Marketing Consumer Behaviour: An Analysis of Country Road's Strategies

This report provides an in-depth analysis of Country Road's marketing strategies and consumer behavior. It begins with an introduction to Country Road, a fashion brand in Australia, and its evolution from a women's clothing outlet to a diversified retailer catering to a broad consumer base. The report identifies the company's target market, focusing on women aged forty and above, and explores how Country Road leverages consumer behavior theories and concepts to influence purchasing decisions. Key theories discussed include Maslow's hierarchy of needs, consumer personality and self-concept, and emotional appeals. The report examines how Country Road applies these theories in its marketing campaigns, using examples like the "Summer Wonder" advertisement and the "Simple Things" campaign to illustrate their effectiveness in connecting with the target audience and fostering brand loyalty. The analysis highlights the practical applications of these theories and their impact on Country Road's brand marketing success.

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MARKETING CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
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Marketing consumer behaviour
Introduction
Country Road is a well-established and highly growing fashion brand in Australia. It was
established in 1974 by Stephen Bennett as an outlet specializing in women shirts only (Country
Road 2017). However, the company has grown to be one of the leading retail outlets dealing with
products ranging from apparel to homeware accessories all in one single integrated outlet.
Currently, it is the leading company whose accessories and clothing are sold at a high price in the
Australian market (Country Road 2017)
Despite its tremendous growth to be a top trend company dealing with stylish products
matching the true Australian culture and lifestyle, the company is facing stiff competition from a
pool of other companies offering the same products market (Baker and Saren 2016, pp. 10). With
the high competition threat posed by the flooded fashion market in Australia, the need for a
strong marketing campaign for their brand cannot be underestimated. Country Road must
improve the marketing strategies for their brand in order to counter competition in the market
(Madsen and Walker 2015, pp. 108).
In the current Australian market, a company like Country Road has established ideal and
comprehensive marketing strategies that appeal to their target audience (Proctor 2014, pp. 43).
Hence, the factor of brand marketing is an indisputable element that can dictate the failure or
success of Country Road as a brand due to high competition in the Australian market. Therefore,
the company is supposed to look at their target audience keenly and analyze them using the
consumer behaviour theories and concepts to enable it to come up with strategies that are ideal to
win the loyalty of the target market segment (Blanshard 2014, pp. 160).
Target Market
Country Road started as a small company that produced women clothes only. However,
with time, it has seen the need to diversify their services to serve a wide range of consumers. The
company saw the necessity of diversifying their products to cut across the market without being
specific to gender or age (Country Road 2017).

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Despite dealing with women clothing at first, in 1984, the company diversified to
Menswear. Between the year 2000 and 2001, the company jumped into the production of
childrenswear and eyewear. Country Road has seen the need to diversify their services to serve a
wide range of target audience (Country Road 2017). By doing so, the company is keen to counter
competition and maintain a competitive edge and increase the market share.
In February 2009, the company announced the plans to launch a fashion label called
Trenery (Country Road 2017). At this time, the company started being keen on a specific target
group and design proposition. According to the Government Information Services Department,
the majority of the country’s population age group is between the age of 45 and 54 years forming
approximately 18.3% of the total population (Australian Government 2017).
However, it is important to note that the target age group is dominated by women who
mostly do shopping for their families. Hence, Country Road’s strategic marketing process is
targeting women aged forty years and above through their brand label Trenery. In all its
advertisements such as Summer Wonder, Life Through Wool and Simple Things, the company
has mostly used women and children in their ads (Country Road 2017). Therefore, in its brand
marketing process, the company is targeting the women aged forty years and above simply
because women are the key group that makes a lot of shopping for their families (Chernev 2018,
pp. 94).
Identification and Major Impacts of Relevant Theories/Concepts
As the company struggles to reach its target audience, it has embarked on several
strategic marketing techniques involving heavy television, newspaper and website adverts.
Before embarking on the process of producing advertisements as part of the whole process of
strategic brand marketing, the company should seek to explore various models that enable a
company to analyze its clients and connect with them (Foxall 2014, pp.74). Thus, once they
follow the models and theories, they can be able to tap into the customer’s desires, need and
wants thus influencing consumers to brand preference and purchasing power. Therefore, this
section will explore various theories and models used by Country Road to influence consumer
behaviour, their usability as well as benefits the company will derive from the application of
such theories and concepts to steer its brand marketing campaign (Heding, Knudtzen and Bjerre
2015, pp. 52).

