Page 91 - DMGT506_CONSUMER_BEHAVIOUR

Consumer Behaviour

Notes Milkmaid condensed milk and introduced Milkmaid Gulabjamun, Kesar Kulfi, Shahi Rabri and
Milkmaid pudding.
Family branding refers to the practice of marketing the entire product mix of a company under
the same family brand name. The aim of the company is to take advantage of consumers’
tendency to generalise favourable brand associations from one successful product to the next.

Example: Lakme Ponds, Pepsi Co, Coca-Cola, Tata, Sony, Nikon, Canon, Epson, Microtek
and Hewlett Packard etc. produce different products under the same family brand name.
Stimulus Discrimination

Stimulus discrimination is just opposite to stimulus generalisation. Unlike reaction to similarity
of stimuli, discrimination is a reaction to differences among similar stimuli. The ability to
discriminate among stimuli is learned. For example, frequent users of a brand are better able to
notice relatively small differences among brands in the same product category. Not taking any
chances, marketers use advertising to communicate brand differences that physical characteristics
alone would not convey. The concept of “product or brand positioning” is based on stimulus
discrimination which strives to create a brand’s unique image in the consumers’ minds. Marketers
who offer me-two type of products attempt to encourage stimulus generalisation among
consumers while innovators and market leaders strive to convince consumers to discriminate
and consider their brands as different from generic-type of products and other brands in the
same product category. For example, the entire ad campaign of Maggi Hot and Sweet Tomato
Chilli Sauce focused on convincing consumers that “it is different” and thereby position the
brand. In this case, the company encouraged the consumers for stimulus discrimination.

In most situations, it is very difficult to unsettle a leader brand from its position after stimulus
discrimination has occurred. For example, there is nothing unique or secret as far as the ingredients
in Vicks VapoRub or Maggi noodles are concerned. They are leaders because they were the first
to be introduced and got longer period to “teach” consumers through various marketing
communications to associate the brand name with a product. In general, it is more likely that
consumers learn to discriminate, if the period of learning is longer, and associate a brand name
with a product. Every day consumers are exposed to numerous marketing stimuli, some
encouraging stimulus generalisation and others discrimination. The key to achieve stimulus
discrimination is effective product or brand positioning.

Caselet Classical Conditioning in Everyday Life

lassical conditioning in everyday life is extremely common. In the area of classroom
learning, classical conditioning primarily influences emotional behavior. Things
Cthat make us happy, sad, angry, etc. become associated with neutral stimuli that
gain our attention. For example, if a particular academic subject or remembering a particular
teacher produces emotional feelings in you, those emotions are probably a result of
classical conditioning.
In addition, if you have pets and you feed them with canned food, what happens when you
hit the can opener? Sure, the animals come running even if you are opening a can of green
beans. They have associated the sound of the opener with their food.
Contd....

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