Week 3 Lecture - Memory

Saturday, 19 September 2020 9:46 PM

Lecture Overview:

• How does our memory work?

• Ways that marketing can harness this to make consumers remember their brands bet

Lecture Objectives:
• Gain an understanding of key concepts in memory and knowledge structures:
○ Encoding
○ Storing
○ Retrieval
○ Enhancing Memory

Memory = the persistence of learning over time, via the storage and retrieving of informatio

How does your memory system work?

Step 1: Encoding
• The INPUT of information into the memory system
• The initial stage of perceiving, registering, and processing information
• How do we input information into our memory system?
○ Eg. How might you encode a telephone number?
§ Visually - you might look at the number and create a "mental picture" of i
§ Acoustically - you might say the number to yourself a couple of times as y
§ Semantically - you might try to give some meaning to the phone number.
your own number. Words used in self-talk give meaning to number.

Step 2: Storing
• Keeping information
• Once information has been registered and processed by the brain, it has to be kept in
can be remembered easily later.
○ (SHORT-TERM) Sensory memory = refers to the initial process of storing informa
senses. Sensory memory retains a brief impression(i.e. like an echo) of a sensory
stimulus has disappeared.
§ Sensory memory is very brief. It lasts for a very short period of time(fades
being replaced; constantly as our senses work continuously t help us mak
□ Memory for things we see = iconic memory
□ Memory for things we hear = echoic memory
□ Memory for things we smell = olfactory memory
○ (SHORT-TERM) Working memory = refers to the part of memory that allows us t
tter.

on, either consciously or unconsciously.

it in your mind
you reach for your phone to record it
For eg. The first part may be similar to

n good shape(stored or maintained) so it

ation that is perceived through our

y stimulus even after the original

s away in less than a second) and it is

ke sense of our environments.

to temporarily hold information in our

 § Sensory memory is very brief. It lasts for a very short period of time(fades
being replaced; constantly as our senses work continuously t help us mak
□ Memory for things we see = iconic memory
□ Memory for things we hear = echoic memory
□ Memory for things we smell = olfactory memory
○ (SHORT-TERM) Working memory = refers to the part of memory that allows us t
mind for a short period of time in order to be able to use that information to ca
(this is the working part).
§ Working memory helps to:
□ Remember what the other person said so that you can hold a conve
□ Follow the steps to a recipe
□ Conduct mental arithmetic
□ Follow instructions to perform day-to-day tasks
§ Poor working memory
□ Eg.you want to join a conversation, but by the time the other perso
wanted to say
□ You plan to do some work at home, but you forget to being needed
○ Long term memory
§ The part of memory where information is permanently stored for later us
§ The more the information is repeated and the more the information is use
long-term memory.
§ Long term memory includes episodic(or autobiographical memory) and se
§ Unlike short term memory, there are no capacity constraints to our long t
□ Episodic memory = knowledge about ourselves, and our personal pa
® It is dependent on time and space
® Tends to be primarily sensory involving: visual images, sounds
® Episodic memory is claimed to be uniquely human, a mental t
individual with the capacity to reference personal experience
® Nostalgia marketing taps into our episodic memory
□ Semantic memory = consists of memory for encyclopaedic facts and
to any specific episodes in one's life.
□ Eg. London is the capital of England.
□ Schemas = the set of associations linked to a concept. We have sche
categories/brands/people/stores/ads/places/companies/even ours
□ Brand image = a subset of associations that reflect what something
viewed (eg. Our brand image of apple may be favourable, and that i

□
s away in less than a second) and it is
ke sense of our environments.

to temporarily hold information in our

arry out a task or to do something with it

ersation with them

on stops talking, you forget what you

d items with you

se is called long term memory.

ed, the more likely it is to be kept in

emantic memory.
term memory.
ast experiences

s, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations

travel back in time that endows the
es in the context of both time and space.

d general knowledge that is not related

emas for many entities-product

selves
stands for and how favourably it is
it is new-age and innovative).
 □

○ How can marketers help consumers remember their brand, communications an

§ Chunking = involves compressing or summarising information into fewer p
that are salient) so that less has to be remembered.
□ Marketers use acronyms and mnemonics to help consumers remem
□ Eg. BMW = Bayerische Motoren Werke
§ Rehearsal = involves the consumer repeating information over and over s
□ Marketers use jingles, sounds and slogans to encourage rehearsal.
§ Recirculation = the repeated exposure to the same information
§ Elaboration = involves thinking deeply about the information presented. I
long-term memory(better than simply rehearsing information or rote mem
□ Marketers use novel or unexpected stimuli to induce elaboration an
connection. Moderate levels of humour may also be useful.
nd offerings better(enhancing memory)?
parts (or smaller nuggets of meaning

mber.

so they can remember it

It enables us to transfer information into

morisation)
nd make consumers think about the
 □ Marketers use jingles, sounds and slogans to encourage rehearsal.
§ Recirculation = the repeated exposure to the same information
§ Elaboration = involves thinking deeply about the information presented. I
long-term memory(better than simply rehearsing information or rote mem
□ Marketers use novel or unexpected stimuli to induce elaboration an
connection. Moderate levels of humour may also be useful.

