DR.

DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 1

CONSUMER
PERCEPTION
DR. DEEPA ROHIT
WESCHOOL
Meaning of Perception
It is defined as the process by which an individual selects,
organizes and interprets stimuli into a meaningful and
coherent picture of the world
An ability to derive meaning
“How we see the world around us”
The process starts from exposure and attention to
marketing stimuli and ends with consumer interpretation

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 3

 Perception Process
Sensory Sensory
Stimuli Receptors

Sights Eyes

Sounds Ears
Selection Organization Interpretation
Smells Nose

Taste Mouth

Textures Skins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs_LVTmW8Ic

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 4

Consumer Perception

Perceptual Output
Input Process/ (emotions, Behaviour
Mechanism beliefs)

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 5

Elements of Perception

Selection of stimuli Organization of Interpretation of

stimuli stimuli

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 6

Perceptual Selection,
Organisation And Interpretation

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 7

Daag Acche Hai

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 8

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 9
DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 10
1. Selection of Stimuli
Stimuli could be in form Products /Packages /Brand names/Ads/Smell

Consumers subconsciously exercise a great deal of selectivity as

stimuli they would perceive
Motives of the
Nature of stimuli Expectations
viewer
• physical attributes, • Consumers’ • needs, desires,
novelty, brand previous interests
name, package experience,
design familiarity

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 11

 Selective Perception
Selective Perceptual Perceptual
Selective Exposure
Attention Defence Blocking
• People look for • People look into • People avoid • People block
pleasant and ads which will psychologically stimuli which is
sympathetic satisfy their need threatening bombarded
messages and ones. • e.g. Change the
avoid painful or • e.g. Smoking – channel
threatening ones warning with
words, and now
with images

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 12

2. Perceptual Organization
Consumers tend to organize various stimuli into different
groups and perceive them as a whole
Gestalt Psychology (pattern or configuration in German)

Figure & Ground

Grouping

Closure

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 13

 Examples of
Figure and
Ground
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI
U5NzXIspA

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 14

2. Perceptual Organisation
Figure & Ground Either one part of stimulus will dominate
Marketers usually design so the figure is the
Grouping
noticed stimuli.
Closure In celebrity endorsement; product or brand will
be the figure
Creativity, humor, jingle, graphic should take a
role of ground
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOc6sYVixoY

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 15

2. Perceptual Organisation
People group objects that share similar
Figure & Ground characteristics

Grouping Grouping helps to recall and memory

Implications in brand imagery
Closure

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 16

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 17
2. Perceptual Organisation
People have a need for closure and organize
Figure & Ground perceptions to form a complete picture.
Will often fill in missing pieces
Grouping
Incomplete message are remembered more than
Closure complete ones

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 18

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 19
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t
QBbrDchKj8

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 20

Marketing Applications
Figure & Ground Grouping

• Advertising • To build category aura & brand

• Use of celebrity imagery
endorsement
• Copy & visual balance Closure
• Colour balance
• Product placement • Build teaser campaign
• Cutting ad commercial from 60 sec
to 10 sec
• Use of TV commercial to radio

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 21

 Process of the assignment of meaning
to sensations

Stimuli are often ambiguous, weak due

3. Perceptual to poor visibility, brief exposure, high
Interpretation noise level or fluctuations
• Stereotypes
• Halo Effect
• First Impression
• Physical Appearances
• Descriptive Terms

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 22

 Stereotypes & Halo Effect
Individuals tend to carry biased pictures in their
minds of various stimuli
Stereotypes: Sometimes, when presented with
sensory stimuli, people ‘add’ these biases to
3. Perceptual what they see or hear and form distorted
impressions
Interpretation
Halo Effect : Consumers perceive and evaluate
multiple objects based on just one dimension
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJukf4ifuKs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W61p4JQ8o
08

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 23

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 24
3. Perceptual Interpretation
People tend to attribute the qualities they
Stereotypes associate with certain types of people
 Important for model selection in the
Halo Effect advertisement
Physical appearance of the product often
Physical Appearance
influence consumers’ judgment
Descriptive Terms

