Chapter 11: Groups and Social Media
REVIEW QUESTIONS
11-1. What is word-of-mouth, and why is it more powerful than advertising?
Word-of-mouth (WOM) is product information transmitted by individuals to individuals.
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
11-2. Which is more powerful, positive or negative word of mouth?
Consumers weigh negative word of mouth more heavily than they do positive comments.
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 1,)
11-3. Describe some ways in which marketers are using the Internet to encourage positive
WOM.
A virtual community of consumption is a collection of people whose online interactions
are based upon shared enthusiasm for and knowledge of a specific consumption activity.
(10 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
11-4. What is viral marketing? Give an example of this strategy.
Viral marketing refers to the strategy of getting visitors to a website to forward
information on the site to their friends in order to make still more consumers aware of the
product—usually by creating online content that is entertaining or just plain weird. Viral
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
11-5. What is an opinion leader? Give three reasons why they are powerful influences on
consumers’
An opinion leader is a person who is frequently able to influence others’ attitudes or
behaviors.
They are technically competent and thus convincing because they possess expert
They have prescreened, evaluated, and synthesized product information in an
more credible because they have no “axe to grind.”
They tend to be socially active and highly interconnected in their communities. They
They tend to be similar to the consumer in terms of their values and beliefs, so they
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Chapter 11: Groups and Social Media
attainment than those they influence, but not so high as to be in a different social
class.
Opinion leaders are often among the first to buy new products, so they absorb much
of the risk. This experience reduces uncertainty for others who are not as courageous.
(10 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
11-6. Is there such a thing as a generalized opinion leader? Why or why not?
When marketers and social scientists initially developed the concept of the opinion
leader, they assumed that certain influential people in a community would exert an
overall impact on group members’ attitudes. However, later work began to question the
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
11-7. What is the relationship between an opinion leader and an opinion seeker?
The fact that we transmit advice about products does not mean other people take that
advice. For someone to be considered a bona fide opinion leader, opinion seekers must
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
11-8. What is the difference between a market maven and a surrogate consumer?
In addition to everyday consumers who are instrumental in influencing others’ purchase
decisions, a class of marketing intermediary called the surrogate consumer is an active
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking,)
11-9. What are sociometric techniques? Under what conditions does it make sense to use them?
Sociometric methods trace communication patterns among members of a group. These
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Chapter 11: Groups and Social Media
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
11-10. List three types of social power, and give an example of each.
Responses will vary by students. Social power describes the capacity to alter the actions
of others. It can be based on referent power (the power to promote a fashion brand by a
celebrity), information power (identifying the next trend in gaming), legitimate power
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
11-11. What is brand community, and why is it of interest to marketers?
A brand community is a group of consumers—like those zealous Halo players— who
share a set of social relationships based on usage of or interest in a product. Researchers
find that people who participate in these events feel more positive about the sponsor’s
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
11-12. Define conformity and give an example of it. Name three reasons why people conform.
Conformity is a change in beliefs or actions as a reaction to real or imagined group
pressure. For a society to function, its members develop norms or informal rules that
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
11-13. How does the Principle of Least Interest relate to your success in a romantic relationship?
The more people are dedicated to a group and value their membership in it, the greater
their motivation to conform to the group’s wishes. Rock groupies and followers of TV
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
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Chapter 11: Groups and Social Media
CONSUMER BEHAVIOR CHALLENGE
DISCUSS
11-14. A recent sociometric study on obesity (similar to the one we read about regarding clusters
of smokers) provides a striking example of how our social networks influence what we
do. The researchers analyzed a sample of more than 12,000 people who participated in
the Framingham Heart Study, which closely documented their health from 1971 to 2003.
They discovered that obesity can spread from person to person, much like a virus. The
investigators knew who was friends with whom, as well as who was a spouse or sibling
or neighbor, and they knew how much each person weighed at various times over three
decades so they could reconstruct what happened over the years if study participants
became obese. Guess what? When one person gains weight, close friends tend to gain
weight, too. A person’s chances of becoming obese if a close friend put on the pounds
increased by 57 percent! The friend’s influence remained even if he or she lived hundreds
of miles away. The researchers speculated that the reason for this social contagion effect
is that when our best buds get fat, this alters our perception of normal body weight so we
aren’t as concerned when we put on a few pounds as well.
Sociometric methods trace communication patterns among members of a group.
