REVIEW QUESTIONS
5-1. What is motivation and why is this idea so important to marketers?
Motivation refers to the processes that lead people to behave as they do. It occurs when a need is
aroused that the consumer wishes to satisfy. Once a need has been activated, a state of tension
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5-2. Describe three types of motivational conflicts, citing an example of each from current marketing
campaigns.
In an approach–approach conflict, a person must choose between two desirable alternatives. A
student might be torn between going home for the holidays and going on a skiing trip with
friends. Many of the products and services we desire have negative consequences attached to
them as well. We may feel guilty or ostentatious when buying a status-laden product such as a fur
(10 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking,)
5-3. Explain the difference between a need and a want.
The specific way a need is satisfied depends on the individual’s unique history, learning
experiences, and cultural environment. A want is the particular form of consumption used to
(5-7 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5-4. What is cognitive dissonance?
The theory of cognitive dissonance is based on the premise that people have a need for order and
consistency in their lives and that a state of tension is created when beliefs or behaviors conflict
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5-5. Name the levels in Maslow’s Hierarchy and give an example of a marketing appeal that is
focused at each level.
Physiological: ads that promise to provide a cure for hunger or thirst fall in this category
Safety: insurance companies, security companies and social marketing campaigns often
Social: alcohol companies, fragrance companies, and oral hygiene companies often focus
Esteem: luxury goods, educational institutions, and athletic footwear/apparel
Self-actualization: spiritual organizations, some charities and the military focus on
You can also ask students to come up with their own examples for a single product to extend this
(25 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5-6. List three types of perceived risk and give an example of each?
Perceived risk means that a person believes there may be negative consequences if he or she chooses the
wrong option. One type of risk is monetary risk. An example might be buying a lower priced
product that also has a lower quality instead of a more expensive product with a better reputation
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 4, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5-7. What is the difference between a mood and an emotion?
Moods involve temporary positive or negative affective states accompanied
by moderate levels of arousal. Moods tends to be diffuse and not necessarily linked to a
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5-8. What is mood congruency and how to advertisers use it?
Mood congruency refers to the idea that our judgments tend to be shaped by our moods. For example,
consumers judge the same products more positively when they are in a positive as opposed to a
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5-9. What is consumer involvement? How does this concept relate to motivation?
We can define involvement as “a person’s perceived relevance of the object based on their
(10 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5-10. What are some strategies marketers can use to increase consumers’ involvement with their
products?
Appeal to the consumers’ hedonic needs. For example, ads using sensory appeals
Use novel stimuli, such as unusual cinematography, sudden silences, or unexpected
Use prominent stimuli, such as loud music and fast action, to capture attention in
Include celebrity endorsers to generate higher interest in commercials.
Provide value customers appreciate.
(25 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
CONSUMER BEHAVIOR CHALLENGE
DISCUSS
5-11. Does money buy happiness? Why or why not?
Happiness is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive emotions. What makes us
happy? Although many of us believe owning more shiny material goods is the key to happiness,
(5 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5-12. Many consumers today seem to be obsessed with monitoring their emotions. They post about
their feelings, track their sleep patterns, and fret about how often they’re “liked” on social media. Should
happiness be quantified?
Student responses will vary. Students should include a discussion on the difference between
happiness and material accumulation. The discussion should also include things marketers do to
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5-13. What happens when advertising is embarrassing? A laxative product recently sponsored an
Overnight Relief Sweepstakes with a slogan to suggest how the brand is supposed to work: “Enter today.
Win tomorrow.” It’s become fairly commonplace in the United States to encounter ads for
“unmentionables” like toilet paper, condoms, tampons, and erectile dysfunction medications such as
Viagra and Cialis. Is nothing sacred? Should “sensitive” products be advertised in public?
Student responses will vary. Students should define embarrassment as an emotion driven by a
concern for what others think about us. To be embarrassed, we must be aware of, and care about,
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5-14. A group of psychologists argued that we need to revise Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. They
propose we should delete “self-actualization” from the pinnacle and replace it with “parenting.” Right
below this peak, they added “mate retention” and “mate acquisition.” They claim that too many people
see Maslow’s triangle as “aspirational” – a description of what fulfilled individuals “should” do – rather
than as an explanation of how human motivation actually works. Their perspective is evolutionary; if the
only purpose of art, music, and literature is self-fulfillment, now does that contribute to the survival of the
species? One of the proponents of this view observes, “If you are a good poet or a good musician, there is
a reproductive payoff; women are attracted to men with these abilities. What a man is saying when he is
playing his guitar up there is ‘look at my good genes.’” What do you think – do our motivations to buy,
have, and be ultimately come down to survival of our gene pool?
