A Study on the Psychological Perspective of Consumer Behavior: Kit Kat

This report provides an in-depth analysis of consumer behavior, specifically focusing on the psychological perspective of adolescents' purchasing decisions for Nestlé's Kit Kat. The study examines cognitive and emotional factors, attitudes, and beliefs, leveraging theories like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Murray's Theory of Needs to understand consumer motivation. The report delves into the decision-making process and offers recommendations for product, price, and promotion strategies tailored to the adolescent market. The analysis highlights the importance of understanding consumer needs and desires, the role of feelings and beliefs in shaping attitudes, and the impact of marketing strategies on consumer behavior. The report emphasizes the significance of product innovation, branding, and understanding the target market's preferences to effectively compete in the chocolate market. The student assignment is available on Desklib, a platform offering past papers and solved assignments for students.

Running head: PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
Consumers as Individuals and Decision Making
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1PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
Executive summary
This study is aimed at understanding the behaviour of adolescents for Nestlé’s Kit Kat. The study
is constructed on few psychological factors such as motivation, beliefs and attitudes which play
important roles in influencing for the purchase decision. Few theories such as Maslow’s
Hierarchy of Needs and Murray Theory of Needs are being used to understand the importance of
chosen psychological factors. Moreover, the paper also recommends a few price, product and
promotion related points to Nestlé’s Kit Kat.

2PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Company................................................................................................................................3
1.2 Product and/or location..........................................................................................................3
1.3 Consumer...............................................................................................................................3
2. Discussion and analysis: (Consumer Needs and motivation)......................................................4
2.1 Cognitive factors....................................................................................................................4
Explaining the respective pieces of literature..........................................................................4
Application on the selected segment.......................................................................................5
2.2 Emotional factors...................................................................................................................5
Explaining the respective pieces of literature..........................................................................5
Application on the selected segment.......................................................................................6
3. Discussion and analysis: (Consumer attitudes)...........................................................................6
3.1 Feelings..................................................................................................................................6
Explaining the respective pieces of literature..........................................................................6
Application on the selected segment.......................................................................................7
3.2 Beliefs....................................................................................................................................7
Explaining the respective pieces of literature..........................................................................7
Application on the selected segment.......................................................................................7
4. Decision making process.............................................................................................................8
5. Recommendations......................................................................................................................10
6. Conclusion.................................................................................................................................13
References......................................................................................................................................14

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4PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
1. Introduction
1.1 Company
Nestle came into existence in 1905. It is headquartered in Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland.
Since the inception, the company has continually added up stories of success to its business.
Nestle holds the reputation of being the largest food company in the world. The company offers
range of products catering the needs of diverse customers (Nestle.com, 2018). It is involved in
several joint ventures such as the follows (Nestle.com, 2018):
 With General Mills for the Worldwide Cereal Business
 With the Coca-Cola Company for the Beverage
 With Colgate-Palmolive
 With Indofood
 With Snow for Snow Brand Milk Products
 With Fonterra for offering dairy products
1.2 Product and/or location
The product list include baby food, breakfast cereals, medical food, bottled water, ice
cream, pet foods, snacks and frozen foods. The range of products caters the needs of different
customers ranging from children to adult customers. The company is not just known for one
single product but, has established its popularity in more than one. Cerelac and Lactogen for
infants, Nescafe for coffee lovers, Felix & Go Cat for Petcare and Maggi for noodle lovers are
some of the most popular products in different regions (Nestle.com, 2018).
1.3 Consumer
Their consumers fall in variety of age groups ranging from infant to adolescents and to
adult person. As already mentioned in the product section that there are different products for
different age groups, the range of consumers of Nestle are diverse. In other words, this can be
said that Nestle targets the every single age group with its innovative products.

