CHAPTER 2

Verbal communication systems are obvious and easy to recognize when coming to
foreign cultures.
For example, When General Motors introduced their new product Chevy Nova in the
South American market, they did not know that the word "nova" in Spanish means
"not moving". Of course, no one wants to buy a car that can't drive, and it's
understandable that Chevy Nova sales in South America are not positive. After that
failure, General Motors changed the product name to Caribe to fit this special
market.
Even using the same language, some problems can occur due to some differences
in humor, style, and pace across cultures. However, this verbal communication can
be avoided and tackled if careful.
On the other hand, it would be more complicated to recognize the nonverbal
communication systems in each culture, which is the arbitrary meanings a culture
assigns actions, events, and things other than words.
We will explain 7 main factors influencing nonverbal communications.
The first one is time. The concept of time differs across cultures in two significant
ways. The first is time perspective, which refers to a culture's general attitude
toward time. The second concerns the meanings of uses of time. The next one is
meanings in the use of time. This also varies in different cultures. Mostly, the time
required for a decision is proportional to the importance of the decision. Moreover,
promptness is very crucial in monochronic cultures. To be kept waiting is offensive in
these cultures.
Two main perspectives which are monochronic and polychronic. The differences
between these two perspectives is shown in this table
Now, take McDonald's as example to see how it adapts its marketing strategies for
both cultures
Monochronic Culture (Germany)
- Campaign Focus: McDonald's marketing in Germany often emphasizes the
consistency, and reliability of their food. They highlight the efficiency of their service
and the precision in their cooking processes.
- Promotional Activities: McDonald's might run promotions that appeal to the
German appreciation for order and timeliness, such as "Lunch in 5 Minutes" deals,
emphasizing the quick and efficient service.
Polychronic Culture (Mexico)
- Campaign Focus: McDonald's marketing in Mexico often centers around the social
and communal aspects of dining. They emphasize family-friendly environments and
the joy of sharing meals with loved ones.
 - Promotional Activities: McDonald's might sponsor local cultural events, festivals,
and community gatherings, where families and friends come together. Promotions
could include family meal deals or discounts during major social events,
encouraging group dining experiences.
The second variation is space. Overall use and meanings assigned to space vary
widely among different cultures. Use McDonald's as an example to illustrate how
office space can be perceived in different cultures.
United States (Monochronic Culture)
- Cultural Insight: In the U.S., "bigger is better," and office space reflects rank and
prestige.
- Example: At McDonald's U.S. headquarters, the CEO has a large, luxurious office,
with progressively smaller offices for lower-ranking executives.
- Implications: Marketing emphasizes scale and reach, appealing to American values
of size and status.
Japan (Polychronic Culture)
- Cultural Insight: In Japan, there's less emphasis on office size, focusing more on
group harmony and efficiency.
- Example: At McDonald's Japan headquarters, office layouts feature open-plan
spaces, with minimal differences in desk size, fostering a collaborative environment.
- Implications: Marketing highlights quality and efficiency, aligning with Japanese
values.
Another use of space is personal space, which is the nearest that others can come
to you in various situations without your feeling uncomfortable.
For instance, in Japan, individuals may stand closer during interactions as a sign of
intimacy or respect. Conversely, Americans typically prefer more personal space
and may feel uncomfortable with closer proximity. This difference can lead to
misunderstandings, with Americans perceiving Japanese individuals as overly
familiar, while Japanese individuals may view Americans as not friendly.
The third one is symbol. Colors, animals, shapes, numbers, and music have varying
meanings across cultures. Failure to recognize the meaning(s) assigned to a symbol
can cause serious problems. For example,
Issue: Nike's iconic swoosh logo faced criticism in some Middle Eastern countries
due to its resemblance to the Arabic word for "Allah" when mirrored.
Solution: Nike responded by being mindful of cultural sensitivities, ensuring that the
logo was not displayed in a way that could be misinterpreted. They also engaged in
dialogue with local communities to address concerns and prevent any potential
offense.
The next one is relationships. To answer the question How quickly and easily do
cultures form relationships and make friends? Our textbook mentioned:
Americans tend to form relationships and friends quickly and easily.
Chinese relationships are much more complex and characterized by guanxi.
I want to add some other aspects related to relationships in different cultures.