Step 3: Retrieval = the process of remembering or accessing what was previously stored in m
the output of information from memory.
• Marketers not only want consumers to properly encode information and to keep this
and with favourable and salient associations, they also want consumers to be able to
information when they need to.
• Why do we forget?
○ Sometimes, consumers struggle with retrieving information from memory. In ot
Consumers forget for 2 key reasons:
§ Retrieval failures: consumers may be unable to retrieve information they
interference, and serial-position effects.
□ Marketing implications: if you were trying to enhance consumer ret
to place your advertisement at the start, middle, or end of a set of c
reveal that the first and last ad in a sequence are best remembered
□ Serial-position effects suggest that it is important for marketers and
important information(such as best performing products, best comp
important information in the middle of a communication.
□ Marketers should also ensure that the subject line of their emails an
engaging, as that is what consumers will remember the most.
§ Retrieval errors: Memory may not always be accurate or complete becaus
remember(eg. Only the good things); people confuse their memories(eg.
people may distort their memories by remembering experiences or event
memories).
○ Are we aware of our memory?
§ Are we consciously aware that we have remembered something? Or is me
consciously aware that we have remembered information?
§ Watch video
○ How can marketers enhance retrieval?
§ Marketers need to understand how they can enhance the likelihood that
offerings, and communications.
§ Marketers can enhance retrieval by:
1) Enhancing the stimulus itself
a) Make the stimulus salient(prominent), so it stands out and gr
consumer's extent of processing and elaboration, and therefo
it.
b) Eg. Apple products have a distinct white colour which stands o
c) Brands also aim to make the stimulus a prototype in its catego
pioneer and leading brands because they are frequently rehe
and associations in our memory.
It enables us to transfer information into
morisation)
nd make consumers think about the

memory so that it is ready for use. It is

information stored in good condition

successfully access their stored

ther words, they forget information.

had stored in memory because of decay,

trieval of your brand, would it be better

commercials? Serial position effects
d.
d brands to lead with their most
pany results etc), and to position less

nd the closing statements are the most

se people choose what they want to

Who told me about that good movie?);
ts that did not happen(eg. False

emory more automatic and are we not

consumers will remember their brand,

rabs attention. This will enhance the

ore they will be more likely to remember

out
ory. We are better able to remember
earsed, recirculated, and have lots of links
 it.
b) Eg. Apple products have a distinct white colour which stands o
c) Brands also aim to make the stimulus a prototype in its catego
pioneer and leading brands because they are frequently rehe
and associations in our memory.
d) Another technique is to pair the stimulus product with anothe
makes sense.
2) Enhancing links to the stimulus
a) These are known as 'retrieval cues'. Retrival cues facilitate the
generated internally or externally. For eg. A brand name can a
and typefaces act as retrieval cues.
3) Enhancing processing of the stimuli
a) Use visual imagery in your communications. This is because im
words. This creates more links in memory and therefore the in
remembered.
b) Eg. Heinz
From this:
 out
ory. We are better able to remember
earsed, recirculated, and have lots of links

er complementary product/brand that

e activation of a memory. They can be

act as a retrieval cue. Images, packages,

mages are processed as pictures and

nformation is more likely to be
 To this:

4) Focusing on the consumer themselves

 4) Focusing on the consumer themselves
a) Try to put the consumer in a good mood(through upbeat mus
when we are in a good mood we remember more!
b) Try to increase the consumer's knowledge and expertise abou
remember more!
• Consumers are less likely to choose Hotel Soleil(resort gone w friends) because of the
strategic memory protection.
○ Strategic memory protection = the desire to protect one's special memories by
could threaten their ability to retrieve a special memory.
○ For eg. Returning to the same resort for a biz conference will add new associatio
interfere with your ability to retrieve the beautiful memories formed when you
with friends.
○ To protect this special memory, consumers might therefore avoid returning to t
and therefore would be more likely to choose Hotel Lune.
○ Memories are assets that need to be protected.
§ What are some actions that you have taken to try to preserve a good mem
§ Or perhaps were there times you had wished to override a bad memory b
previously had a bad experience to try to create more positive association

MODULE SUMMARY:
1. Memory is fundamental to our existence, and without memory, people will have diffic
of consumer behaviours.
2. Memory can be short term(sensory and working memory) or long term(episodic/auto
3. Marketers must develop strategies that promote the encoding of information; they m
information stored "intact" in memory; and they must develop effective ways to enha
stored in memory to minimise errors and failures.

Prototype - The best example of a cognitive (mental) category.

Prototypicality - The extent to which an object is representative of its category.
Eg. A diamond ring may be a more prototypical engagement gift than a tattoo or a nose pier
Eg. The iPad may be the prototypical tablet computer.

So what should a new or lesser known brand do to boost its salience in consumers' minds? O
dominant, protypical brands to make use of the latter's prominence, for instance, by engagi
may actually pose an unintended threat to the lesser known brands, when the salient assoc
overshadow the less salient associations of the lesser known one.
sic, pleasant scents, humour etc) because

ut an offering, because experts

eir desire to engage in what they call

avoiding situations that they believe

ons into your memory which could

first visited the resort while on vacation

the same resort for a business retreat

mory?
by returning to a place where you
ns?

culty functioning and engaging in a range

obiographical and semantic memory)

must think of ways to keep the
ance consumers retrieval of information

rcing.

One approach is to team up with

ing in co-branding activity. However, this
ciations of the prototypical brand