Consumer Behavior in a nutsell

Consumer Behavior, defined as  "The study of individuals, groups, or organizations and the processes they use to select, secure, use, and dispose of products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society." It deals with the ways in which consumers buy products. What entices them to buy? What do marketers do in order to influence these purchasing decisions?

Upon entering the classroom in early September, my original idea of consumer behavior was the way in which consumers buy goods. Consumer Behavior is not only how we buy goods, but how we relate to advertisements that marketers want us to identify with. Throughout the semester the use of magazine ads, newspaper ads, commercials, and many more all aided in identifying with the overall brand/consumer.

The concepts and ideas learned throughout the semester will not only help me in my marketing degree, but my work in retail as well. The constant discussion about end caps and appealing to the impulse shoppers, is something that I will take home with me during Christmas break and implement in the store at home. As marketers our goal is to make products look and feel attractive and useful to shoppers. We want them to buy, and will do whatever it takes to market products. Learning about all the different marketing styles, techniques and instances in which marketers have failed and succeeded has opened my eyes to new advertisements. Whether it be while scanning through a magazine or flipping through the TV channels, I as a consumer am able to see the direct appeal that an advertisement is able to have on someone.

Reference Groups

Celebrities are used in everyday advertising in order to appeal to everyday consumers. As a consumer when we sit down and flip through magazines we are instantly drawn to the glamour and limelight that we see in celebrity induced advertisements. "Celebrity reference groups incorporate the use of a public figures likeness for the purpose of selling a product or service. Celebrity advertising can be accomplished through celebrity endorsements, whereby the celebrity consents for his or her likeness to be used in advertisements for a certain brand."

Celebrity reference groups are used to promote certain products based on appeal. Celebrities are often idolized to the point where they become set apart from everyone else. When viewing an advertisement marketed by our favorite movie star, we as consumers instantly feel enticed to purchase that product. The overall credibility, attractiveness and "star power", is said to attract everyday consumers making them feel a certain bond and ideal likelihood to the celebrity, thus purchasing the product.

The above advertisement depicts two seperate celebrities and two different makeup brands. As you can see both revlon and Covergirl had the same idea when using Jessica and Rihanna as the focal point in their ad. A consumer sees the celebrity before the brand name, after identifying the celebrity they are then drawn to the brand, thus purchasing the makeup. "Look how great Rihanna looks with that Covergirl lip gloss, i've got to have it."