Survival of the gene pool was typically designated to the bottom of the triangle as a physiological
need, along with food and water. The positioning at the bottom of the triangle suggests the
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5-15. The chapter discusses a study that says our moods actually get worse when we spend a lot of time
on Facebook because we feel like we’re wasting our time. Do you agree?
Responses will vary by student. Students should define mood as a temporary positive or negative
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
APPLY
5-16. Our online behaviors also can satisfy needs at different levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs,
especially when we participate in social networks such as Facebook. Web-based companies can build
loyalty if they keep these needs in mind when they design their offerings:
We satisfy physiological needs when we use the Web to research topics such as nutrition
or medical questions.
The Web enables users to pool information and satisfy safety needs when they call
attention to bad practices, flawed products, or even dangerous predators.
Profile pages on Facebook let users define themselves as individuals.
Online communities, blogs, and social networks provide recognition and achievement to
those who cultivate a reputation for being especially helpful or expert in some subject.
Users can seek help from others and connect with people who have similar tastes and
interests.
Access to invitation-only communities provides status.
Spiritually based online communities can provide guidance to troubled people.
Interview people you know about their motivations to participate in social media. Ask them to
provide a list of the platforms they access most, then for each probe about their reasons to visit
these. What needs do these sites appear to satisfy? How might these insights help you to devise
ideas for new social media products?
Student responses will vary based on the users interviewed and types of social media used.
(2 hours, Chapter Objectives 2 and 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5-17. Interview members of a celebrity fan club. Describe their level of involvement with the
“product,” and devise some marketing strategies to reach this group.
Student responses to this exercise might consider a variety of celebrities—movie stars, musicians,
and politicians—living and dead. They might be asked to consider the Elvis Presley fan club
phenomenon in terms of the tremendous marketing opportunities that have derived from tours of
(30 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5-18. The chapter notes that marketers continue to push the envelope to create spectacles that will
increase consumer involvement with their messages:
• A British show broadcast a group of skydivers who performed a dangerous jump to create a
human formation in the air that spelled out the letters H, O, N, D, and A.
• Honda built a musical road in Lancaster, PA; grooves in the cement create a series of pitches that
play the William Tell Overture when a car drives over them.
• A New York campaign for Jameson Irish Whiskey projects an ad onto a wall—an operator scans
the street for pedestrians who fit the brand’s profile and inserts live text messages directed at them
into the display.
• To promote the 25th anniversary of the Michael Jackson album Thriller, which featured zombies
dancing in a music video of the title song, Sony BMG staged a performance in the London
Underground. A group of “passengers” suddenly burst into a zombie-like dance
before they disappeared into the crowd, and this videotaped scene was posted online. The video
inspired similar performances in other countries, and within a week more than a million people had
downloaded these films. In a similar stunt for T-Mobile, several hundred commuters at the
Liverpool rail station broke into a dance; more than 15 million people watched the performance on
YouTube in the following weeks. These (not so) spontaneous flashmobs have become increasingly
common.
Can you top these? Imagine that a client hires you to launch a new energy drink. Propose a
spectacle you could engineer that would attract potential customers to learn more about your
product.
Student responses to this question will vary considerably. They might include popular music,
(30 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
CASE STUDY TEACHING NOTES
Chapter 5Case Study: Has The Death Of The Watch Been Greatly Exaggerated? Apple Gets Into
The Game.
Summary of Case
It used to be that putting on a watch was just a standard part of getting dressed in the morning. How could
you hope to move successfully throughout your day, making it to appointments on time, if you weren’t
wearing a watch on your wrist to let you know what time it is? Today, however, we’re surrounded by
technology devices at work, home, and even away from home that readily displays the time of day.
Suggested Answers for Discussion Questions
CS 5.1. Discuss the possible reasons to buy a watch today. Connect each motivation you identify with an
appropriate motivational theory from the chapter.
Watches can be purchased for esteem needs (Maslow), perceived risk, or could be a cult product.
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
CS 5.2. What does Apple really believe will motivate consumers to purchase the Apple Watch? Are there
different motivations at the low versus high (luxury version) price point?
Apple products are considered a cult product. Consumers will buy the Apple Watch for different
reasons from basic time to esteem needs.
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
CS 5.3. How do marketers of watches use marketing and advertising to motivate consumers to buy them?
Give specific examples.
Some watches are just watches like Timex, but other watches mean luxury, like Rolex.
(10 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
Additional Support Material
STUDENT PROJECTS
Individual Projects
1. Ask students if they have provided opinions regarding products or brands on any website. If yes,
have them share it with the class. If not, let them visit a site to provide opinions about their most
recent significant purchase. They can also go to www.epinions.com and provide their input.
