Perception

Chapter 2

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2-1

 Perception
• The ability to see, hear, or become aware of something
through the senses.

• Perception is the process by which sensations are selected,

organized and interpreted

• Marketers contribute to an impressive display of stimulation

• Ads, radio, billboards, packaging--media is everywhere…

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2-2

 Perception

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2-3

 Three Stages of Perception
• Exposure stage - consumers receive
information through their senses.
• Attention stage - consumers allocate
processing capacity to a stimulus.
• Comprehension stage - consumers organize
and interpret the information to obtain
meaning from it.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2-4

 Sensation
• Refers to the immediate response of our
sensory receptors (eyes, ears, nose,
mouth, fingers) to such basic stimuli as
light, color, sound, odors, and textures.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2-5

 Sensation and Perception (Cont’d)
• Sensations are selected, organized and interpreted

FIGURE 2 - 1

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2-6

 Sensory Inputs

• Our senses react to touch, smell, taste and other

stimulation
• People react to colour, noise and music
• Sensory inputs create many associations in terms of
decisions, memories and choices

• Think about it: would

you buy a new sweater
without touching it?
Why or why not?

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2-7

 Hedonic Consumption
• Hedonic consumption:
multisensory, fantasy, and
emotional aspects of
consumers’ interactions with
products
• Marketers use impact of
sensations on consumers’
product experiences
This Hillman’s
mayonnaise ad
appeals to
people’s need
for pleasurable
consumption

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2-8

 Hedonic Consumption

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2-9

 Vision And colour
• Trade dress: colours associated with specific companies
• Colour in packaging design is critical
• The choice of color is frequently a key issue in package design
• Today, color is serious business, and many companies realize
that their choice can apply a big influence on consumer’s
assumption about what is inside the package
• Some color combinations come to be associated strongly with
a corporation that they become known as the company's trade
dress

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2 - 10

 Vision and Colour
• Colours influence emotions
• Some colours (red) create feelings of arousal and
stimulate appetites
• Blue is more relaxing
• Older people see colours in a dull cast and therefore
prefer white and other bright tones. Mature
consumers are likely to choose a white car; in fact
Lexus makes 60% of their vehicles in white

• Think about it: What colours influence your

feelings or create excitement in your life?

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2 - 11

 12
Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.
• Feminine color
• Modern, high and
delighted.
• Sense of
achievement
• Fascinating
packaging (the
shape of the bottle,
very lean and
feminine)
Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.
• Fresh and attractive
colors
• Pleasant to look at.
• Bubbles surrounding the
crystal clear bottle with
fresh aquamarine color
create an fantasy of
diamonds or pearls
• Soothing effect

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.
Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.
 This Ad Relies on Sea blue, which is
associated with health, healing,
tranquility, understanding, and
Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.
 This Ad Relies on
Pink Color; This
color embodies the
gentler qualities of
Red, symbolizing
love and affection
without passion.
Women who prefer
Pink tend to be
maternal. Pink
desires protection,
special treatment,
and a sheltered life.
Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.
 Rich use of color

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.

 Color as the brand name

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.

 Vision and Consumption
• Container size can influence the amount we consume
• Consumers ate 45 percent more popcorn from large as
compared to medium popcorn buckets
• Tend to pour
over 30 percent
more into the
shorter, wider
glass than a
taller glass
• Consumers eat more from smaller packs of candy when
multiple small packs are available
• College students ate more M&Ms when given bowls that have
ten (vs. seven) colours of M&Ms

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2 - 21

 Smell

• Scents stir emotion or create calm feelings

• Episodic memories of a pie out of the oven or a
steaming cup of coffee…feelings of home
• Smell is a direct line to feelings of happiness,
hunger, and even memories of happy times (such
as childhood years).
• At least to some extent, consumers reactions to
odors depend on their cultural background
• Many multinational companies adjust the scents of
their products from country to country
• Scent marketing: from cars to fragrances
Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2 - 22
 • Manufactures are finding new ways to put scent into
products including men’s suits, lingerie, detergents,
and aircraft cabins
• There is also evidence that certain smells appeal to
sexes
• A vanilla smell diffused into a women’s clothing store
and a spicy honey smell diffused into men’s clothing
store doubled sales
• When the scents were reversed, sales fell to levels
below what they were when no scent was infused

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2 - 23

 Hearing

• Consumers buy millions of dollars worth of sound

recording each year
• Advertising jingles maintain brand awareness
• Background music creates desired moods
• Many aspect of sound affect people feelings and
behaviors
•

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2 - 24

 Hearing

• The Muzak Corporation estimates that 80 million people hear their

“background” music everyday.
• Functional music-for relaxing or stimulating.
• Research has shown that workers tend to slow down during
midmorning and mid-afternoon.
• Muzak uses upbeat tempo music during these times to stimulate
activity. This is called “stimulus progression.” ( shopping-slow beat,
fast food-fast beat

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2 - 25

 Touch
• Heptic senses: touch is the most basic of senses;
we learn this before vision and smell
• Touching affects the product experience
• Waiters who touch patrons get bigger tips
• Touching an item forms a relationship with the
product

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2 - 26

This Caress Ad Uses
Tactile Stimulation as a
Selling Point

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.
 This ad is for
Lubriderm lotion
relies on the
imagery of rough
tactile sensation
to communicate a
primary product
benefit

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.

 Taste

• Flavour houses develop new mixture of various

ingredients or elements. for consumer palates
• Cultural changes determine desirable tastes
• Our taste receptors contribute to our experience of
many products and people form strong preferences for
certain flavors
• Think about it: How have your taste buds changed
since you were a child? Do you eat foods now that you
wouldn’t touch in high school?

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2 - 30

 31
Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.
 32
Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.
 Flavor

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.

 This Ad Uses
Taste to
Motivate
People to Buy
Their Product

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.

 • "Plain" vanilla has become a flavorful marketing
concept.
• Vanilla flavored or scented products, from perfumes
and cologne to cake frosting, coffees, and ice cream,
are currently big sellers for the flavor industry.
• Coty Inc. introduced Vanilla Fields cologne spray in
1994, and reported $25 million in retail sales over a
four-month period.
• One industry executive explains that the flavor's
popularity is because vanilla "remind memories of
home, warmth and hug."

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc.

 Exposure

It’s the degree to which people notice a stimulus that is within

range of their sensory receptors
• An initial stage of perception
• Consumers concentrate on some stimuli, are aware of others,
and even go out of their way to ignore some messages.
• We notice stimuli that come within range for even a very short
time if we choose. That’s why Cadillac developed a 5-second
commercial to illustrate that Cadillac’s can go from zero to 60
in less than 5 seconds

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Canada Inc. 2 - 36