Aspect American Culture Chinese Culture

Speed of Americans tend to form Chinese relationships typically

Forming relationships and make friends take more time to develop due
Relationships relatively quickly and easily. to the importance of
establishing trust and rapport.

Ease of Americans generally find it In Chinese culture, making

Making relatively easy to make friends, friends may be more
Friends often engaging in small talk and challenging, as trust and
initiating conversations with familiarity are essential.
strangers.

Importance While Americans value social Chinese culture places

of Social networks and connections, they significant emphasis on social
Networks may prioritize individuality and networks and connections,
personal autonomy. Friendships known as guanxi. Relationships
are often based on shared are often established and
interests and personal maintained through mutual
chemistry. obligations within social circles.
Building and nurturing these
networks is essential for
personal and professional
success.

Role of American culture tends to Chinese culture places greater

Individual vs. prioritize individualism, with a emphasis on collectivism,
Group focus on personal goals and where the group's interests and
achievements. Relationships are harmony take precedence over
often based on mutual respect individual desires.
maintain a sense of
independence.

There is an increase in global consumer cultures or segments. Those belonging to

these cultures share many values and consumption-related behaviors with similar
individuals across a range of national cultures. These modern global cultures are
created by the globalization of mass media, work, education, and travel. The group
closely related to this culture is urban youth.
Similarities and convergence of lifestyles, values, and purchases make this global
youth market compelling for companies, particularly given its large size.
The largest single influence is worldwide mass media, including the Internet, and,
more recently, mobile devices.
Several recent trends in the global youth market are critical for global marketers to
understand:
- Technology is mainstream.
- U.S. teens no longer lead the way.
- U.S. brands are not currently the leaders
By understanding these trend and culturally unique behaviors, attitudes, and values
of global youth, marketers can gain more success.
Coca-Cola could leverage an understanding of culturally unique behaviors,
attitudes, and values of global youth for marketing success:
United States (Individualism):
- Coca-Cola's marketing in the United States could focus on themes of individuality
and personal freedom. Ad campaigns might emphasize self-expression, freedom of
choice, and the idea of "owning your happiness" with a Coca-Cola in hand.
Japan (Technology Savvy):
- In Japan, where technology adoption is high among youth, Coca-Cola could
incorporate digital and interactive elements into its marketing campaigns. This
could include social media contests, augmented reality experiences, or partnerships
with popular Japanese influencers and content creators.
For example, When General Motors introduced their new product Chevy
Nova in the South American, they did not know that the word "nova" in
Spanish means "not moving". Of course, no one wants to buy a car that
can't drive, so sales in South America are not positive. After that, General
Motors changed the product name to fit this special market.
There are 7 main factors influencing nonverbal communications.
The first one is time. There are two main perspectives. The differences
between them are shown in this table. Another concerns is Meanings in
the use of time, which also varies in different cultures.
Now, take McDonald's as an example to see how it adapt. With
Monochronic Culture, McDonald's marketing in Germany often emphasizes
the consistency of their food and the efficiency of their service. They run
promotions that appeal to the German appreciation for timeliness, such as
"Lunch in 5 Minutes" deals, emphasizing the quick service. With
Polychronic Culture, McDonald's marketing in Mexico often centers around
the social and communal aspects of dining. They sponsor local cultural
events or community gatherings, where families and friends come
together.
The second variation is space. Also take McDonald's to see how office
space is in different cultures. In the U.S., "bigger is better," and office
space reflects rank and prestige. At McDonald's headquarters, the CEO
has a large office, with smaller offices for lower-ranking executives. While
In Japan, there's less emphasis on office size, focusing more on group
harmony. office layouts feature open-plan spaces, fostering a collaborative
environment.
Another use of space is personal space. For instance, in Japan, individuals
may stand closer during interactions as a sign of respect. Conversely,
Americans typically prefer more personal space and may feel
uncomfortable with closer proximity. This difference can lead to
misunderstandings among them.
The third one is symbol. For example, Nike air max logo faced criticism in
some Middle Eastern countries due to its resemblance to the Arabic word
for "Allah" when mirrored. Nike responded by being mindful of cultural
sensitivities, ensuring that the logo was not displayed in that way. They
also engaged in dialogue with local communities to address and prevent
any potential offense.
The next one is relationships. To answer this question, I will add some
other aspects outside textbooks related to relationships in different
cultures.

