A Detailed Analysis of Consumer Behaviour: Marketing and Psychology

This essay provides an overview of consumer behaviour, focusing on how consumers purchase and use products and services to satisfy their needs. It explores key concepts such as branding, branding strategies, and brand equity, highlighting their influence on consumer choices. The essay also delves into the psychological aspects of marketing, including priming and emotional appeals, and discusses the importance of consumer research in understanding consumer preferences. Furthermore, it examines how consumer psychology, including motivation and perception, shapes purchasing decisions, especially in the context of food products and advertising.

Running head: CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
Consumer Behaviour
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Consumer behaviour..................................................................................................................2
Branding.................................................................................................................................3
Branding strategies.................................................................................................................3
Brand equity...........................................................................................................................4
Psychology and marketing.........................................................................................................5
Consumer research.....................................................................................................................6
Consumer psychology................................................................................................................7
Marketing...................................................................................................................................8
Perception of the brand through advertisement.....................................................................8
Advertising research...................................................................................................................9
Reference List..........................................................................................................................11

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Introduction
Consumer behaviour is the process through which the products and the services are
purchased and enjoyed by the customers so that it can satisfy their needs and preferences. The
major components that help in understanding the consumer behaviour are the purchasing of
the products and the services so that it can be used and after the product has reached its final
life cycle it is disposed by the consumers. It can also be defined as the process through which
the consumers take the decision regarding what, when, where and how the purchase of the
products and services needs to be done (Cantallops & Salvi, 2014).
There are basically two different types of consumers that are present namely personal
and organizational consumers. The consumers that are known as personal purchases the
products and the services for their personal use or foe their household uses. These purchases
are done so that the products and the services can be used for final consumption. The
organizational consumers are those that purchase the products and the services so that it can
enable them to run an organization such as private, public or government organizations
(Griskevicius & Kenrick, 2013).
Consumer behaviour
The decision-making process takes place within the individual in a collective manner,
as it allows them to purchase the products and the services according to their own choices. It
also involves the mental and the physical activities such as the interaction with the
salespersons so that the information can be collected in a better manner. The behaviour of the
consumers are mainly oriented towards a goal and does not take place at an immediate
manner, as it helps in satisfying the needs and preferences of the consumers (Zeugner-Roth,
Zabkar & Diamantopoulos, 2015). It is valuable for studying the consumer behaviour, as it
helps in understanding the impact of consumption units that changes from family to

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individual. With respect to the food items, the behaviour of the consumers are different than
the luxury products that are purchased by them. It can be seen that most of the buying pattern
of the consumers depend on the food brands, which influences the customers in purchasing
the products (Cantallops & Salvi, 2014).
Branding
It can be defined as the term, symbol or the design that helps in signifying a particular
company from a group of sellers so that it can be differentiated in the market from the
competitors that are present in the market. The attributes that are present in a particular brand
helps in influencing the emotional and the functional association that is assigned to the
product so that it can help in attracting the consumers. This is the main reason for
understanding the importance of the different segments that are present in the market so that
the brand can reach the target customers (Heitz-Spahn, 2013).
Branding strategies
The brand extension helps in developing the image of the brand in a proper manner so
that the product can be identified in the market by the consumers. It will allow the consumers
in differentiating the new product that is present in the market from the same products so that
the sales of the company can be increased (Vinerean et al., 2013).
The family brand name is the strategy that is used by the company in naming all the
products under the same brand so that it can be understood by the consumers. It does not
provide individual names to the brand, as it cannot be identified by the consumers. The use of
strategy known as umbrella brand is an attribute that is descriptive in nature, which helps in
explaining the sub-brands that are present under the brand. This helps in increasing the value
proposition and the image of the brand in the market as well. Most of the retailers of food

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products use this strategy, as it helps them in attracting the customers towards the product
(Chen & Tung, 2014).
Brand equity
The equity of the brand can be classified in to brand awareness, association of the
brand, quality and loyalty of the brand. The equity of the brand helps in increasing the
competitive advantage of the company, as it plays an important role in the process of
rebranding. It needs to be utilized in a proper manner so that it can result in increasing the
effectiveness of the process of rebranding. This will also result in increasing the image of the
brand in the market. The use of equity in certain markets acts as a strategical tool that results
in improving the image of the brand (Cantallops & Salvi, 2014).
The awareness of the brand with respect to food products can be increased with the
use of extensive advertising so that it can help in attracting the consumers. The advertising
that will be done by the company will result in informing the customers regarding the
attributes that are present within the product so that they can have a better knowledge about
the product. The consumers will be able to recall the product and recognize the product
through the logo or the name of the brand. The use of brand awareness will result in
influencing the attitudes and the perceptions of the consumers as well. The food items that
have a higher level of bard awareness in the market will result in increasing the sale of the
product in the market (Heitz-Spahn, 2013).
Brand familiarity allows in measuring the knowledge and the understanding that the
customers have regarding a particular brand. It helps the customers in evaluating the products
through the shape, size and the smell of it. The difference according to the customers that are
present in the food products will influence the decision of the customers in purchasing the
particular food product. In this case, the brand of the food product is familiar among the