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Adolescence is the evolution stage from puberty to adulthood. In this stage, physical and
psychological developments occur (Bjork & Pardini, 2015). Adolescents are generally the group
which have more freedom from parents than pre-adolescents. The privilege which adolescents
get does also include the freedom to eat the favourite foods and desserts. In most countries, the
demands of adolescents are fulfilled with little or no sign of hesitation from parents. The worry
about obesity and other diseases due to bad eating habits is restricted to few families only that
have awareness for health (Shah et al., 2015). Hence, the freedom given to adolescents plays an
important role in their action to fulfil their temptation. Eating a chocolate is one of their
temptations. However, adolescents are attracted to a certain thing like taste, packaging, price and
branding. Hence, it is important for marketers to have set plans to edge past the competitors and
gain the trust of adolescents.
2. Discussion and analysis: (Consumer Needs and motivation)
2.1 Cognitive factors

6PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
Explaining the respective pieces of literature
According to Brandenburg et al. (2015), cognition can be defined as a process which
helps marketers in finding the hidden link between the needs and desires of customers. There is a
variable hidden in between the needs and desires which is essential for marketers to identify and
cognition is exactly the process that helps to fulfil such requirement. In the light of the stated
fact, this can be said that marketers do extensive research works on identifying that particular
hidden variable. The hidden variable can be identified by using the varieties of marketing tools to
make customer realise the needs for a particular product. For example, in context of the chosen
product “Kit Kat”, customers already have desires for the varieties of chocolates. Kit Kat had
just made customer realise the difference that the company wants to deliver. The sense for the
difference was created with a different product layout, the taste and the marketing strategy.
According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, there are basically the five levels of needs. It means
that once the lower level of needs is fulfilled, it just opens up ways for higher levels of needs
(Karnatovskaia, Gajic, Bienvenu, Stevenson & Needham, 2015). For example, it means trying
the different flavours one after another.
Application on the selected segment
Kit Kat uses product innovation to offer customers the different flavours. The selection of
varieties differs from one region to another depending on the type of consumer behaviour in the
target market. Notably, it offers customers approximately around 200 hundred distinguished
flavours largely of which are being manufactured or produced in Japan (Nestle.com, 2018).
Cadbury which is one of the competitor companies to Kit Kat has a very limited range of
flavours. Cadbury has its main focus on presenting the real dark chocolates to customers with
high milk contents in it (Jaques, 2015). Both Nestle and Cadbury are different to each other to
some extent in identifying the hidden variable in their target customers necessary for converting
desires into needs.
2.2 Emotional factors
Explaining the respective pieces of literature

7PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
Murray’s Theory of Needs categorises the needs of customers into two categories namely
the primary and the secondary needs. Primary needs are all those basic needs which are
compulsory for customers. For example, need for water, food and oxygen. Secondary needs are
generally the psychological needs such as need for achievement, nurturing and independence
(Randheer, Almotairi & Naeem, 2014). Marketers use to form a bridge between the
psychological desires of customers and the actualisation of needs travelling on which customers
develop the intention to purchase.
As opined by Van den Broeck, Ferris, Chang & Rosen (2016), psychological needs
encourage the intention of buying a product. The needs vary with the number of customers. For
example, the majority of customers love the basic form of Kit Kat whereas there are many
customers who love to try the different flavours of it.
Application on the selected segment
Kit Kat uses a variety of strategies to influence the emotions of customers. The first and
foremost strategy is to offer customer the variety of flavours in different countries. The second
most catching strategy was the design which is still very unique. Cadbury which is one of the top
rated competitors of Kit Kat in most circles of world does not follow the same strategy.
3. Discussion and analysis: (Consumer attitudes)
3.1 Feelings
Explaining the respective pieces of literature
Feelings can be both positive and negative depending on the promotion strategy for the
product and the actual product quality. Promotion creates the much-needed interest for product
whereas quality of products tries to hold customers to a level it has committed to customers.
‘Feelings’ is actually in direct proportion with the product’s promotion and the product’s quality.
This can be further understood with the help of “Theory of Planned Behaviour”. The theory
helps to form a linkage between the one’s beliefs and behaviours (Hagger, Chan, Protogerou &
Chatzisarantis, 2016). Customers may have certain set of beliefs in regards to their choice of
products in a particular category of products. For example, few customers may have desires for
chocolate in its basic form while some may also demand the different flavours. In the light of the