Importance may prioritize individuality Chinese culture places

of Social and personal autonomy. significant emphasis on
Networks social networks and
connections, known as
guanxi.

Role of Relationships are often group's interests and

Individual based on mutual respect harmony take precedence
vs. Group maintain a sense of over individual desires.
independence.

There is an increase in global consumer cultures or segments. The group

closely related to this culture is urban youth.
To gain marketing success, Coca-Cola could understand culturally unique
behaviors of global youth: Its marketing in the United States could focus
on themes of individuality and personal freedom. Ad campaigns might
emphasize self-expression and the idea of "owning your happiness" with a
Coca-Cola in hand. In Japan, where technology adoption is high among
youth, Coca-Cola could incorporate digital and interactive elements into
its marketing campaigns.
 CHAPTER 8
After getting the exposure of customers, next step in the information processing for
consumer decision making is drawing their attention.
Attention occurs when the stimulus activates one or more sensory receptor nerves,
and the resulting sensations go to the brain for processing.
Customers has limited mental resources to process the stimulus. However, in the
complex marketing environment, they can receive numerous stimuli more than
what they can process. Therefore, customer need to select which one they should
pay attention to (selective)
And attention is determined by 3 factors: the stimulus, individual, and situation
because with the same individual, there can be different levels of attention to the
same stimulus due to their being in different situations.
The first one is stimulus factors. Stimulus factors are physical characteristics of
itself. The attention created by stimulus factors would be more automatic. Even
though a customer do not prefer Samsung based on their characteristics, its color or
design can still attract their attention.
The first physical characteristic is size. Definitely larger stimuli is easier to be
noticed than the smaller one.
Take Nike’s ads marketing as an example.
Banner Ads: a large banner ad for Nike running shoes, featuring a large-size image
of the product and a call-to-action button, can attract immediate attention and drive
clicks more effectively.
Social Media Posts: Conversely, a small social media post about the same Nike
running shoes might get lost in a user's crowded news feed, surrounded by
countless other posts. Even with eye-catching visuals, the smaller size can reduce
its visibility and impact.
Another physical characteristic is intensity. Intensity such as loudness, brightness,
length can increase attention.
For example, Pepsi’s “Live for Now” Campaign focused on loudness intensity
Pepsi employed loud, dynamic soundtracks in its commercials. This energetic
commercial effectively captured viewers' attention, especially during high-profile
events like the Super Bowl. The campaign boosted Pepsi’s brand engagement and
visibility. The Beyoncé-centered "Mirrors" ad became one of the most talked-about
commercials, helping Pepsi to gain its market share after a long time.
Repetition is also related to intensity. When exposure occurs in short time, repetition
can decrease the attention due to 2 factors: Consumers can shift their attention to
another part of the ads like from the message to the font text. Another one is that
repetition increases recall and often generating less attention than the first
exposure.
The third one is attractive visuals. It is the fact that attractive visuals would be more
effective to make advertisement get noticed than the unpleasant one. Also, this
characteristic of stimulus factors can affect the attention independently of others.
Picture superiority reflects the importance of visual component in ads, which is
proved to draw more attention than other components. However, as mentioned,
customers have limited mental resources so when they focus on visuals of the ads,
they will ignore the rests of it like brands or message.
For example, in 2017, Pepsi launched a high-profile ad campaign featuring Kendall
Jenner. The ad depicted Jenner leaving a photo shoot to join a generic protest. The