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consumers, as the exposure of the product is positive and will result in gaining advantage in
the market. The behaviour of the consumers also change with the intrinsic packaging designs
that are done by the companies. The packaging of the products are done in such a manner so
that it can attract the customers towards it (Vinerean et al., 2013).
The association with the grocery products by the consumers helps in satisfying them
through the utility and the emotional factor that is attached with the packaging of the
products. This factor helps in helps in perceiving the products in a different manner, as there
are a variety of brands that are present in the market. The familiarity of the brand depends on
the level of information that is available to the consumers so that they are confident in buying
the products from the market. The familiarity of the food brands help the organizations in
increasing the loyalty of the brand among the customers so that they do not look for
alternatives. It also results in preferring the brand more by the consumers than the other
brands that are present in the market. The recognition of the food product will be more
among the consumers due to the packaging that is done by the organization so that it can be
attractive in nature (Chen & Tung, 2014).
Psychology and marketing
The marketing that is done by the consumers are affected to a larger scale due to the
effect of psychology. One of the important feature is priming, which allows the consumers in
segregating the items that they need to buy. Since food products are an important part of the
consumers, they purchase the products rather than going for luxury items. This allows the
customers to prioritize the items that they need to purchase form the market (Ashley & Tuten,
2015). Most of the marketers use emotional ideas that appeal to the customers regarding the
features that are present in the food products. This allows the consumers to know the benefits
that are present in the product. The marketing of the food products needs to be done in a
proper manner, as the companies cannot highlight the flaws that are present in the product.

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This might have a negative effect on the psychology of the customers (Woodside & Zhang,
2013).
The marketers also need to take care of the competition that is present in the market.
This would help in providing competitive advantage to the food companies over the rivals
that are present. The positioning of the business in the market is very important, as it results
in attracting the consumers towards their food products. The exclusive features that are
present in the food products needs to be mentioned to the consumers so that it can result in
attracting them towards the product. This will lead the psychology of the consumers towards
the food products, as they would feel that the products have different attributes than the rest
of the food products that are available in the market (Wu, 2013).
Consumer research
It is important for the consumers to research the food products that they want to buy
form the market so that it can help them in satisfying their needs and preferences. The
consumers firstly need to identify their basic needs so that it can help them in purchasing the
right products. After the process of identification has been done, the consumers need to
gather the necessary information that are present regarding the product. This will allow the
consumers in getting a better understanding of the attributes that are present in the product
(Giesler & Veresiu, 2014). The consumers will then look for better alternatives that are
present in the product so that they can get the best products that are available within the price
range. This will allow the consumers in searching the market in a better manner so that they
can try out the various products. After this process has been completed, the consumers will
make the final purchase of the food product according to their price range so that their needs
and preferences can be satisfied (Cherney & Blair, 2015). The purchase of the food product
will help the consumers in evaluating it in a better manner so that they can understand the
level of satisfaction that is being provided by the food product. This will also result in

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increasing the consumption of the particular product that is being provided by the company
(Trudel & Argo, 2013).
Consumer psychology
The consumer behaviour is driven by psychology regarding the food products that
they want to buy form the market. The ecological and the biological aspects needs to be taken
in to consideration by the consumers, as it creates a greater impact on the behaviour of the
consumers. The consumption of the food products are determined through the height and the
fitness of the consumers, as it needs to provide them with the nutritional amount. One of the
major factors that affects the psychology of the consumers is the motivation to purchase the
food products. Motivation leads to the purchase of the food products that will help the
consumers in satisfying their needs and preferences so that their bodies can get the adequate
nutritional amount (Smith, Josko Brakus & Zarantonello, 2015).
The perception of the consumers may not be same as well regarding the food products
that are available in the market. An example of this would be that some consumers may take
foods that are high on calorie while some may prefer to remain fit and eat healthy products.
Though both the segments may be hungry at the same time, it may lead to different choices of
food products. There are different processes that indicates the perception within the
consumers such as selective attention, which is the process where the consumers pay
attention towards the information that are meant for themselves or for their family members.
The selective distortion is where the consumers are of the perception that the information that
is present regarding the products are according to their beliefs and thoughts. The selective
distortion allows the consumers in remembering the information that are useful to them so
that it can enable them to purchase the food products on a repeated manner (Brasel & Gips,
2014).