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theory of planned behaviour, it is necessary for marketers that they are able to establish a link
between beliefs and behaviour.
Application on the selected segment
There are ample of taste choices of Adolescents and it is very challenging for marketers
to identify the taste of their target markets. Some adolescents love the pure chocolates while
most others love to try the different other flavours as well. The marketers must take the help
from the theory of planned behaviour and work extensively to relate the beliefs with behaviours.
They can get an ample of information regarding the taste and the brand preferences of their target
consumer. Therefore, it is recommended for firms that they invest high in marketing activities
and encourage a variety of marketing research works, so that, they produce less errors in linking
the customer’s beliefs with their behaviours (Hagger, Chan, Protogerou & Chatzisarantis, 2016).
3.2 Beliefs
Explaining the respective pieces of literature
Beliefs can be understood as an individual’s thought process behind doing or saying
anything. This can also be explained from the attribution theory. The theory governs a process of
reaching to a conclusion in context to what all have made customers behave in a certain manner
(Rezaei, 2015). The theory thus emphasises on identifying the thought process of the target
customers for the purchase of a certain product. For example, customers love to have both the
Kit Kat and Cadbury; however, it is important for either of the companies to identify why each of
those do not perform equally well in most other circles. They must also know the reasons why
people love them. The positive part will encourage persisting with the identified characteristics
while the negative one will ask for a few of inclusions. Inclusions can be in various regards like
the introduction of new flavours or change in product quality.
Application on the selected segment
Kit Kat is the one candy bar which was marketed around with a concept of sharing. The
layout is designed in such a way that it is very easier to share with friends, relatives or dear ones.
It is not possible with others such as Cadbury or Snickers. Snickers can be considered as offering
the same message; however, it comes in very big sizes known as “Slice n’ Share Snickers bar”

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which make it uneasy to hold and it also contains a lot of calories in it (Beneke, Floyd, Rono &
Sherwood, 2015). Hence, it appears that no other brands read the mind of customers better than
Kit Kat does this.
4. Decision making process
The decision making process can be explained or understood from both theoretical point
of views and also from the famous practices of world renowned companies. The theoretical point
of views can be started with “The Theory of Consumer Behaviour and Decision Making” which
states that there is different process involved in the decision making of adolescents. The theory
governs a cognitive construction to understand or anticipate the expected outcomes of decisions.
In this process, customers are presented as identifying their needs, then configuring the process
to follow the product and finally end up by purchasing the intended product. Therefore, as per
the theory, adolescents follow a different path till reaching the endpoint to purchase their desired
chocolate. One thing is very important to note here is that the selected customers for this study
have desires for chocolates. Marketers like every single chocolate making company uses the
effective promotion strategy to present their each product as a fresh one that have a few changes
in it such as the flavours or else (Pescher, Reichhart & Spann, 2014).
Motivation, feelings, attitudes and beliefs are often considered as psychological factors
which influence the consumer decisions.
Motivation: It is important to understand a motive which is the inward drive to take
action and satisfy a need. It is to be noted that a profoundly motivated individual is the one who
is an exceptionally objective oriented person. Irrespective of the objectives, whether positive or
negative, a few people bear a tendency to have a high-level of objective orientation, while others
may have a lower level of objective orientation. Individuals may show distinctive levels of
motivation in various parts of their lives. For instance, a secondary school junior might fail
trigonometry (low motivation) while accomplishing champion level execution at the computer
game Guitar Hero (high motivation) (Cantallops & Salvi, 2014).
The purchase becomes certain when the need is stirred to a sufficiently high level that it
acts as a motive. Notably, a man can have a list of necessities that are not of urgency to cause the
motivation to act, while there are others for which it is important for a motive to act. Powers that

10PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
make a sense of urgency and motivation might be internal in occurrence. For example,
individuals get eager, psychological (pondering sustenance makes one hungry) or environmental
(there is a promotion for a Big Mac) (Maniatis, 2016).
To make an impact with motivation in the advertising practice, it is useful for marketers
to see how motivation plays into a particular purchasing circumstance—what triggers shoppers
to set objectives, take care of their need-based issues and make a move. Marketers may not target
the individual unless and until, there is no data; however, a specific group such as adolescents in
this study can be targeted effectively by understanding the process of purchase development.
Marketers are aware of the fact that few of the products that are sold do not fit the needs of the
target group. Despite the fact, desires for such products can be created. Once the stage of desire
is attained, it is the all techniques that marketers can use to convert desires into needs. This
further means a motive for the specific product is created (Maniatis, 2016).
The orientation of motive can be understood from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The
hierarchy states that an individual can be motivated at any of the five stages in the hierarchy,
provided, that a realization for the need is created (Karnatovskaia, Gajic, Bienvenu, Stevenson &
Needham, 2015). The five stages of the Hierarchy of Needs are psychological needs, safety &
security, love & belonging, self-esteem and self-actualization. The needs occupy the different
levels of the hierarchy where psychological needs are the first level while self-actualization, the
last. It is believed that the effective marketing strategies can stimulate the sense of needs at any
stage in the hierarchy. For example, the ad campaign by Procter & Gamble “Thank You Mom”
featured the Olympic athletes & their parents and cited their caring relationships (Schmidt,
2016). In this advertisement, the needs for love & belonging is utilised to provoke the motivation
for purchase.
There is another psychological factor like attitudes and beliefs speak that impacts the
consumer behaviour. A belief can be understood as a passion a person holds about something.
For example, "dark chocolate can be pungent “or” delicious” that depends on the beliefs. To
some "dark chocolate may appear as useful for baking." On the other hand, an attitude can be
understood as a steady perspective of something which includes the belief, the emotional feeling
and an associated behaviour (Ladhari & Michaud, 2015). For example, there can have the several
perceptions for the dark chocolate which may be categorized as a belief ("the taste of dark

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chocolate is pleasant"), a feeling ("it is joyful to have the dark chocolates") and an oriented
behaviour ("dark chocolate is consumed every afternoon as a refreshment).
There can be the instances that people bear beliefs and attitudes for a range of things such
as food, holidays, brands, family, places, politics, religion, and etcetera. Notably, beliefs and
attitudes might be neutral, negative, or positive. Such beliefs and attitudes might be based on fact
or opinion. It is up to the marketers and their capability to see how beliefs and attitudes stimulate
the purchaser and their decision making. If there is a wrong or incorrect belief among the
population or the target consumers, it needs to counteract from the effective marketing strategies
(Ladhari & Michaud, 2015). For example, Pepsi was blamed to have intentionally included a
syringe in a can of Diet Pepsi in the year 1993 (Kayabaº, Boyraz & Derdiyok, 2017). It was
presented as if being an intentional act. However, the PepsiCo responded to it positively and had
released public statements. Videos and a PR campaign was used to win back the attacked trust of
customers and to reestablish a fact that Pepsi products have nothing to do with such things & that
these are safe (Kayabaº, Boyraz & Derdiyok, 2017). It is of worth to note that beliefs and
attitudes may not be translated into behaviour at every occasion. For example, someone may love
to have pizza; however, that pizza must not be from Pizza Hut. The individual can go for other
options to get the pizza but, never to Pizza Hut.
5. Recommendations
The selected target customers in this study are adolescents. Now, this is of importance to
discuss the ways to improve the marketing strategies, so that, competency of Nestlé’s Kit Kat is
increased. However, it does not at all mean that Nestle lack to have the effective marketing
strategies. It is just to show that few other things can also be considered to make a much better
impact. Following strategies are useful for an improvement in the existing marketing strategies
for the target customer:
Product
According to Murray’s Theory of Needs, there are two sections of needs such as: Primary
and Secondary. Primary needs include all things such as water, food, air and others. Secondary
needs are the psychological needs which are the types of drives that encourage for purchase
(Randheer, Almotairi & Naeem, 2014). Chocolate is best suited with the psychological needs as