climax of the ad shows Jenner approaching a line of police officers and handing one
of them a can of Pepsi, which then defuses the tension and elicits cheers from the
crowd.
The campaign quickly failed because of overshadowing the brand with celebrity:
Kylie Jenner’s high-profile presence in the ad attracted attention, but for the wrong
reasons. The focus was more on Jenner’s participation than the Pepsi brand. Her
celebrity status did not enhance the brand message; instead, it diverted attention
from the product to herself.
Therefore, when using visuals component to draw attention, the company needs to
be careful.
The next characteristic is color and movement. Some colors create a feeling of
excitement for audiences. Here is the comparison on the impact of color versus
black and white in advertising. Also, ads with animation also get more notice than
the simple one.
The fifth one is position. Position refers to the placement of an object in physical
space or time. For example, with Apple Store Layout, entering an Apple Store,
customers are immediately greeted with the latest and most popular products, such
as the newest iPhone or MacBook models. This strategic positioning ensures that
the first thing customers see is the flagship products, creating a strong first
impression and sparking immediate interest. Apple also places interactive displays
and demo stations prominently throughout the store at eye level and in high-traffic
areas, encouraging customers to engage with the products. By allowing customers
to touch and test the devices, Apple increases the likelihood of conversion from
browsing to purchasing.
Other characteristics of stimulus factors are isolation, which is a space between
each product in store or white space among each component on advertisement.
Format is how the message is presented. In reality, simple and straightforward
presentations will attract more attention than complex ones. Messages or
advertisement which required customers to put more effort into understanding it
will be unable to catch their attention compared to the clear ones.
Next one is contrast and expectation. Consumer may pay more attention to what is
contrast to their background and their expectation. Therefore, marketer need to
change their promotion frequently to bring new ideas to customers and get their
notice.
For example, the "Holidays Are Coming" campaign, featuring the illuminated Coca-
Cola trucks with limited-edition packaging, has become a holiday staple. The
contrast between the regular, everyday marketing and the special holiday-themed
ads generates significant consumer interest and engagement, bringing a fresh and
festive feel that captures consumer attention.
The two final ones are interestingness and information quantity. Both of them are
important in catching the customer attention. Interestingness not only mentions
about the hobby of customer simply but also how the marketers make their ads or
campaigns interesting to customers. Information is crucial to help customer make
decision. But which level of information is enough depends on different factors,
especially the median used for that ads.
The second factor to determine attention is individual factors, which is the
characteristic to distinguish one from another.
Motivation is the first individual factor that affects attention. Motivation is a drive
state created by consumer interests and needs. Product involvement indicates
motivation or interest in a specific product category, which can be temporary or
enduring. For example, BMW uses banner ads that highlight specific features like
advanced driver-assistance systems and engine performance. These ads cater to
the high involvement of their audience by providing meaningful information that
encourages their internal motivation, regardless of whether the ad uses animation.
Marketers also use smart banners on the internet to serve consumer interests,
which are activated based on terms used in search engines
Ability is another part of individual factors, which is the ability to attend and process
information, related to knowledge and familiarity with the product, brand, or
promotion. When consumer have higher education to certain aspects, they tend to