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Relevant Theories and Concepts Used by Country Road in the Brand Marketing Process
For a long time, Country road has strived to make its way into the market and remain the
leading company in fashion clothing (Country Road 2017). The company has struggled to serve
a wide range of target audience cutting across demographics starting from children to adult men
and women. However, with increased competition, the company is striving to identify their
specific target audience where they can put more effort with an aim of influencing their
purchasing behaviour and power (Madsen and Walker 2015, pp. 106).
With new population statistics showing that majority of the country’s population is aged
between 45-54 years, the company is paying attention to women within this age bracket to serve
as their target audience. Hence, the company has embarked on analyzing their target customers
in the market and applying various theories and concepts to influence consumers’ buying
behaviour and brand loyalty (Foxall 2014, pp. 98). Such models include the consumer
personality and self- concept, emotional appeals and involvement theory, and Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs.
Maslow Hierarchy of Needs
The theory was conceived by Maslow to address the human needs and how they are
motivated or demotivated by the fulfilment or non-fulfilment of their needs. The theory puts
across five levels of needs whose fulfilment can motivate one to act. These needs include
physiological like food, safety like family, love and belonging like family, esteem such as
respect and achievement, and finally, the self-actualization level where such needs are fulfilled
prompting a person to act (Nijssen and Frambach 2013, pp. 63).
Women are well known to be selective and their family value is placed high. Thus,
Country Road is aiming at winning women’s loyalty and influence them to purchase the
company’s products. With family and confidence topping the list of women’s needs to be
fulfilled in order for them to buy the products, the company has factored in all that its brand
marketing advertisements and campaign (Gunter and Furnham 2014, pp. 128).
According to the model, people have the capacity to shape and change their decisions
once they feel that a certain situation is addressing their desired needs. Women will show their
loyalty to the product or brand which addresses their needs and those of the family in terms of

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quality and value. Therefore, Country Road should improve their products and market them in
order to influence and win the loyalty of the target audience (Weinstein 2013, pp. 28).
Consumer Personality and Self- Concept
Consumer personality and self-concept deals with understanding how consumers think,
feel and behave. According to the theory, marketers should understand the wants, needs and
desires of their target audience (Rani 2014, pp. 56). By doing so, marketers planning and
executing strategic marketing practice at Country Road should be able to understand the
personalities of the consumers before undertaking the process of advertising and popularizing the
brand (Nijssen and Frambach 2013, pp. 64). They need to understand what the consumers want
in terms of quality and cost.
It is crucial to note that women who shop at Country Road are cautious and keen on
quality by putting value on their money first. Hence, women are not ready to take risks by trying
new products and thus they stick to what they know. Also, the target age group has a high level
of agreeing to the information they get from the staff about a product (Solomon, Dahl, White,
Zaichkowsky and Polegato 2014, pp. 104).
During marketing activities, the company should ensure that all these personalities are
taken care of purposely with an aim of influencing the consumer behaviours. Once they win the
loyalty of their target audience, it is hard to lose them and the sales will increase making the
whole process of brand marketing a success (East, Singh, Wright and Vanhuele 2016, pp. 130).
Emotional Appeals and Involvement Theory
According to involvement theory, an organization should strive to package their products
in a way that it appeals to the consumer emotions (Rani 2014, pp. 54). Country Road is targeting
a class of women aged forty years and above. The women who fall into this category are mostly
mothers who have value for their money. The target customers at that point are striving to save
more money for other family things (Foxall 2014, pp. 100).
The consumers will tend to be more attracted to the product due to the emotional appeal
in terms of saving costs. For instance, the marketers can use some phrases like “SAVE $1 on
every cloth you buy” prompting the customers to act. Therefore, the theory has helped the

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company to tap into the sensations of the target customers by arousing the emotions of the buyers
and prompting them to buy the products (Foxall 2014, pp. 73).
Practical Applications of the Theories and Concepts by the Company in Marketing Brand.
The strategic marketing of Country Road Trenery label has been successful due to the
proper selection of the consumer behaviour theories and concepts used in the marketing process.
The company’s marketers have been able to apply a unique knowledge in tapping into the
consumer’s needs, wants and desire to successfully execute their brand marketing (Malik et al.
2013, pp. 119). The company sought to understand it prospective clients and plan their marketing
activities in such a way that they factor in all the customer needs and wants.
Maslow Hierarchy of Needs
The theory states that people tend to act once they feel that their needs are being fulfilled.
Country Road had strived to make use of the theory extensively to execute a successful and
productive brand marketing process. Having been targeting women above 40 years of age who
are probably mothers, the company has run several advertisements that tap into the idea of
motherhood and family to prompt them to buy. The mother who watch such adverts feel that the
brand is family oriented and their need to protect and commit themselves to their families is
being fulfilled (Malik et al. 2013, pp. 119).

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For example, to celebrate their 40 years of their operations, Country Road run an advert
dubbed “Summer Wonder”. The advert was in form of a short film featuring an Australian
supermodel Gemma Ward holding her baby daughter. The film ad was under the theme of
“Come behind the scenes as we capture iconic summers of sun, sea and family” (Country Road
2014).
Figure 1: Photo of the Australian iconic supermodel Gemma Ward during the shorting of "Summer Wonder" advert to celebrate
Country Road 40 years of operations (Country Road 2017).
Most mothers are always proud and are committed to their families. The advert catches
the need of the family by capturing the emotions of a mother who feels that the brand is
associated with mother's pride for the family. Therefore, the advertisement served as a tactical
way of connecting the brand to a mother and the need for better family. The ad won the heart and
loyalty of many mothers who felt connected to the brand (Solomon, Dahl, White, Zaichkowsky
and Polegato 2014, pp. 105).

