Consumer Behavior:

Knowledge and Memory

ADV-91 Introduction to Advertising

When a consumer makes a decision, they

usually make use of the information already stored

in their memory.

This information tends to be structured and

organized using associations between the various

pieces of information.

Knowledge:

generally comprised of associations we link to

different objects:

● physical attributes

● abstract ideas and concepts.

associations have certain characteristics:

● salient

● unique

● favorable

● unfavorable

Kellogg’s Frosties:

● Tony the Tiger – ‘They’re grrreat!’

● Tony the Tiger is uniquely associated with Frosted

Flakes (Frosties) cereal and has been helping

consumers easily distinguish it from competing

brands since 1952.

Not to be confused with ESSO:

“Put a Tiger in your Tank”

Kellogg’s Frosties:

● Certain associations spring to mind,

such as ‘crunchy’ and ‘ice-cold milk’

● These are the salient associations

linked to the brand

● Other thoughts come to mind that are

unique and can only be associated

with this brand, like ‘Tony the Tiger’

Kellogg’s Frosties:

● Finally some associations are

favorable (convenient and tasty) or

negative (sugary)

● Kellogg’s work hard at eliminating the

negative associations and promoting

the positive and salient associations

● This lead to the brand holding a

positive and prominent place in their

consumers’ minds

watch this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6sw39pPrr8

then go to the quiz (extra credit, folks …)

now watch this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbwm0gZhuAk

go back to the quiz …

What is Knowledge?

● the outcome of the collection and

assimilation of information through

learning

● all the information we learn about

brands, products and product usage

comprise our knowledge base

● we group this knowledge together to

make sense of it

What is Knowledge Organization and

Storage?

● this is our knowledge structure

● we use our prior knowledge to

categorize or label products

● categorization is the act of creating a

mental label

Nostalgia

• Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars

• named after Chuck taylor, Basketball star of the 1920s

• he worked with Converse to improve the sneaker and

endorsed the shoe

• popular because of fit and cost

• struggled in the 80s and went into bankruptcy in 2001

• Nike purchase the brand in 2003

• very loyal fan base

• “connectivity” campaign celebrates its centennial in

2008

watch this commercial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPZ5fnYFI4Q

head on over to the quiz

• Connectivity

• a striking artistic showcase of true originals who

defined the essence of the Converse brand since

1908.

• The concept was to visually connect past and

present Converse icons brought together by their

optimistic rebellion and homage to the Chuck Taylor

All Star shoe

Celebrate and Provoke

“Our whole mission is to

inspire originality and be an

advocate and catalyst for

creativity

”

• Use of celebrity

• Hunter S. Thompson, Sid Vicious and James Dean

(who maybe didn’t even wear Converse when they were

alive…)

• some of todays “it” faces:

• Dwyane Wade

• M.I.A.

• Karen O

• Common

• Billie Joe Armstrong

• Joan Jett (not so “it” today, true but still a rebel

rocker).

• print and outdoors campaign would unite all of these

icons through their use of Converse Chuck Taylor

sneakers

• Nostalgia

• campaign relies on reconnecting with the past via

Converse shoes

• relies on consumers generating positive memories

about past experiences with the shoe

• understanding memory and its impact on consumers is

very important

Art direction inspires the campaign in other ways

• Schema

• our knowledge of an object consists of the set of

facts we know and associate with it

• grouped together in a meaningful way to form a

schema about that object

• what is your knowledge regarding an orange? (go to

quiz)

• Schema

• round

• sweet

• fruit

• breakfast food

• vitamin C

• All these represent your schema for an orange

• These could be physical attributes (round) or abstract

attributes (breakfast food)

• Schema• consumers have schemas for products :

• portable MP3 players, SUVs

• brands :

• Nike, Microsoft

• stores:

• Barnes & Noble, Gap

• one type of schema that is important to companies is a product’s brand image:

• a subset of associations that are related to a specific brand

• brand image communicated through their advertising and other marketing

efforts.

• Schema• knowledge represented by schemas usually made up of multiple associations

with brands etc

• knowledge is generally organized into groups of related objects called

taxonomic categories

• products are assigned some sort of identity and then grouped with similar

products

• these also tend to be ordered in a hierarchical manner:

• all shoes under ‘footwear’ (superordinate category)

• different types in subcategories: running shoes / formal shoes (subordinate

categories)

• Memory process• begins when an individual is exposed to external stimuli

• information is immediately encoded to sensory memory

• then transferred to short-term memory for up to 20 seconds

• if further processing is required, information transferred to long-term memory

• the individual can retrieve the information later once prompted with the right

cues:

• a purchase decision

• Sensory memoryacts as a buffer between all external stimuli in the environment and our memory

• you are driving and whiz by a billboard

• you see it quickly and are briefly aware billboard advertising Volvo

• shortly afterwards completely forgotten its existence

we move information to working memory only if motivated to do so

• Volvo ad: we might pay additional attention and process further if we

were in the market for a new car

• Long Term Memory• partitioned in two different ways:

• autobiographical/episodic memory

• most stored memories represent knowledge about experiences we have

had

• these memories tap into emotions felt during original experiences

• tend to be very powerful

• semantic memory

• general or generic information about how things work in the world

• separate from memory for specific episodes in our life

‘Holidays are coming’annual campaign – stirring up memories of

childhood excitement, Santa Claus and family

gatherings

Swedish artist Mikael Erikkson commisioned to recreate their

traditional images of Santa Claus

updating work done by US artist Haddon Sundblom in the

1930s

three oil on canvas paintings adapted for high impact 96 and

48 outdoor advertisements

runs in tandem with ‘The Holidays Are Coming’,

this creative sees Santa getting his famous ‘Coca-Cola’ truck

ready

watch this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gMjPezr8TY

and …. well, I guess you know what to do by now. Head over to the quiz.

Case Study: Mini

Background:

You do the work …. here’s the Wikipedia entry. Read

it then go to the quiz.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini

Background:became synonymous with the Swinging Sixties

popular globally

race versions, Mini Cooper, wins Monte Carlo Rally 1964

associations through popular culture

The New MINI:BMW launch the new MINI targeting:

older MINI enthusiasts by using nostalgia: tapping into positive memories like fuel economy and roominess

affluent drivers 20-34: updated design and a new brand story

watch this video, it’s truly awesome:

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

then answer the final question in the quiz