pay attention to the product of that aspects. However, when they have high brand
familiarity, they will pay less attention to that brand because of their available
knowledge of that brand.
The third factor influencing attention is situational factors, including stimuli in
environment and individual characteristics driven by environment. Clutter and
program involvement are two major situational factors affecting attention.
As mentioned in format part, if a store display their products in cluttering
environment, they will decrease the attention of customers. About program
involvement, which is the viewer’s interest in program or content instead of the ads.
And program involvement positively influences the attention to the ads.
The last factors is nonfocused attention. Apart from 3 factors above, customers also
process the stimuli at a subconscious level. Here we have the idea of Hemispheric
lateralization, is a term applied to activities that take place on each side of the
brain. The left side of the brain is called rational thoughts while the right side work
with images and impressions. Therefore, the left side of the brain needs more
frequent rest while the right side can scan information over extended periods.
Another idea of unconscious thought is subliminal stimuli, happening when a
message presented so fast or so softly or so masked by other messages that one is
not aware of seeing or hearing. Some subliminal ad hides the key message, which
leads the customer to not pay any attention to those ads.
After getting the exposure of customers, next step in the information
processing for consumer decision making is drawing their attention.
Customers have limited mental resources so they need to select which one
they should pay attention to
And attention is determined by 3 factors.
The first one is stimulus factors. The attention created by stimulus factors
would be more automatic. Even though a customer does not prefer
Samsung, its color or design can still attract their attention.
The first stimulus factor is size. Take Nike as an example.
A large banner ad for Nike running shoes on the street can attract
immediate attention. Conversely, small social media post about the same
products might get lost in user's crowded news feed despite its eye-
catching visuals.
Another physical characteristic is intensity. For example, Pepsi’s “Live for
Now” Campaign employed dynamic soundtracks in its commercials, which
effectively captured viewers' attention. In this campaign, Beyoncé-
centered "Mirrors" ad became one of the most popular commercials,
helping Pepsi to gain its market share.
The third one is attractive visuals, which draw more attention than other
components. However, when customers focus on visuals, they will ignore
the brands or message.
For example, in 2017, Pepsi launched an ad campaign with Kendall Jenner,
which faced the failure because Jenner’s presence in the ad attracted
more attention than Pepsi. Her celebrity status did not enhance the brand
message; instead, it diverted attention from the product to herself.
The next characteristic is color and movement. Here is the comparison of
customer attention on color versus black and white in advertising. Also,
ads with animation will get more notice than the simple one.
The fifth one is position. For example, entering an Apple Store, customers
are immediately greeted with the latest and most popular products,
creating a strong first impression. Apple also places interactive displays
and demo stations at eye level, encouraging customers to engage with the
products to increase conversion from browsing to purchasing.
Other characteristics of stimulus factors are isolation and format, which
can catch attention if products or ads are presented organizationally.
Next one is contrast and expectation. For example, "Holidays Are Coming"
campaign, featuring Coca-Cola trucks with limited-edition packaging,
became a holiday staple. The special holiday-themed ads contrast to
regular ones generate significant consumer interest, bringing festive feel
that captures consumer attention. The two final ones are interestingness
and information quantity. Both of them are important in catching the
customer’s attention.