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Figure 2: A happy family photo used by Country Road to advertise the launch of their mobile application platform (Country Road
n.d).
The company’s advert on their website entitled "Simple Things" focuses on the issue of a
family which is basic for each and every mother. The message by the company states that
“Simple Things is a story about what’s truly important. It’s about being yourself or spending
time with friends and family. It’s laughter, a smile, your favourite tee or pair of jeans. It’s trust,
honesty and simplicity. Simple things are what Country Road is famous for” (Country Road n.d).
The message taps on simplicity and family. Most women within the age of 40 years and above
seek to get simple stylish clothes. The pride of family seems to bind many women to their brand
since they feel proud of their families.

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Figure 3: Simple Things key used of a family wearing Button Detail Stripe T-Shirt, Rib Detail Utility Pant, Crew T-Shirt, Slim Rich
Raw Jean, Broderie Applique Sweat, and Stripe Sweat Skirt (Country Road n.d)
Consumer Personality and Self- Concept
According to this theory, Country Road has focused on the need to have the consumers’
personal desires, needs and wants at the centre of their strategic marketing process. During the
brand marketing process, the company has struggled to engage the clients within the stores on
daily basis by responding to queries and needs of the customers for the purpose of building brand
equity. Winning the loyalty of women and mothers requires detailed and constant engagements
(Payne and Frow 2013, pp. 72). They want to be assured that their needs and desires are being
taken care of by the brand.
For instance, the theory has been applied through face-to-face marketing within the
company’s stores. Mothers will visit the stores and ask many questions which basically need to
be answered. Those mothers need to be assured that the product caters for their desires. Such
questions include “Do I really need that product?” or “Is it too expensive?” Also, women need
company marketers to answer these questions and socialize with them (Payne and Frow 2013,
pp. 72).

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Therefore, the company has employed number of staff to handle queries from those
mothers who visit the stores. The staff also strive to explain to the women why the products are
of high quality and why they are paying a certain price for those products (Payne and Frow 2013,
pp. 72). The company has also engaged in a campaign called “Look Good Before Your
Husband”. Since women have their self-esteem boosted by the campaign, they will tend to be
associated with the brand. By being told that they look good before their husbands, their self-
confidence goes high when dressing in clothes from Country Road.
Emotional Appeals and Involvement Theory
According to involvement theory, the company here seeks to present their products in
such a way that they attract their consumers by arousing their emotional feelings which will
shape and change their purchasing behaviour.
For instance, the company has engaged in heavy promotional activities where the
consumers get to familiarize themselves with the product and convince them to buy. Their
website is also very interactive with family photos under various campaigns (Malik et al. 2013,
pp. 120). Also, during campaigns, they issue their customers with brochures with very emotional
and attractive messages like “SAVE $1 on Every Cloth You Buy” to prompt them to buy.
Therefore, it is important to note that the theory is used to help the marketers at Country Road to
design campaign messages that create a connection between the brand and the target consumers.
Some of the ads like “Life Through wool” involve the tale of a woman who has a lot of love for
the family and this helps women to be aroused emotionally and connect with the brand.

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Figure 4: Photo of the Australian iconic supermodel Gemma Ward during the shorting of "Summer Wonder" advert to celebrate
Country Road 40 years of operations (Country Road 2014).
Benefits of a using consumer behaviour theories and concepts in marketing a brand
Brand marketing is a very important aspect that dictates the success or failure of a firm.
The main aim of any strategic marketing process is to boost the company’s brand equity. When
brand equity is high, a company is able to improve its brand loyalty, perceived quality, consumer
association and awareness (Aaker and Biel 2013, pp. 110).
When the brand has been accepted by the target customers in the market, the company
can easily become the market leader enjoying a huge market share. As a result, the company will
enjoy higher sales which means that they will have high revenue income. Hence, Country Road
will improve their productivity and growth in the competitive market (West, Ford and Ibrahim
2015, pp. 105). Therefore, it is important to note that a company like Country Road should take
the issue of strategic brand marketing seriously in order to become the market leader with higher
sales and tremendous growth (Chernev 2018, pp. 94).
Future Trends in Consumer Behavior

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In many companies like Country Road, managers in marketing departments are striving
to scrutinize the current and the future state of potential customers in their respective target
markets. Thus, these managers are trying to study and examine the consumer behaviour and
purchasing patterns. Since consumers remain at the centre of any marketing process, the
company marketing managers seek to look at the market and decide on the future marketing
strategies used by the company (Nijssen and Frambach 2013, pp. 66).
Marketing managers in most companies like Country Road will have to look at the 5W
model to analyze the consumers and come up with various consumer behaviour models to suit
the brand marketing. The 5W model stands for Who, What, Where, When and Why. It means
that a company must establish who are the current and future customers and analyze them in
terms of the characteristics that define the target market (Blanshard 2014, pp. 152).
Conclusion
Target consumers in a particular target market remain at the centre of any brand
marketing market. Therefore, Country Road is striving to use various theories to analyze their
potential clients and influence their buying behaviour. Therefore, the reports include the
background information about Country Road clothing company, the consumer behaviour
theories it has used to market its brand, how it has practically applied these theories and
consequently the benefits it gained from applying such theories and concepts in its brand
marketing process.