Consumer

Perception
 •The process by which
an individual selects,
organizes, and
interprets stimuli into a
meaningful and
Perception
coherent picture of the
world

•How we see the world

around us
 Perception
•Process by which sensations are selected,
organized, and interpreted
•Adding meaning to raw sensations
Factors influencing perception
Elements of Perception
Sensation
Absolute threshold
Differential threshold
Subliminal perception
 The immediate and direct
response of the sensory
organs to stimuli.
Sensation
A perfectly unchanging
environment provides little
to no sensation at all!
 Sensation
 Immediate response of our sensory  Hospitals
receptors…  Day & Night – level
eyes, ears, nose, mouth, fingers… of sensory input -
ability to perceive
 to basic stimuli… change
 Single or more
such as light, colour, sound, odor, advertisements in
and texture, advertisements, brand commercial break
names, commercials, and
packages……  Editorial pages and
advertisements in
 depends on the sensitivity of the magazines
individual  Perfumes – scratch
and sniff cards
 The Absolute Threshold
 The lowest level at which an individual
can experience a sensation.
 The point which differentiates between
“something” and “nothing”.
 Adaptation: Getting ‘used to’ certain
sensation.
 examples
 The distance at which the driver can notice bill board or
Toll gate on the highway

 If two friends are going together in separate

motorcycles they may first spot a banner at different
distances- Different absolute threshold levels

 Methods
 Ambush Marketing
 Experiential Marketing
 The Differential Threshold - Weber
 The minimal detectable difference between two
similar stimuli (just noticeable difference).
It’s not at all the absolute difference.
It’s an amount relative to the intensity of the
first stimulus.
The stronger the initial stimulus, the greater the
additional intensity needed for second stimulus
to be perceived as differentiated.
 Marketing Applications
of the JND
 Need to determine the relevant j.n.d. for their products
 so that negative changes are not readily discernible to the
public
 so that product improvements are very apparent to
consumers
Betty Crocker Changes Fall Below
the J.N.D.
 Gradual Changes
in Brand Name Fall
Below the J.N.D.
 Perception of very
weak or rapid stimuli
Subliminal
received below the
Perception
level of conscious
awareness.
 Visual stimuli presented in brief
 Speech given fast in low volume auditory msgs
 Embedded / hidden imagery /words given in either print
ads or product labels
 Vaio — This cool logo for Sony's computers represents
the brand's integration of analog and digital technology.
The 'VA' is designed as an analog waveform, the 'IO' is
binary code.
 Baskin Robbins — This logo,
introduced in 2005, cleverly
uses the company's initials to
advertise its number of ice
cream flavors (31).
 Amazon — The cleverness of this logo is twofold. The
arrow points from a to z, referring to all that is available
on Amazon.com, and it doubles as a satisfied smile
(with dimple).
 Sun Microsystems — Before it was bought by Oracle,
Sun was a major computer manufacturer. Its logo is a
perfect ambigram; it can be read from any direction.
(Note also that the graphic doesn't actually include an
S, merely artfully arranged u's and n's.)
 Dynamics of Perception
 EXPOSURE – It occurs when a stimulus is palced
within a person’s relevant environment and comes
within the range of sensory receptor nerves. It
provides consumers an opportunity to pay
attention to available information.

 -Selective Exposure
 Voluntary Exposure - Informatials
 ATTENTION – it occurs when the stimulus activates
one or more sensory receptor nerves and the
resulting sensations go to the brain for processing.

 -Focused Attention
 Non Focused Attention

 Focused Attention
 Stimulus Factors
 Size
 Intensity
 Attractive Visuals
 Colour & Movement
 Position
 Isolation
 Format
 Contrast & Expectations
 Interestingness
 Information Quality
 Individual Factors
 Motivation
 Ability
 Situational Factors
 Clutter
 Program Involvement
 Non Focused Attention
 Hemispheric Lateralization – Refers to activities that
takes place on each side of the brain.
 Left Brain – Verbal information & Rational Thoughts
 Right Brain - Non verbal, Images, Impressions
 Subliminal Stimuli – Messages Presented so fast or
so softly or so masked by other messages that one is
not aware of seeing or hearing.
 INTERPRETATION – Assignment of meaning to
sensations.

 It is subjective and open to a host of psychological

biases.

 Individual Characteristics
 Situational Characteristics
 Stimulus Characteristics
 Individual Characteristics
 Traits – Physiological & psychological
 Learning & Knowledge
 Expectations
 Stimulus Characteristics
 Traits
 Organization
 Figure & Ground
 Grouping
 Closure
 Changes
 Sensory Discrimination
 JND
 Perception and marketing
strategy
 Retail strategy
 Brand name and logo development
 Media strategy
 Advertisement and package design
 Warning labels and package designs
 Retail Strategy
 Store interiors are designed with frequently purchased
items separated so consumers will travel through more
of the store, increasing total exposure.

 Shelf position and amount of shelf space influence

which items and brands are allocated attention.

 Cross-promotions, where signage in one area of the

store promotes complementary products in another can
also be effective.
 Store layout
– Cold and hot zones – Traffic and islands

 Lighting and fit-out

 Placement of products on shelves
 – Eye levels (for adults and for children!)
 – Number of facings to maximise visual impact
 Brand Name and Logo Development

 Brand names can influence anything from food taste to

color preference. Given the tendency toward global
brands, it is easy to imagine how complex creating an
appropriate name can be.

 Logo Design and Typographics

 Branding Strategies
 Linguistic Consideration
 Packages must also attract attention and convey
information.

 !Packaging has functional and perceptual

components.

 !Bright colors, taller packages, and unusual shapes

can be used to attract attention, convey meaning, and
influence consumption.

 !Packages also contain product information and

warnings.

 !Ethical and legal considerations require marketers to

place warning labels on a wide array of products such
as cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, and many over-the-
counter drugs.
Aspects of Perception

Selection

Organization

Interpretation
 Perceptual Selection
 Depends on two major factors
 Consumers’ previous experience
 Consumers’ motives
Concepts Concerning Selective
Perception

 Selective Exposure
 Selective Attention
 Perceptual Defense
Gestalt
 Perceptual Blocking
Psychology
Principles of Perceptual
Organization

 Figure and ground

 Grouping
 Closure
Influences of Perceptual
Distortion
 Physical Appearances
 Stereotypes
 First Impressions
 Jumping to Conclusions
 Halo Effect