The second factor to determine attention is individual factors.

Motivation is the first individual factor that affects attention. For example,
BMW uses banner ads that highlight specific features like advanced driver-
assistance systems. These ads get high involvement of their audience by
encouraging their internal motivation, regardless of whether the ad uses
animation.
Ability is another part of individual factors. Consumers tend to pay
attention to the product where they have higher education. However,
those with high brand familiarity will pay less attention because of their
available knowledge of that brand.
The third factor influencing attention is situational factors, including
stimuli in environment and individual characteristics driven by
environment. Clutter and program involvement are two major situational
factors.
While a store displaying their products messily will decrease customer
attention, program involvement positively influences the attention to the
ads.
The last factor is nonfocused attention. Customers also process the stimuli
at a subconscious level. The term Hemispheric lateralization is applied to
activities that take place on each side of the brain. The left side of the
brain often needs more frequent rest while the right side can scan
information over extended periods.
Another idea of unconscious thought is subliminal stimuli, happening
when a message presented so fast or softly by others that one is not
aware of seeing or hearing. Some subliminal ads hide the key message, so
the customers don’t pay attention to those ads.
 CHAPTER 12
What marketers focus on when doing marketing campaigns can influence the self-
concept of customers. However, they focus more on what is so perfect, negatively
affecting viewers and leads them to become more self-conscious, especially in the
beauty and fashion industry, promoting slim and perfect-skin model. Observing this
problem, some brands started to create a campaign aiming at something imperfect.
For example, in 2014, lingerie and activewear brand, Aerie launched #AerieREAL
aimed to promote body positivity and inclusivity by featuring unretouched photos of
models in their advertising. They made a commitment to stop airbrushing models in
their ads, showcasing their natural bodies and imperfections. The campaign
emphasized the beauty of diversity and encouraged women to embrace their
bodies. Aerie also partnered with various organizations that promote body positivity
and mental health awareness. Through this campaign, Aerie has not only influenced
the fashion industry but also inspired other brands to rethink their approach to
advertising, fostering a more empowering environment for women of all shapes,
sizes, and backgrounds.
Besides VALS, another approach to study the general lifestyle pattern of a
population is PRIZM, based on the logic of geo-demographic analysis, which
mentions that individuals with similar lifestyles tend to live near each other. This
system examines demographic and consumption data down to the individual
household with 68 lifestyle segments organized around social groupings and
lifestage.
Claritas PRIZM Premier: Social and Lifestage Groups
Social groups are based on urbanization with 4 main groups:
- Urban—major cities with high population density.
- Suburban—moderately dense “suburban” areas surrounding metropolitan
areas.
- Second city—smaller, less densely populated cities or satellites to major
cities.
- Town & rural—low-density towns and rural communities.
Lifestage groups are based on age and the presence of children with 3 main groups:
- Younger years—singles and couples; under 35 years of age without kids, or
middle aged without kids at home.
- Family life—households with children living at home.
- Mature years—singles and couples; age 55 and over, or age 45–64 without
children at home
PRIZM then divides these groups by the level income to have detailed analysis of
each lifestyle pattern.
Based on this table, we can develop a marketing strategy for each segment.
For example, Networked Neighbors (Suburban/Family—PRIZM segment 02).

