Student responses will depend on the most recent election and whether they select a local
or national candidate race. In the 2008 presidential election, President Obama bought
(20 minutes, Chapter Objective 2, AACSB: Reflective Thinking,)
9.Ask students to find at least two manufacturer’s ads for the same type of product (e.g.,
clothing, food product, personal care product, etc.) that they think are aimed at different
social classes. How do these ads differ?
Look for students to relate the elements of the advertisement, including the social
(20 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking)
1. 10. Ask a student to bring in an ad in which the brand being marketed was at one time a
status symbol, but fell out of fashion for a time (e.g., Cadillac, Parker Pen, Izod-Lacoste,
etc.). Have the student discuss whether the ad still attempts to create that perception.
What new product, if any, has replaced the featured product as a status symbol?
For a status symbol to distinguish a customer and show s/he has “made it,” it must be
exclusive in some way. Cadillac, for example, hurt its image as a status symbol when it
(25 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Reflective Thinking
11. Have a student interview one or more salespeople from one of the following product
categories: new or used cars, stereo equipment, clothing, insurance, or real estate. Ask the
student to determine the social classes or status of their customers. Does the student
recommend that the sales approach will vary depending on the customer’s social class?
(45 minutes, Chapter Objective 3, AACSB: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities)
12. Ask students to think of a specific lifestyle (your own, your parent’s, your aspirations,
etc.) and then make a list of products and services that are linked in the consumer’s mind
to that specific lifestyle. (Hint: You might decorate your living room, design a wardrobe,
think of options for a car, etc.)
Student responses will vary. It may be helpful to narrow down the specific task, perhaps
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