These techniques allow researchers to systematically map out the interactions among group
members. In many cases, one or a few people emerge as the “nodes” in a map—our
opinion leaders. This method is the most precise, but it is difficult and expensive to
implement because it involves close study of interaction patterns in small groups. For
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Analytical Thinking)
11-15. The average American teenager spends well over 8 hours a day in front of a screen,
whether smartphone, PC, TV or tablet. One study reported increasing physical isolation
among Internet users; it created a controversy and drew angry complaints from some
users who insisted that time they spent online did not detract from their social
relationships. However, the researchers said they had now gathered further evidence
showing that Internet use has lowered the amount of time people spend socializing with
friends and even sleeping. According to the study, an hour of time spent using the Internet
reduces face-to-face contact with friends, co-workers and family by 23.5 minutes, lowers
the amount of time spent watching television by 10 minutes and shortens sleep by 8.5
minutes. What’s your perspective on this issue—does increasing use of the Internet have
positive or negative implications for interpersonal relationships in our society?
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Chapter 11: Groups and Social Media
The answer to this question all depends on how “interpersonal” is defined. If the
definition sticks to that of traditional face-to-face communication, then it will be hard to
argue that increased time online does not detract from interpersonal communication.
(15minutes, Chapter Objective 4, AACSB: Analytical Thinking)
11-16. A consumer tribe is similar to a brand community; it is a group of people who share a
lifestyle and can identify with each other because of a shared allegiance to an activity or a
product. Although these tribes are often unstable and short lived, at least for a time
members identify with others through shared emotions, moral beliefs, styles of life, and
of course the products they jointly consume as part of their tribal affiliation. Some
companies, especially those that are more youth-oriented, use a tribal marketing strategy
that links their product to, say, a group of shredders. However, there also are plenty of
tribes with older members, such as car enthusiasts who gather to celebrate cult products
like the Citroën in Europe and the Ford Mustang in the United States, or “foodies” who
share their passion for cooking with other Wolfgang Puck wannabes around the world.
Identify and visit a tribal festival in your area (e.g. a comic book convention, a rock
concert, a basketball tournament, a vegan food show, etc). What role do marketers play in
this event? How and to what extent do attendees identify with other “tribal” members?
Responses will vary based on the tribal event students choose to participate in, but should
(3 -4 hours, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
11-17. The Word-of-Mouth Marketing Association recently announced a new set of rules and
guidelines for word-of-mouth advertising. The trade group maintains that marketers must
make sure that people talking up products or services disclose for whom they are
working. They also must use real consumers, not actors, who discuss what they really
believe about a product. The rules were prompted by several controversial incidents such
as a campaign the U.S. arm of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications created for a
camera phone. The company hired 60 actors to hang out at tourist attractions and ask
unsuspecting passersby to take their pictures with the Sony Ericsson devices. The actors
were told to identify themselves only when asked directly. What do you think about
“stealth” campaigns like this? Should marketers be required to disclose their true
intentions when they try to initiate positive word of mouth?
Traditionally, most students will respond that there is nothing wrong or even ethically
questionable about such stealth practices as those described above. Even when they are
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Chapter 11: Groups and Social Media
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities)
11-18. Walmart contended with a widespread text-messaging hoax that warned women to stay
away from its stores or risk death. The digital rumor apparently originated in an urban
myth (an unsubstantiated “fact” that many people accept as true) that circulated via email
several years ago. As a reflection of how widespread this myth became, at one point
Walmart was number 5 on Twitter’s list of trending topics. If you were a Walmart
communication executive, how might you deal with this kind of public relations
nightmare?
Students are likely to have different opinions about the best way to handle the rumors.
Draw their attention to the information about rumors and word-of-mouth so they
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities)
11-19. The strategy of viral marketing gets customers to sell a product to other customers on
behalf of the company. That often means convincing your friends to climb on the
bandwagon, and sometimes you get a cut if they buy something. Some might argue that
that means you’re selling out your friends (or at least selling to your friends) in exchange
for a piece of the action. Others might say you’re simply sharing the wealth with your
buddies. Have you ever passed along names of your friends to a company or Web site? If
so, what happened? How do you feel about this practice?
Responses will vary based on student experiences. When people share their opinions about
products with their social networks, they may do so to satisfy one of several goals: To
manage the impression they make on others, to regulate emotions by expressing affective
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 4, AACSB: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning)
APPLY
11-20. Identify fashion opinion leaders on your campus. Do they fit the profile the chapter
describes?