First Impression

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 25

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 26
3. Perceptual Interpretation
Names and terms associated with the
Stereotypes brand names
Halo Effect https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlHHv
NqSmg8
Physical Appearance Dove – 1/4th Moisturizer
Aquaguard – Paani Ka Doctor
Descriptive Terms

First Impression

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 27

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 28
Application to Marketing
 Physical Appearance
 Role of packaging
 Selection of ad models
 Stereotypes
 Use in building brand imagery and advertising
 Can create sustained brand association
 Halo effect
 To get into new category like brand extension

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 29

 Sensory Adaptation
Reduction in sensory
responsiveness when exposed to a
stimulus for a substantial period of
time
Advertising wear-outs

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 30

Dynamics of Perception
•The Absolute Threshold
•The differential threshold / Just noticeable difference
•Subliminal perception

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 31

 Absolute
Subliminal Terminal
Threshold

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 32

The Absolute Threshold
The lowest level at which an individual can experience a
sensation
The point at which a person can detect a difference
between ‘something’ and ‘nothing’
As the level of exposure to the stimulus increases, we
notice less
Sensory Adaptation – ‘getting used to’

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 33

The Differential Threshold /
Just Noticeable Difference (J.N.D.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY8fedWz5yY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snsywkGOJ5o
Differential threshold is the smallest detectable difference between
two values of same stimulus
Ernest Weber 19th Century
J.n.d. is not an absolute but relative
The changes between two stimuli is not perceived as absolute yet as an
amount relative to the strength and intensity of the original stimulus

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 34

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 35
Marketing Applications of JND
 Marketers use Weber’s law to predict how consumers will respond
to differences between marketing variables and changes in these
variables
 When marketers want consumers to notice the changes (just

above j.n.d)
 improved / updated packaging/ quality, logo change, price decrease
 When marketers want consumers not to notice the changes
(just below j.n.d)
 (price increase, quantity / size reduction)

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 36

Subliminal Perception
People can also perceive stimuli, which are
below their level of conscious awareness
When the stimulus is below the threshold of
awareness and is perceived the process is
called subliminal perception
Usage in advertising

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 37

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 38
Perception and
Marketing
Strategy

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 39

Brand Positioning
Creating distinct image in minds of the consumers
Positioning leads to distinctive brand image

Key attributes How consumers

Determine
Define Target and consumer perceive Develop Create
combination of
Market perception of competition on distinctive POD positioning
attributes
the same those attributes

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 40

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPivHd9OSm
E
Brand Perception = Brand attributes + symbolic
attributes
Helps to understand how the consumers perceive
their offerings in relation to competitive brands on
Perceptual certain chosen parameters

Mapping Helps to assess how consumers view different

brands in a product category
Marketers can identify unexplored areas in terms
of consumer needs
 https://welingkarweschool-my.sharepoint.com/:x:/r/personal/900181_welingkar
_org/_layouts/15/Doc.aspx?sourcedoc=%7B50bc450a-679a-4b95-8fe4-76876a68
845f%7D&action=edit&wdPreviousSession=ec3fc942-10ed-4b55-bc1d-7b88e315
ba70
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX5H8DVARjI

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDe9VufLDE0
DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 41
https://
www.youtube.com/watch?
v=NX5H8DVARjI

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 42

Perceived risk
The degree of uncertainty perceived by the consumer about the
consequence (outcome) of a specific purchase decision
Perception risk varies with product categories, shopping situation
and personal risk tolerance
 Functional risk Information,
 Physical risk Brand loyalty,
Store Image,
 Financial risk Person, product,
Price-quality,
situation, culture
 Time risk trials,
communication,
 Psychological & Social risk warranties/
guarantees

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 43

Retail Strategy Brand name Media strategy Advertisement Package design
and logo

Applications of a Study of Consumers’ Perception

DR. DEEPA ROHIT, WESCHOOL 44