Marketing

When developing a marketing program that target certain groups on of the most important highly debated topic is, what would drive consumer behavior? Marketers maintained two positions toward this heavily important issue. Some believe that age difference is critical and the needs of a 25 years old now is not that much different from those in 1965. On the other some marketers argue that generations’ differences effect are much more effective in revealing the consumer behavior. In the today’s world marketers have a major role and responsibility in recognizing consumers’ needs, wants, and decisions. The question that I am trying to answer is, is the consumer behavior more function of a person’s age or generation? I believe in order to understand and identify the function of consumer behavior, first we need to realize what consumer behavior is?

“Consumer behavior is the study of how individuals, group, and organization select, buy, use, and dispose goods, services, ideas or experiences to satisfy their needs and wants”(Kottler & Keller, 2009). As Kotler and Keller mentioned consumer behavior is influenced by three factors: “Consumer behavior is the study of how individual, groups, and organizations select, buy, use and dispose goods, service, ideas, or experiences to satisfy their needs and wants.” (Kotler & Keller, 2009). As Kotler and Keller mentioned consumer behavior is influenced by three factors cultural (cultural, subcultural and social), social (references groups, family, and social roles and statuses), and personal (age, stage in the life cycle, occupation, economic circumstances, lifestyle, personality, and self-concern). However, in this case the question is, is consumer behavior a function of a person’s age or generation?

In order to identify the function of a person’s age in his or her consumer behavior, fist we need to understand how age can change a person’s consumer behavior. Age is one of the most important elements in personal factor of...