What advice can give Web site designers who are trying to personalize theses shopping environments by creating life – like models to guide you through the site
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CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
No. 1
The slogan for the movie
Godzilla was “Size does matter.” Should this be the slogan for America as well?
Many marketers seem to believe so. The average serving size for a fountain
drink has gone from 12 ounces to 20 ounces. An industry consultant explains
that the 32 – ounce Big Gulp is so popular because “people like something large
in their hands. The large the better.” Hardee’s Monster Burger, complete with
two beef patties and five pieces of bacon, weighs in at 63 grams of fat and
more than 900 calories. Clothes have ballooned as well: Kick wear makes women’s
jeans with 40 – inch diameter legs. The standard for TV sets used to be 19
inches; now it’s 32 inches. Hulking SUVs have replaced tiny sports cars as the
status vehicle of the new millennium. One consumer psychologist theorizes that
consuming big things is reassuring: “Large things compensate for our
vulnerability,” she says. “It gives us insulation. The feeling that we’re less
likely to die.” What’s up with our fascination with bigness? Is this a uniquely
American preference? Do you believe that “bigger’s better?” Is this a sound
marketing strategy?
NO. 2
Some die-hard fans were not
pleased when the Rolling Stones sold the tune “Start Me Up” for about $4
million to Microsoft, which wanted the classic song to promote its windows 95
launch. The Beach Boys sold “Good Vibrations” to Cadbury Schweppes for its
Sunkist soft drink, Steppenwolf offered its “Born to be Wild” to plug the
Mercury Cougar, and even Bob Dylan sold “The Times They Are A- Changin” to
Coopers & Lybrand (now called price Waterhouse Coopers). Other rock legends
have refused to play the commercial game, including Bruce Springsteen, the
Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, R.E.M. and U2. According to U2’s manager,
“Rock’ n roll is the last vestige of independence. It is undignified to put
that creative effort and hard work to the disposal of a soft drink or beer or
car.” Singer Neil Young is especially adamant about not selling out; in his
song “This
Note’s for you,” he croons,
“Ain’t singing for Pepsi, ain’t singing for Coke, I don’t sing for nobody,
makes me look like a joke”. What’s your take on this issue? How do you react
when one of your favorite songs turns up in a commercial? Is this use of
nostalgia an effective way to market a product? Why or why not?
NO. 3
Some market analysts see a
shift in values among young people. They claim that this generation has not had
a lot of stability in their lives. They are fed up with superficial
relationships, and are yearning for a return to tradition. This change is
reflected in attitudes toward marriage and family. One survey of 22 –24 year
old women found that 82 percent thought motherhood was the most important job
in the world. Brides’ magazine reports a swing toward traditional weddings – 80
percent of brides today are tossing their garters. Daddy walks 78 percent of
them down the aisle. So, what’s your take on this? Are young people indeed
returning to the value of their parents (or even their grandparents)? How have
these changes influenced your perspective on marriage and family?
NO. 4
Does sex sell? There’s
certainly enough of it around, whether in print ads, television commercials, or
on Web sites. When Victoria’s Secret broadcast a provocative fashion show of
skimpy lingerie live on the Web (after advertising the show on the Super Bowl)
1.5 million visitors checked out the site before it crashed due to an excessive
number of hits. Of course, the retailer was taking a risk since by its own
estimate 90 percent of its sales are from women. Some of them did not like this
display of skin. One customer said she did not feel comfortable watching the
Super Bowl ad with her boyfriend: “It’s not that I’m offended by it; it just
makes me feel inferior”.
Perhaps the appropriate
question is not does sex sell, but should sex sell? What are your feelings
about the blatant use of sex to sell products? Do you think this tactic works
better
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when selling to men than to
women? Does exposure to unbelievably attractive men and women models only make
the rest of us “normal” folks unhappy and insecure? Under what conditions (if
any) should sex be used as a marketing strategy?
NO. 5
New interactive tools are
being introduced that allow surfers on sites such as landsend.com to view
apparel product selections on virtual models in full, 360 – degree rotational
view. In some cases the viewer can modify the bodies, face, skin coloring, and
the hairstyles of these models. In others, the consumer can project his or her
own likeness into the space by scanning a photo into a “makeover” program.
Boo.com plans to offer – 3-D pictures that can be rotated for close looks, even
down to the stitching on a sweater, as well as online mannequins that will
incorporate photos of shoppers and mimic voice patterns. Visit landsend.com or
another site that offers a personalized mannequin. Surf around. Try on some
clothes. How was your experience – how helpful was this mannequin? When you
shop for clothes online, would you rather see how they look on a body with
dimensions the same as yours, or on a different body? What advice can give Web
site designers who are trying to personalize theses shopping environments by
creating life – like models to guide you through the site?
NO. 6
Religious symbolism increasingly
is being used in advertising, even though some people object to this practice.
For example, a French Volkswagen ad for the relaunch of the Golf showed a
modern version of the Last Supper with the tagline, “Let’s us rejoice, my
friends, for a new Golf has been born.” A group of clergy in France sued the
company and the ad had to be removed from 10,000 billboards. One of the bishops
involved in the suit said, “Advertising experts have told us that ads aim for
the sacred in order to shock, because using sex does work anymore.” Do you
agree? Should religion be used to market
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products? Do you find this
strategy effective or offensive? When and where is this appropriate, if at all?
NO. 7.
Boots with six – inch heels
are the latest fashion rage among young Japanese women. Several teens have died
after tripping over their shoes and fracturing their skulls. However, followers
of the style claim they are willing to risk twisted ankles, broken bones,
bruised faces, and other dangers associated with the platform shoes. One
teenager said, “ I’ve fallen and twisted my ankle many times, but they are so
cute that I won’t give them up until they go out of fashion.” Many consumers
around the world seem to be willing to suffer for the sake of fashion. Others argue
that we are merely pawns in the hands of designers, who conspire to force
unwieldy fashions down our throats. What do you think ? What is and what should
be the role of fashion in our society ? How important is it for people to be in
style ? What are the pros and cons of keeping up with the latest fashions ? Do
you believe that we are at the mercy of designers.
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