any three types of products which may be related to more than one Level of Maslows
Hierarchy of Needs? For each type of product, consider any two competing Brands. (b) How does each
marketing firm attempt to differentiate their Brand from the competition?
27. Explain what is meant by Defense mechanisms and the different types. (c) Find advertisements that
seeks to respond to any three (3) types of defense mechanisms.
28. Discuss Case One: The Product Collection at the New Product Works, Chapter 4-Questions 1 & 2, Pg
114
PERSONALITY AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
29. Compare and contrast the major characteristics of the following Personality Theories: (a) Freudian
Theory (b) Neo-Freudian Theory, and (c) Trait Theory. In your discussion, illustrate the relevance of each
Theory to any marketers understanding of Consumer buying behaviour.
30. How would you describe your personality? How does it influence the products that you purchase?
31. What advertising media (print, television, Internet, POP display, radio) is best for a person who is Highly
Dogmatic? or a person with a high Optimum Stimulation Levels?
32. Pick three of your favorite food brands. Describe their personality. Do they have a gender? What
personality traits do they have?

CONSUMER PERCEPTION
33. Discuss how four (4) promotional methods have been used to increase sensory input in selected marketing
offers of your choice.
34. Choose and examine the Home pages of two competing marketing websites. (a) How does each Site use
the principle of perceptual organization to create an online consumer experience? (b) How does each
use the 7 Cs of effective Website Design to attract your attention and build your perceptive awareness?
35. What marketing stimuli do you remember from your day so far? Why do you think you selected these
stimuli to perceive and remember?
36. When have you used Price as an indicator of Quality? Were you correct?
37. How might a cereal manufacturer such as Kelloggs use the j.n.d concept? for Frosted Flakes in terms
of:
Product decisions

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Packaging decisions
Advertising decisions
Sales promotion decisions

CONSUMER ATTITUDE FORMATION AND CHANGE

38. Explain your attitude toward your college/university based on the Tricomponent Attribute Model. N.B. Be
sure to isolate the Cognitive, Affective, and Conative elements.
39. Use the theory of Reasoned Action to describe your attitude towards your college/university when you
were deciding which college/university to attend.
40. Identify those products that you purchase regularly that may be associated with an Admired Group or
Event? Explain how this has affected your personal decision-making process.
IMPACT OF COMMUNICATION AND THE DIGITAL AGE ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR?
41. Compared with mass media, what are the (a) advantages, (b) unique features and (c) limitations of new
media?
42. Discuss the impact of new Technologies on marketing strategies. Make specific reference to Mobile
Consumers. Provide specific company and customer related facts.
43. How have developments in Technology impacted consumer buying behaviours? Discuss both the
negative and positive impact that has been identified by marketers.
CONSUMERS IN THEIR SOCIAL AND CULTURAL SETTING
44. You are the owner of two (2) competing Retail furniture stores, serving two different Social Class
groupings, the upper-middle class consumers, and the lower-class consumers. (a) Are these Social
Class distinctions important for marketers? Why? Why not? (b) How may Social Class differences
influence each Stores: (a) product lines and styles (b) media selection (c) physical evidence decisions (d)
payment options?
45. It is said that Children do not have much direct purchasing power. Yet, they are believed to be important
in the understanding of Consumer Buying Behaviour. Do you agree or disagree? Why? Why not?
Discuss how Grace and Lasco have built brand awareness as a result of their understanding the role of
Children in Family buying decisions?
46. How do marketers influence consumer socialization? Does this seem unethical? At what point would it
be unethical? Think about your own experiences as a child. How were you influenced by marketing
messages?
47. What types of products are targeted to the Working classes? What issues must marketers consider when
targeting their advertisements and promotions to the Working class?
48. What are some rituals (religious, educational, social) that you have experienced? What artifacts or
products were parts of that ritual? How did marketers influence the choice of these artifacts?

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49. Have you observed changes in any of the Core values that were important during your Primary or High
school years, compared to the ones you now hold? Why did those changes occur? To what extent, have
the changes been influenced by marketers?
50. How might the three segments in the Elderly Market differ in their consumption of Food products? How
might a Brand Manager market a specific food product differently to the three sub cultural groups?
MARKETING ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
51. (a) Visit the News section at www.caru.org. Select four of the Press Releases featured there (other than
those discussed in the Chapter) and illustrate how they depict possible misuses in advertising to children.
(b) Is there a local regulatory body with responsibility for establishing guidelines for both advertising to
Children, and the use of Children in Advertisements? How do they measure their success?
52. At a time when many consumers can avoid advertising messages via sophisticated time shifting devices,
marketers increasingly use product placements (also known as branded entertainment). In your
opinion, is this a wise strategy or not? Explain your answer, with the use of any two (2) competing local
companies.
53. Some say that targeting any group of consumers who are willing and able to purchase a product is simply
good marketing. For example, advertising and promoting alcoholic beverages to Jamaican teenagers is
perfectly okay, as these same teenagers when entertaining at home, are drinking the same beverages,
which are bought by parents. What is your reaction to this view?
54. As a student:
a. Which marketers have tried to sell you products that might not be in your best interest?
b. What marketing tactics did they use?
55. Do you think Covert Marketing is wrong? Why might others have a different opinion from you?
56. Do you make an effort to purchase Green products? If a product is better for the environment than the
alternative, why arent more consumers purchasing more green products? Identify those local marketers
whose use of green marketing has attracted your attention, either positively or negatively.
57. Discuss how advertisers have historically represented Women. Discuss whether these representations
are changing. Use many and varied examples to support your presentation.
58. Discuss Case One: Does Food Marketing to Children Cause Obesity? Chapter 16 Questions 1,2,3
(Page 517)

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