Consumer Psychology and Marketing Communications Article Analysis322

Consumer Psychology and Marketing Communications Article Analysis

Daniel T Bulger

PSY/322

February 24, 2014

STEVEN VERRONE

Consumer Psychology and Marketing Communications Article Analysis

Consumer Psychology is highly applicable to the world we live in today. In a world of we want it now; consumption has indoctrinated Western culture and is now an integral part of society (Jansson-Boyd, 2010). That being said, it is important that psychologists learn how this will affect behaviors. Consumer Psychology in simple terms is; the study of how people react to product and service related information and experiences ("Consumer Psychology", 2011). What will one do when influenced in a particular way? Consumer psychology is about understanding why and how individuals and groups engage in consumer activities as well as how they are affected by them. A large part of consumer psychology focuses on the thought processes and behaviors involved when people purchase goods and services. If psychologists did not study this area it would be hard to understand how people process information and how they subsequently act, making it difficult to explain consumer behavior.

Knowing consumer behaviors is the key to any successful marketing message. For example; high end tropical resorts and spas by television advertising in the dead of winter. They broadcast sunny skies, beautiful beaches, blue water, when the consumer can only see dreary skies, snow covered grass and leafless trees, thus making the resorts and spas so much more appealing. They know the consumer is more likely to want to get away during terrible weather as opposed to nice or moderate weather. Learning these behaviors is the key. There are many ways to gather information or details about consumers. Marketers and businesses utilize the postal service for questionnaires, they call people randomly, they offer online surveys for prizes, they hold seminars and focus groups, and they even interview...