They have high tech knowledge so marketers can utilize platforms like Facebook,
Instagram, and LinkedIn to create content that showcases family-oriented products,
especially for their children or even luxury products because of their high income.
This groups also spent more money on sport and even attend sport events,
therefore, marketers should focus more on this aspect when promoting their
products to this group. For example, with sport cloths, they can emphasize comfort
but still fashionable and suitable for crowded events. Or with some kinds of drinks,
marketers can promote more about its use in increasing the endurance for those
participating in sports.
As marketing has developed globally, there will be other across-cultures lifestyle
segments. This helps marketers to develop marketing strategies across these
cultures. Despite some differences, those in the same lifestyle segments still tend to
have similar features.
Based on the geo-demographic analysis, there are 10 global lifestyle segments with
the dimensions of wealth and where they live. While these 10 segments exist in all
studied countries, the percentage of them in each country will vary.
What marketers focus on when doing marketing campaigns can influence
the self-concept of customers. However, they focus more on what is so
perfect, negatively affecting viewers and leads them to become more self-
conscious, especially in the beauty and fashion industry, promoting slim
and perfect-skin models. Observing this problem, some brands started to
create a campaign aiming at something imperfect. For example, in 2014,
lingerie and activewear brand, Aerie launched #AerieREAL aimed to
promote body positivity and inclusivity by featuring unretouched photos
of models in their advertising. They made a commitment to stop
airbrushing models in their ads, showcasing their natural bodies and
imperfections. The campaign emphasized the beauty of diversity and
encouraged women to embrace their bodies. Aerie also partnered with
various organizations that promote body positivity and mental health
awareness. Through this campaign, Aerie has not only influenced the
fashion industry but also inspired other brands to rethink their approach
to advertising, fostering a more empowering environment for women of all
shapes, sizes, and backgrounds.
Besides VALS, another approach to study the general lifestyle pattern of a
population is PRIZM, based on the logic of geo-demographic analysis,
which mentions that individuals with similar lifestyles tend to live near
each other. This system examines demographic and consumption data
down to the individual household with 68 lifestyle segments organized
around social groupings and lifestage.
Social groups are based on urbanization with 4 main groups: Urban,
Suburban, Second city, Town & rural
Lifestage groups are based on age and the presence of children with 3
main groups: Younger years, Family life, Mature years
PRIZM then divides these groups by the level of income to have detailed
analysis of each lifestyle pattern. Based on this table, we can develop a
marketing strategy for each segment. For example, Networked Neighbors
(Suburban/Family—PRIZM segment 02).
They have high tech knowledge so marketers can utilize platforms like
Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to create content that showcases
family-oriented products, especially for their children or even luxury
products because of their high income. These groups also spent more
money on sport and even attend sport events, therefore, marketers
should focus more on this aspect when promoting their products to this
group. For example, with sport cloths, they can emphasize comfort but
still fashionable and suitable for crowded events. Or with some kinds of
drinks, marketers can promote more about its use in increasing the
endurance for those participating in sports.
As marketing has developed globally, there will be other across-cultures
lifestyle segments. This helps marketers to develop marketing strategies
across these cultures. Despite some differences, those in the same
lifestyle segments still tend to have similar features. Based on the geo-
demographic analysis, there are 10 global lifestyle segments with the
dimensions of wealth and where they live. While these 10 segments exist
in all studied countries, the percentage of them in each country will vary.
 CHAPTER 10, 11
Besides motivation and personality, emotion, which is uncontrolled feeling, can
affect customer behavior significantly. Emotion is also linked to needs, motivation,
and personality. Therefore, when generating positive consumption emotions, brands
can increase consumer satisfaction and loyalty.

Here is the nature of emotion. At first, emotion is influenced by external

environmental event (watching an ad or consuming products) and internal mental
imagery. Then, it is initiated by physiological changes such as (1) eye pupil dilation,
(2) increased perspiration, (3) more rapid breathing, (4) increased heart rate and
blood pressure, and (5) enhanced blood sugar level. Finally, it is interpreted based
on situations with specific feelings, affect, behaviors, or thoughts.
There are 3 basic dimensions of emotion, including pleasure, arousal, and
dominance (PAD). Specific emotions reflect various combinations and levels of these
dimensions.
Emotions play an important role in marketing strategy.
Firstly, Emotion Arousal as a Product and Retail Benefit
Customers often seek products with the benefit of emotion arousal. For example,
Coca-Cola’s "Share a Coke" campaign created a sense of personal connection and
happiness by personalizing bottles with common names, which raises the internal
emotion of customers and get their attention.
One specific emotion getting more attention in relationship marketing is gratitude,
which is the emotional appreciation for benefits received. For example, Amazon
Prime’s membership program, which offers numerous benefits such as free
shipping, exclusive deals, and access to streaming services. These perks foster a
sense of gratitude among members, leading to higher customer retention and
positive word-of-mouth.
The next one is Emotion Reduction as a Product and Retail Benefit

Marketers design or position many products to prevent or reduce the arousal of

unpleasant emotions. Take Allstate Insurance as an example, uses the slogan
"You're in good hands" to reassure customers that they will be taken care of in the
event of an accident or disaster. Their advertisements often depict scenarios where
insurance provides security and peace of mind, reducing the fear and anxiety
associated with unexpected life events.