Students may have gone to an individual retailer’s website or a website that collects consumer
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
2. Have students think of examples of products or services that each of them has purchased that fit
the three types of motivational conflicts found in Figure 4.1.
Approach-approach conflict—a person must choose between two desirable alternatives
Approach-avoidance conflict—many products or services we desire have negative consequences
Avoidance-avoidance conflict—a choice between two undesirable alternatives; example: spend
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
3. Find a student who is not too shy to do this one. Ask the student to search for unconscious
motives by asking six people if they are wearing perfume or cologne. Make sure they keep asking
until at least three people say, “Yes.” Then have them ask the respondents, “Why do you wear
cologne?” Ask three of those who said they were not wearing cologne, “Why not?” Ask the three
who said, “No” if they wore any the last time they had a date. Share their responses with the class
and evaluate them. Can the class uncover any hidden motivations?
Look for students to understand what motivation is. Some people may be forthcoming about the
(45 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Analytic Skills)
4. Ask students to come up with a list of products or services that people primarily buy because they
want to “belong.” Have them explain why they listed the particular items. Then, have them
explain how individuals in solitude might also consume each of the items that they listed. Are
there viable needs that consumers have for consuming these products both in the company of
others as well as by themselves?
Social needs or a need to belong is often used as part of the marketing appeal for beverages (e.g.
alcoholic beverages), fragrances, oral hygiene products, and entertainment products, among
others. Traditional students may think of the marketing associated with student organizations,
(20 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5. Have each student extensively describe a consumption situation that reflects each of the
following: need for affiliation, need for power, and need for uniqueness.
Consumption situations that reflect a need for affiliation usually put the consumer in the
company of other people and make him/her feel like part of something. Bars/clubs/sporting
events may be among the examples. Consumption situations that reflect a need for power usually
(20 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
6. Have students find advertisements that attempt to persuade consumers to think of products as
objects that satisfy one of the motives described in this chapter. Have them identify and classify
that motive.
Students may think broadly of hedonic or utilitarian motives. Hedonic motives are driven by a
desire to experience excitement or fantasy. Utilitarian motives are driven by a rational or
functional need. They may also speak about motives that are aroused by biogenic (food, water,
(30 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
7. Ask students to find a print ad that appeals to each level of Maslow’s hierarchy. In class, have
different students show their ads and explain why their ads appeal to each level. Ask why they
think the firm selected this particular appeal. Is there overlap between levels? Is this good or bad?
Student examples should include an ad that appeals to physiological, safety, social, esteem and
self-actualization needs. Student explanations should reflect their understanding of each of these
(20 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
8. Have individual students construct an example of the means-end chain model for a specific
product or brand. Explain the thought process used.
Look for students to create a chain that links specific product attributes to terminal values via
(30 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
9. Have students think of some product or service they have purchased recently. Then have them
respond to the consumer involvement scale in Table 4.1. Is their involvement with this product
best described as product involvement, message-response involvement, or purchase situation
involvement? Why?
Student responses will vary depending on the purchase made, but look for students to reflect their
understanding of the type of involvement they use to describe the situation by explaining why the
(20 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
10. Have each student list what he or she perceives to be the five most important values themselves.
To their parents. How do these values transfer to purchase decisions? How would marketers find
out about their values?
It is often interesting to discuss how the students’ important values overlap with and differ from
their perceptions of their parents’ values. It provides the opportunity to reinforce the idea that
the relative ranking of values is culturally defined and the role of socialization agents outside of
(25 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking,)
Group Projects
1. Assign groups of students to observe a table of people eating in either a restaurant or cafeteria setting. See
if they can identify any of the major motives at work. Have them report on their conclusions. (Hint:
Watch the respondents’ behavior while they eat and during their conversation. Perhaps students might like
to videotape part of the meal—five minutes maximum).
Most students will be able to distinguish between people who are there for the entertainment or
enjoyment of the experience (hedonic motives) from those who are simply there to satisfy their
hunger (utilitarian motives). Students may also use Maslow’s hierarchy to classify motives.
(90 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Analytic Skills)
2. Have groups of students come up with three examples of a truly mass-customized product. For each, have
them give extensive reasons as to why consumers might choose the mass-customized version of a product
over the “off-the-rack” version.
Student examples may include M&M’s (www.mymms.com is mentioned in the text), Dell
computers, make-up/perfume companies, blue jeans companies, NikeID and Chuck Taylor
(20 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
3. Have the class keep a diary of their consumer decisions for a two-day period. (Make sure they include
both actual purchases and conscious decisions not to buy.) At the end of the period, have them review
their diaries and classify their apparent motives. (Maslow’s scheme may be useful here.) During this
process, were they more aware of ads? Have students discuss their diaries in groups.
If you guide students toward Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, you should look for their responses to
be characterized based on physiological, safety, social, esteem and self-actualization needs.
