The most influential way that company’s attempt to influence our behaviour is through priming. This process sets the stage for our minds to interpret a product in a way that is desired by marketers through activation of the five senses, emotional and mental reasoning faculties. Priming occurs through non-branded and branded mechanisms. Non-branded mechanisms are all the features of a product and the environment its displayed in that is not considered explicitly part of the company’s brand whilst branded features are that which are. These two behaviour influencing factors are utilized to target us every time we shop for products and services so by understanding how this process works on ourselves we gain more power and autonomy over the money we spend each and every day. Non-branded features Priming through non-branded features starts at pre-purchase, continues during consumption and extends to post purchase evaluations. Imagine browsing online tourist destinations while overseas and you spot a mountain hike nearby which advertises a luxury water brand to be served at the summit. This advertisement will attempt to create a perception of the product in your mind long before you try it. Upon reaching the summit of this vibrant mountain range on a hot summer’s day you drink the water from a frosted glass while taking in the awe inspiring scenery. Upon returning to Australia your evaluation of the product includes memories of all the priming factors that played a part in your experience and will result in a different overall review of the product than if you’d drank it at home with ice cubes. Other examples include the colours of products, the visual environment they are displayed in, the sounds and smells of the store and the product itself, language used on the label and what emotions they invoke, and the combination of claims made and appearance of the product towards considerations of product quality. Branded qualities A Company’s brand can include its name, symbols, text, product designs or any features that distinguish it from that of its competitors. Familiar examples include the name Coca-Cola, Apples ‘apple’, the shape of Absolut Vodka bottles and the four shape buttons on a ps4 controller. Branding has a priming effect in the ways discussed above regarding the senses, emotional and mental faculties. For instance one would not feel the same way about buying Pepsi even if they cannot distinguish this between Coca-Cola in a blind taste test. However Branding also primes in terms of previous experiences, the reputation the brand has in society and what the product can say about a consumer to themselves and to others. For instance one may purchase Eco-Earth washing liquid because they are environmentally conscious and wish to express their support for the brand by putting it on display in their home. Similarly people may avoid brands such as Capilano who have been caught adulterating their honey with cheaper alternatives especially if their close friend circle were all very knowledgeable honey enthusiasts who keep up with the latest news from the industry.
The Effect of Priming on our Behaviour as Consumers
Topic: Behaviour
by Darian, 2020 Cohort
The most influential way that company’s attempt to influence our behaviour is through priming. This process sets the stage for our minds to interpret a product in a way that is desired by marketers through activation of the five senses, emotional and mental reasoning faculties. Priming occurs through non-branded and branded mechanisms. Non-branded mechanisms are all the features of a product and the environment its displayed in that is not considered explicitly part of the company’s brand whilst branded features are that which are. These two behaviour influencing factors are utilized to target us every time we shop for products and services so by understanding how this process works on ourselves we gain more power and autonomy over the money we spend each and every day. Non-branded features Priming through non-branded features starts at pre-purchase, continues during consumption and extends to post purchase evaluations. Imagine browsing online tourist destinations while overseas and you spot a mountain hike nearby which advertises a luxury water brand to be served at the summit. This advertisement will attempt to create a perception of the product in your mind long before you try it. Upon reaching the summit of this vibrant mountain range on a hot summer’s day you drink the water from a frosted glass while taking in the awe inspiring scenery. Upon returning to Australia your evaluation of the product includes memories of all the priming factors that played a part in your experience and will result in a different overall review of the product than if you’d drank it at home with ice cubes. Other examples include the colours of products, the visual environment they are displayed in, the sounds and smells of the store and the product itself, language used on the label and what emotions they invoke, and the combination of claims made and appearance of the product towards considerations of product quality. Branded qualities A Company’s brand can include its name, symbols, text, product designs or any features that distinguish it from that of its competitors. Familiar examples include the name Coca-Cola, Apples ‘apple’, the shape of Absolut Vodka bottles and the four shape buttons on a ps4 controller. Branding has a priming effect in the ways discussed above regarding the senses, emotional and mental faculties. For instance one would not feel the same way about buying Pepsi even if they cannot distinguish this between Coca-Cola in a blind taste test. However Branding also primes in terms of previous experiences, the reputation the brand has in society and what the product can say about a consumer to themselves and to others. For instance one may purchase Eco-Earth washing liquid because they are environmentally conscious and wish to express their support for the brand by putting it on display in their home. Similarly people may avoid brands such as Capilano who have been caught adulterating their honey with cheaper alternatives especially if their close friend circle were all very knowledgeable honey enthusiasts who keep up with the latest news from the industry.
Explore this topic further#
- The Systems Thinker{.link-ext target=”_blank”}
- George Richardson’s, Getting Started with Behavior Over Time Graphs{.link-ext target=”_blank”}- *written to teach fifth
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