The class might agree to focus on a particular group of fashion opinion leaders. After
deciding on the group, they could go through an opinion leader profile and determine
(15 minutes, Chapter Objectives 2 and 7, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
11-21. A study on antibranding documented hostility among consumers who object to the
gas-guzzling Hummer vehicle. One driver posted this message: “The H2 is a death
machine. You’d better hope that you don’t collide with an H2 in your economy car. You
can kiss your ass goodbye thanks to the H2’s massive weight and raised bumpers. Too
bad you couldn’t afford an urban assault vehicle of your own.” Identify an antibranding
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Chapter 11: Groups and Social Media
site for another product. What functions do the site seem to serve? How can people who
participate there be considered part of a community?
Answers will vary, some students will discuss public service announcements like don’t
(15 minutes, Chapter Objectives 2 and 7, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
11-22. Conduct a sociometric analysis within your dormitory or neighborhood. For a product
category such as music or cars, ask each individual to identify other individuals with
whom they share information. Systematically trace all of these avenues of
communication, and identify opinion leaders by locating individuals who are repeatedly
named as providing helpful information.
Students should include a discussion of sociometry in their responses and recognize that
sociometric methods allow researchers to systematically point out the interactions that
(90 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Analytical Thinking)
11-23. Trace a referral pattern for a service provider such as a hairstylist; track how clients came
to choose him or her. See if you can identify opinion leaders who are responsible for
referring several clients to the businessperson. How might the service provider take
advantage of this process to grow his or her business?
Students are likely to come up with all types of incentive programs that will motivate
(30 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
11-24. The power of unspoken social norms often becomes obvious only when we violate them.
To witness the result firsthand, try one of the following: Stand facing the back wall in an
elevator, serve dessert before the main course, offer to pay cash for dinner at a friend’s
home, wear pajamas to class, or tell someone not to have a nice day.
(15 minutes, Chapter Objectives 2 and 7, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
11-25. Identify a set of avoidance groups for your peers. Can you identify any consumption
decisions that you and your friends make with these groups in mind?
Responses will vary by student. Reference groups impact our buying decisions both
positively and negatively. In most cases, we model our behavior to be in line with what
we think the group expects us to do. Sometimes, however, we also deliberately do the
opposite if we want to distance ourselves from avoidance groups. You may carefully study
the dress or mannerisms of a group you dislike (e.g., “nerds,” “druggies,” or
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
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Chapter 11: Groups and Social Media
11-26. Several colleges have sponsored “social media detox” events. Students at Saint Mary’s
College of California were challenged to “Disconnect, Power Off and Unplug” in order to
rediscover “The Lost Art of Solitude;” no Internet for a month! The library at Wake
Forest University created a “ZieSta Room” where technology is banned. Do a “detox” of
your own for 48 hours. No cellphones. No Facebook. No social media of any kind. Keep
a diary of your experiences.
Student outcomes will vary.
(50 hours, Chapter Objective 4, AACSB: Information Technology)
CASE STUDY TEACHING NOTES
Chapter 11 Case Study: Never Stay Here! The Power of Negative Online Reviews.
Summary of Case
TripAdvisor offers a review system for major travel partners and other travel-related businesses.
Its community of travelers influences opinions and behaviors around the world. This case
discusses options for handling negative reviews. Most marketers agree that listening and
responding is the best strategy.
Suggestions for Presentation
You may wish to encourage students to explore TripAdvisor before discussing this case. As an
exercise, you could ask them to plan out a sample Spring Break trip using TripAdvisor reviews.
Suggested Answers for Discussion Questions
CS 11-1. How comfortable should consumers be in letting the review of others influence where
and how they travel? What are the pros and cons?
Boston-based Cone Communications’ research revealed that 89 percent of consumers say they
find online channels to be trustworthy sources for product and service reviews. In
addition, Cone’s research showed that four out of five consumers have changed their
minds about a recommended purchase based solely on negative information they found
online. Online reviews are important for business survival and revenue growth. One
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 4, AACSB: Information Technology)
CS 11-2. What steps do you recommend a hotel take when dealing with a negative online review?
Try to find one example of a hotel that has done a good job of responding to a negative review.
