Friday 30 May 2014

Friday Research: Mirror Mirror on The Wall, Who is The Most Useful of Them All?

When Will You Use This?  


Planning and creating your advertisements.

What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today? 


Today’s ads are bursting with pictures and visual stimulus. Which ones are more effective?

Current research* investigates the conditions under which presenting a person versus a product picture is more advantageous.

The study reveals that consumers’ appearance self-esteem affects how they evaluate ads for cosmetics products; and their academic self-esteem matters for how they respond to ads for educational services. As authors say, “an ad depicting an attractive model (instead of the product) is preferred by people who like their own appearance (consumers with high appearance self-esteem). On the other hand, an ad using a picture of the product (instead of a picture of a model) is preferred by people who do not have a high evaluation of their appearance (consumers with low appearance self-esteem). We also demonstrate that, those who dislike their appearance have more difficulty imagining themselves as turning into the beauty represented by the model in the picture even if they use the product, and this difficulty backfires on attitudes towards the ad.”


Wink Wink: only effective for ladies with high self esteem?


Addition To Your Bag of Tricks    

 

Following this research, there s specifically one thing to remember: you should consider your target audience’s self-esteem level when making design choices. It's advised to use pictures of the product when targeting consumers with low self-esteem in relation to the category. However, when targeting consumers with high self-esteem, use pictures of people who possess desirable characteristics (for example, attractiveness).

*Nilüfer Z. Aydınoğlu, Luca Cian.Show me the product, show me the model: Effect of picture type on attitudes toward advertising, Journal of Consumer Psychology 01/2014. {Thanks for the material}

P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with triggering unconscious mind of your customers? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!

P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.

Tuesday 27 May 2014

Tuesday in India: I Am a Girl & I Gossip About Politics #BreakingStereotypes


You are a man so you love fast cars.

You are an IT consultant so you don't have life.

You are the only child so you're spoiled.

You love soup operas so you're dumb.

The world is built on stereotypes and labels, and in such a multi-cultural and diverse society as India, it's particularly common to be framed and judged.

Matchmaking website TrulyMadly.com came up with a new campaign to break some of the stereotypes existing in India.

Check a few pictures below to get a grasp of this lovely initiative.





P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your favourite campaign used to raise awareness for social issues? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!

Friday 23 May 2014

Friday Research: Imagine All The Consumers Imagining Your Products

When Will You Use This?  


Developing marketing and promotional campaigns.

What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today? 


It was noticed long time ago that majority of consumers tend to imagine themselves with a product (in specific future situation) before making a purchase.

Current study* looks into the obstacles that suppress a consumer’s imagination (or "imagining the consumption of a yet-to-be-purchased product in a future situation"). Authors suggest an idea that the consumer imagination combines sensory information about a promoted product with relevant prior experiences from memory. For example, Ann is reading a magazine and spots an ad of a dress she really likes. She first imagines how she will appear at work's coctail party wearing an advertised dress. Moreover, information from memory about similar, relevant prior experiences is used to create a mental rehearsal of that future event. This information from memory includes not only relevant prior experiences but facts related to those experiences, such as type of clothing worn or food served at such an event.

This study highlights that the consumer imagination, rather than considering product features, increases purchase intentions because consumers are more likely to feel a sense of ownership.


Give your customers space for imagination race...


Addition To Your Bag of Tricks  

 

You might find it really useful to know when your customer's imagination should be tickled with your campaigns. This study particularly suggests that "clothing, sports/exercise equipment, electronics, and furniture are product categories in which touching before purchase is important. Thus, in an online shopping site for such products, a promotional emphasis on considering product features may be more convincing than stirring the imagination, especially for those consumers who like to touch products before buying. Likewise, marketing efforts designed to stir the imagination should be more fruitful for occasions that are likely to have an element of ambiguity, such as holiday parties or perhaps job interviews. On the other hand, ad appeals for products purchased for unambiguous occasions, such as going to work, may not benefit from efforts to evoke the imagination and do just as well with an emphasis on showcasing product features and attributes."

*Spears N.,Yazdanparast A. Revealing Obstacles to the Consumer Imagination. Journal of Consumer Research:01/2014.{Thanks for the material}
 
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with rankings and evaluations, how do they help to sell? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!

P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.

Sunday 18 May 2014

Sunday Video: Tell People They Want Your Hedonic Products

I am in India and every corner here shakes my mind.

Inspiring way, I mean.

Watch the video below to find out what memories one street vendor brought forth and how it could help you craft more persuasive messages.

Go on, take the red pill.

P.S. When you’re done watching, leave a comment or Tweet me how did you like it. Can't wait to hear from you!

Friday 16 May 2014

Friday Research: Feeling Down In The Dumps? Go Shopping!

When Will You Use This?  


Creating "retail therapy" campaigns and not feeling guilty about it.

What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today? 


The so called “retail therapy” is considered wasteful and negative by majority of general public. But can an occasional episode of retail therapy help to alleviate distress?

Current research* explores whether making shopping choices could help to reduce residual (lasting for long time) sadness. The results reveal that making shopping choices helps to restore a sense of personal control over one’s environment, and thus helps to alleviate residual sadness (results based on hypothetical and real shopping). Shopping is all about choice (where to shop, whether to buy, what to buy), and previous research suggests that exercising choice can enhance one’s sense of control.
"I'll shop till I become happy as a flea in a doghouse!"