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Another factor that affects the psychology of the consumers regarding their buying
behaviour is the process of learning. The learning of the products will enable the consumers
in getting a better information regarding the products that are available in the market and its
respective features. This will help in increasing the buying pattern of the consumers towards
the particular product. The attitudes and beliefs that are present within the consumers will
also influence their buyer decision with respect to particular food products. The marketers
need to increase the image of the brand so that it can attract the consumers towards the
particular products (Krishna & Schwarz, 2014).
Marketing
The food products of the company needs to be marketed in a proper manner so that it
can help in increasing the attractiveness in the market. The buyers in the market needs to be
identified so that it can help in selling the products in a better manner. It will also help in
increasing the level of profit for the companies. The packaging of the food products needs to
be done in a proper manner so that it can help in attracting the consumers towards the
product. The price of the product also needs to be set properly so that it can result in gaining a
competitive advantage in the market. The setting up of the right price will also allow the
consumers in switching over to the new food brands that are available in the market (Kumar,
2015).
Another important factor is that the right promotional methods needs to be used so
that it can help in influencing the behaviour of the consumers. The promotional methods that
will be used by the food companies will result in increasing the attraction of the food product
in the market, as more number of consumers will be able to associate themselves with the
brand (Yadav & Pavlou, 2014).

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Perception of the brand through advertisement
The use of advertising by the companies helps in increasing the attention of the
consumers so that they can be attracted towards the particular food product. The companies
with the help of advertisement will help in providing necessary information to the consumers
so that their food labels can be differentiated than the other products that are present in the
market. The use of advertising by the food companies also result in persuading the consumers
from the competitors that are present in the market so that the company can gain a
competitive advantage. The use of advertising by the companies also results in familiarising
the consumers regarding the new products that are launched by them so that it can result in
incentives for the company (Matthes & Wonneberger, 2014). From the view point of the
consumers, it can be seen that the use of advertising helps in influencing their buying patterns
in a positive manner. The theory of behavioural learning helps the consumers in associating
and motivating the consumers so that they can purchase the food products by the impact that
has been created by advertisement.
The use of advertising results in associating the logo of the product with that of the
food label, as the customers can get valuable information regarding all the dimensions that
are present in the product. The theory of cognitive learning results in recalling the particular
brand among the customers due to the effect of advertisement within the consumers
(Lawrence, Fournier & Brunel, 2013).
Advertising research
The companies need to research the market in a proper manner so that it can help
them in understanding the proper methods that will increase the market share of the product.
The first step in advertising is the briefing that needs to be done regarding the product. This
will allow the company in getting a better understanding regarding the product that needs to
be advertised by them. The second step involves gaining the knowledge on the objectives of

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the company. The right objectives that are set by the company will allow the product to be
advertised in a proper manner. It would also result in understanding the target audience to
whom the advertisement needs to be reached (Merchant et al., 2013).
The third step is the use of the research methods that are available in marketing so that
the food companies can get a better understanding of the behaviour that is present in the
market. It will result in getting proper information regarding the competitors that are present
in the market so that the responses of the consumers can be collected and the launching of the
food product can be done in a proper manner. The market research will also help in getting an
overview of the resources that are needed so that the food product can result in better
profitability for the company. After the completion of this step, the company needs to select
the right media so that it can reach to the target audience in an effective manner. This will
result in educating the customers regarding the attributes that are present within the product
so that it can influence their buying behaviour (Fulgoni, 2013).
The food companies need to allocate the right budget so that the advertisement can be
done in an effective manner. This would also result in reaching the maximum number of
customers so that they can have a better information regarding the products. The planning of
the budget needs to be done properly, which will help the company in allocating the funds
and resources to attract the correct audience towards the product (Matthes & Wonneberger,
2014). After these steps, the advertisement needs to be created in a perfect manner so that it
can result in redefining the brand that wants to enter the market. The entry of the product in
the market would help in increasing the level of profit for the company, as most of the
customers would be aware of the attributes that are present in the food product. This will also
result in gaining a competitive advantage over the other food products that are present in the
market as well (Yadav & Pavlou, 2014).

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Reference List
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