Sigmund Freud observed that, "The mind is like an iceberg, it floats with one-seventh of its bulk above water." This blog, Inside the Consumer Mind, will make deep dives beneath the surface to explore what is known about the psychological processes that influence consumer behavior. Whether you love to shop or hate going anywhere near a store, you'll find these excursions enjoyable and valuable.
Discovering consumers' judgments and decision-making processes is what I do for a living. I operate a consumer psychology and market research practice in New York City.
One of the things that make the job of conducting research so interesting is that people love to share the details of their lives. Recently I interviewed a consumer who eats a bowl of Kellogg's Cornflakes every morning, drives a Mercedes Benz to work, always asks for Coke instead of Pepsi, is about to replace his iPhone with the latest model, and prefers a host of other brand name products.
When I asked about these choices, his answers were predictable. These brands are either "the highest quality" ... "best value" ... "taste best" ... and other rationalizations.
He attributed the choices of some brands to the ways he discovered them ... which also were predictable. They were recommended by a friend, offered at a neighbor's house, or given to him in a store as free sample. He even tried a few brands after reading good reviews of them on the Internet.
When participating in research interviews and focus group discussions, consumers often present themselves as disciplined, pragmatic shoppers whose purchase decisions are based on conscious, rational thinking. Some profess to be totally immune to the appeal of brand names. They claim to have no brand preferences at all: "I never shop for a particular brand ... only buy what's on sale." When shown a television commercial during a research interview, a common reaction from this type of consumer is to boast, "I don't pay attention to advertising ... doesn't influence me one bit."
For almost all consumer behavior, however, rational decision-making is the exception rather than the rule. Our purchase decisions are far more likely to be the result of unconscious motivations and processes. The rational process of making objective purchase decisions is undermined by social, cognitive, emotional and other forces that influence behavior.
In this blog you are invited to take a trip Inside the Consumer Mind. Blog postings will present the psychological factors affecting consumer behavior by citing examples of current brand marketing activity, interviews with consumers and marketers, and reviews of published research.
Inside the Consumer Mind will give readers a better understanding of their judgments and decision-making, enhancing the satisfaction they receive from their consumer behavior. These blog postings will provide valuable insights for brand marketers as well.
If you have comments about this or future postings, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