Addition To Your Bag of Tricks    

  

As a standing policy (“shop whenever your heart sinks”), retail therapy seems like a bad idea. However, don't be afraid to use the "retail therapy" card in your marketing on occasional basis. Based on the insights of current studies, shopping can help to alleviate sadness and no one has to feel guilty about it.

*Rick, Scott; Pereira, Beatriz; Burson, Katherine Alicia The Benefits of Retail Therapy: Making Purchase Decisions Reduces Residual Sadness. Journal of Consumer Psychology: December, 2013. {Thanks for the material}

P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with retial therapy? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!

P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.

Tuesday 13 May 2014

Tuesday in India: Well, Ain't That A Touching Discovery With #AlphaStories


And again: it's not about budget, it's about story, Brands!

Sony India has launched a three-minute film: simple characters, simple editing, simple plot.

But it tells a story of a loyal product user and it's beautiful. Convincing. Heart-warming.

Watch the video below and check for yourself why “There’s more to a picture”.

 

Friday 9 May 2014

Friday Research: Is Divide and Conquer a Better Pricing Strategy?

When Will You Use This?  


Developing and designing your promotional materials that include price information.

What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today? 


Whether making purchases online or in person, people often come across prices that are split into two or more quantities. For example, an online fashion retailer offers you a dress with a base price of just £15, but with a shipping fee of £4.95. This company could charge a single combined price of £19.95, respectively, but instead choose to display arguably more complicated partitioned price instead.

Partitioned pricing is a widely used pricing strategy and current research* investigates the impact of regulatory focus on the perceived attractiveness of partitioned and combined pricing.

The study reveals that promotion focused individuals perceive partitioned prices to be more attractive than combined prices, while prevention focused individuals rated the two types of pricing similarly attractive.

Unite or Divide: Is "All Included" Better?

Addition To Your Bag of Tricks    

 

Following the results of current research, ads designed with higher levels of ambiguity would benefit from the addition of partitioned pricing information.

Earlier authors define promotion focused individuals as the ones who "place more importance on what they “want” to do" and prevention focused individuals as the ones who "place more emphasis on what they should, or “ought” to do." Having that in mind, current study suggests the importance of partitioned pricing for companies selling the products which are associated with promotion concerns.

Moreover, authors highlight that "companies must always balance the costs and benefits of adopting different pricing strategies, and the current research suggests using combined pricing for products with prevention concerns may be the better choice in the long run.<..>We suggest that low seller reputation turn on a red light, which leads consumers to become prevention focused and pay."

*Kay Lee, Choi, Jungsil, & Yexin Jessica Li. Regulatory Focus as a Predictor of Attitudes Toward Partitioned and Combined Pricing.Journal of Consumer Psychology: April (2014) {Thanks for the material}

P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with pricing strategies? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!

P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.

Tuesday 6 May 2014

Tuesday in India: Will #DoTheRex Help To Spread Safe Sex?


Sex is still a very uncomfortable topic in India.

Brands don't touch it or approach it in a very teensy weensy manner.

Feels like Durex chose the later.

Funny approach to spread a serious message.

There has been many better ads of condoms. Even for Indian market.

Watch the ad below and tell me frankly, do you #DoTheRex ?  



P.S. When you’re done watching, I’d love for you to share your favourite ad? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!

Sunday 4 May 2014

Sunday Video: Warm Your Customers' Hands and You'll Have Their Warm Hearts


All the self-respecting Marketer needs to know this.

Temperature shapes your consumers' purchase decisions and affect their spending.

Get ready for the sunny summer and plan your warth-filled winter.

Watch the video below and take a leaf out of my book.


 
P.S. When you’re done watching, leave a comment or Tweet me how did you like it. Can't wait to hear from you!

Friday 2 May 2014

Friday Research: Make The Most Of Your Customer's Touch

When Will You Use This?  


Developing your online and offline marketing and sales strategies for tablets, touchscreens and touchpads.

What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today? 


The role of touch is increasing: touchpad laptops and touchscreen tablets continue to spread among consumers. Earlier it has been observed that touching something creates a perception of psychological ownership and ownership creates a perception of increased value (it’s called endowment effect).

Current research* aims to explore the effects of varying touch-based interfaces on consumers. The study reveals that touchscreens create stronger psychological ownership over chosen products in online shopping scenarios (when compared to touchpads or mice).

Researchers highlight that touch-based devices like tablets can lead to higher product valuations when compared to traditional computers.

Welcome to The New World: Touchscreen Wending Machine

Addition To Your Bag of Tricks    

 

Touch-based interfaces are not newbies in the market: restaurants are testing tablets as ordering systems, tablets are becoming common in product showrooms. As this research notes, consumer interactions on tablets are quite different from the interactions on a traditional computer and you might want to include it into your marketing too:

 - Create special interactive space in your store or venue and allow customers to use their own personal touchscreen devices to connect with your brand, to browse the products, to get some special momentary offers

 - High resolution photos, bright colours, product from different angles, presentation videos, etc – use vivid stimulus to enhance your customers experience with their touchscreen devices.

*Brasel, S.A. & Gips, J., Tablets, Touchscreens, and Touchpads: How Varying Touch Interfaces Trigger Psychological Ownership and Endowment, Journal of Consumer Psychology: April (2014) {Thanks for the material}

P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with marketing on touchscreen devices? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!

P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.