The case explains that hotels should listen and respond. Following service recovery
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Chapter 11: Groups and Social Media
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 4, AACSB: Application of Knowledge)
Additional Support Material
STUDENT PROJECTS
Individual Projects
1. Ask each student to think about individual family members, friends, and acquaintances.
On paper, have them identify the people who act as opinion leaders, product innovators,
and market mavens. Describe what each person does. Have a few students share their
observations with the class.
Look for evidence that students can differentiate between opinion leaders (knowledgeable
consumers who are frequently able to influence others’ attitudes or behaviors), product
(20 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
2. Have a student think about some goods and services that he/she has purchased recently.
To what extent did word-of-mouth communication influence purchases?
Word-of-mouth tends to be more credible than advertising. Students are more likely to
rely on word-of-mouth and external search, in general, in high involvement purchase
(10 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
3. Encourage a student to think of something he/she recently purchased in which advice was
actively sought from others. For what reasons was advice sought? Why was the particular
person selected to provide this advice?
Students are likely to note advice was sought for a high involvement product, which
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
4. Have each student identify one case of guerrilla marketing. It should be the objective to
find a case where the maximum amount of promotional benefit was achieved with the
least amount of resources. They should attempt to find information that will allow for
estimates of these figures. Upon sharing cases with the class, keep track to determine the
most effective campaign, based on this ROI-type measure.
It is often challenging to find credible measures of the impact of guerrilla marketing
efforts because of the nature of the interactions. Discuss the fact that some companies
(20 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
Group Projects
1. Each student group will have the task of forming or joining a brand community. Have
them decide upon a brand that none of them really uses. Then, have them research the
brand extensively and begin their own pro-product dialogue among themselves. If they
wish to establish an online chat room or message board, that would be all the better. After
having done this for a set period, have group members discuss how they feel about the
brand. Whether they have purchased or not, do they feel more “loyal”? Have they
developed positive attitudes? Do they find themselves engaging in WOM outside the
group?
Students should select a product they use, have an interest in, and are passionate about,
(90 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
2. Have the students videotape interviews with three individuals regarding a product they
recently purchased for the first time. Why did they purchase it? What was the role of
“word of mouth” and personal influence (whether real or simulated)? The group should
edit the tape to present a summary illustration of their findings.
As in the individual project, interviewees are likely to note advice was sought for a high
(60 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
3. Describe how opinion leaders can be formed and found on the Internet. Describe the
advantages and disadvantages of using opinion leaders on the Web. How would this form
of opinion leadership be different from any other form of opinion leadership (if at all)?
Opinion leaders can be formed via the Internet because of the availability of product
information to be synthesized and the ability to connect with a large number of
individuals. Opinion leaders might be found in top organic search results, by having a
(30 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Analytical Thinking)
4. Have student groups do an analysis of a rumor that was started about a product or
company (e.g., a human finger found in a can of Pepsi, the “Satanic” connection in
Procter & Gamble’s moon-and-stars logo; Pop Rocks candy will make your stomach
explode; McDonald’s puts worms in its hamburgers; there are spider eggs in Bubble Yum,
etc.). What effect did these rumors have on sales? How did the company handle the
situation?
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Chapter 11: Groups and Social Media
Look for students to include research on the rumor/to include outside sources in their
(60 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5. Have a group prepare a sociometric analysis of online grocery shoppers. How is this
group different and similar to in-store shoppers?
Sociometric analysis would show whether the individuals refer others or influence others’
(90 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Analytical Thinking)
eLAB
Individual Assignments
1. Go to www.gogorillamedia.com/gogorillamedia.html. This is an agency that specializes
in guerrilla marketing tactics. Summarize five such tactics, identifying benefits and
examples of using each.
The website reviews different strategies that have been employed by the agency in the
(20 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
2. Go to www.hairclub.com. One of the great problems facing men in our day and age is the
prospect of going bald. How does the Hair Club for Men play to male fears? How do they
use opinion leaders to persuade prospective customers to try their products? What do you
think of the organization’s promotional campaigns? Explain.
The Hair Club shows successful clients receiving positive reinforcement for their new
(30 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
Group Assignments
1. Visit a few fraternity or sorority websites and evaluate how they try to influence their
current and potential brothers and sisters. Talk to students who are members and those
that are not associated with them. Determine if their group influences are effective or not
based on your assessments of the two groups – members and non-members.
Students should have observations from the public communications on the web sites, from
(60 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Analytical Thinking)
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