(90 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking,)
4. Have the class go to a shopping center or mall and observe others’ behavior. What conclusions can they
make about motives, involvement, and values after having made the observation?
This group assignment is similar to the first group assignment, but takes place in a different
context. It may be easier to observe multiple shoppers in a mall than in a restaurant. You can
(90 minutes, Chapter Objectives 1-3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5. In a project related to #4, have groups of students visit a shopping mall or a superstore. Have them
evaluate the retail environment for ways that both the retailer and product manufacturers try to increase
consumer involvement (refer to text if necessary for strategies to increase involvement).
Students may observe shoppers who seem highly involved in a product category or purchase
(60 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
eLAB
Individual Assignments
1. Visit a website that includes a quiz or test of materialism (ex.
http://www.expertrating.com/quizzes/Materialism-Test.asp or find it at www.Quizilla.com)
and take the test to evaluate how materialistic you are.
Students are likely to get different responses, depending on the importance of possessions to the
student. They may also have opinions about the accuracy of the results (for themselves or for
their classmates).
(20-25 minutes, Chapter Objective 4, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
2. Go to www.benjerry.com. Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream is famous for a well-rounded mission
statement and care and concern for the environment. What is their mission? What indications are
there about the organization’s commitment to the environment? What values does the company
try to express? How might this expression help the organization market products?
Ben & Jerry’s mission statement can be found under activism (follow the link here:
http://www.benjerry.com/activism/mission-statement/). The company publishes a Social and
Environmental Assessment Report each year (follow the link here:
http://www.benjerry.com/company/sear/). Students may relate the company’s values to the
growing LOHAS segment.
(25 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
3. Go to www.wholefoods.com. Take some time to become familiar with the website. Describe this
company and the products that they offer. Select specific examples of products that seem to target
the LOHAS values segment. Are the products that might appeal to values other than those
described by LOHAS?
LOHAS is an acronym for “lifestyles of health and sustainability.” Marketers are responding to
the needs of this segment with eco-friendly products and programs. Students may observe Whole
Foods seafood labeling initiative and their efforts to reduce seafood that is not sustainable.
(20 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
4. Go to www.burton.com. Burton Snowboards are very popular with Gen Y. How does this
website attempt to motivate consumers to try the sport and the Burton products? Be specific with
the description of strategies that Burton uses. Do you think the Burton approach is effective?
Explain. This project can also be done with Nike.com.
The website uses video to show people trying the sport, collects information to learn about
(15 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
5. Go to http://shop.vans.com. Find the link for creating your own custom pair of Vans shoes. Go
through the process and print an example of your shoes to take in to class and share. Describe the
experience. Did the experience contribute to the level of involvement in shopping for such a
product?
Vans Customs offers consumers the opportunity to choose from four different types of sneakers.
After the consumer selects a size and gender, the site offers consumers the ability to customize the
(20 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
6. Go to www.specialized.com. Specialized Bicycles is one of the leading manufacturers and
marketers of all types of bikes. Browse their website. Give a brief description of their different
product lines. How does Specialized motivate consumers to get into biking? What might
Specialized do to improve the “motivation” aspect of their site (you might want to compare it to
the Burton Snowboard site discussed previously)?
Specialized offers mountain bikes, road bikes, multi use bikes, dirt/park/street bikes, bikes for
kids, and equipment for bikes. Specialized shows images of people enjoying their products and
(20 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
Group Assignments
1. Visit a motivation website such as www.GetMotivation.com or www.Motivation123.com.
Many of these sites target personal motivation but are there techniques that marketers can learn in
order to motivate consumers to buy a product/service or buy into a type of lifestyle? Write a
report and present.
Students should identify specific techniques related to the content of the website they select. The
(45 minutes, Chapter Objective 1, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
2. Go to www.strategicinsights.com. Your group should explore the VALS, VALS2, and iVALS
methods discussed on the website. Describe each of the methods. Pick one of the methods for
further research. Have each group member take the VALS test online. What were the results?
Comment on these methods as a means to explore consumer values. Devise an experiment by
which VALS studies could be used to explore consumer values.
The test can be found at http://www.strategicbusinessinsights.com/vals/presurvey.shtml. Students
should report on how they feel the values identified in the test relate the innovativeness, source of
motivation, and resources. Students may compare responses from different segments, as
(60 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
3. Go to www.burningman.com. Become familiar with the purpose of this festival. As a group,
discuss the extent to which it is possible to achieve the purposes set forth by this organization.
Discuss the irony of this.
http://www.burningman.com/whatisburningman/about_burningman/principles.html. The festival
touts individual expression/self-reliance at the same time as it espouses the value of the
community.
(30 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)