Another situation is Consumer Coping in Product and Service Encounters

Consumers must cope with the negative emotions they experience in various
marketing situations. For example, John is in the market for a new car and visits a
dealership to explore his options. The process of buying a car involves several
stress-inducing factors such as negotiating prices, understanding financing options,
and making trade-offs between price and features. In this situation, John might
delay the purchase or be in bad feelings if continue. Therefore, marketers need to
have appropriate marketing strategies for this to catch the customers.
There are 3 types of strategies that customers have towards this situation:
- Active coping. Thinking of ways to solve the problem, engaging in restraint to
avoid rash behavior, and making the best of the situation.
- Expressive support seeking. Venting emotions and seeking emotional and
problem-focused assistance from others.
- Avoidance. Avoiding the retailer mentally or physically or engaging in
complete self-denial of the event.
The last one is emotion in advertising.
Emotions can play a variety of roles in advertising. Emotional content in ads
enhances their attention, attraction, and maintenance capabilities. For instance,
Always' "Like a Girl" Campaign
Always, the feminine hygiene brand, launched the "Like a Girl" campaign to
challenge societal stereotypes and empower girls and women. This campaign aimed
to redefine what it means to do something "like a girl," transforming it a message of
strength and confidence. The "Like a Girl" campaign captured immediate attention
by addressing a sensitive and relevant social issue. The emotional impact was
heightened by featuring interviews with young girls and adults demonstrating what
it means to do things "like a girl" with confidence and pride. The campaign attracted
a wide audience, including consumers who resonated with its message of gender
equality and positive self-image. The emotional appeal of empowering girls and
women generated support and admiration for Always as a brand that stands for
social change and inclusivity.
The second one is change affective component.
Marketers tend to influence customer preferences of their brand without directly
attack their behaviors. If successful, this will increase the positive attitudes and the
need for their products. There are 3 approaches to increase affect, including
classical conditioning, affect toward the ad itself, and mere exposure.
The first one is classical conditioning. In this approach, a stimulus the audience
likes, such as music, is consistently paired with the brand name. Over time, some of
the positive affect associated with the music will transfer to the brand.
The second one is Affect toward the Ad or Website. Liking the advertisement
(attitude toward the ad, or Aad) generally increases the tendency to like the brand
(attitude toward the brand, or Abr). Using humor, celebrities, or emotional appeals
increases Aad and Aweb.
For example, Vinamilk with the product condensed milk Ngôi sao Phương Nam
developed a ad on TV and remade a popular song for this ad with the content of
close relationship, love, family-oriented. Over time, the positive emotions changed
from the ad to the brand. Consumers start to associate the product with their
feelings, which helps strengthen brand loyalty and encourages consumers’’ brand
preference.
The last one is mere exposure, which is presenting a brand to an individual on a
large number of occasions might make the individual’s attitude toward the brand
more positive or we can call it as brand familiarity. For example, McDonald's Golden
Arches
McDonald's uses its iconic Golden Arches logo to exemplify the mere exposure
effect. The logo appears consistently on signage, packaging, advertisements, and
storefronts worldwide. By consistently displaying its logo across various channels,
McDonald's ingrains its brand into the global consciousness, making it easily
recognizable and trusted.
Besides motivation and personality, emotion can affect customer behavior
significantly. When generating positive consumption emotions, brands can
increase consumer satisfaction and loyalty. This figure illustrate the
nature of emotion, which is different factors affecting customers’ emotion
These are 3 basic dimensions of emotion. Specific emotions reflect various
combinations and levels of these dimensions.
Emotions play an important role in marketing strategy. Firstly, Emotion
Arousal. Customers often seek products with the benefit of emotion
arousal. For example, Coca-Cola’s "Share a Coke" campaign created a
sense of personal connection and happiness by personalizing bottles with
common names, which raises the internal emotion of customers and gets
their attention. One specific emotion getting more attention in
relationship marketing is gratitude. For example, Amazon Prime’s
membership program, which offers numerous benefits such as free
shipping, or access to streaming services. These foster a sense of
gratitude among members, leading to higher customer retention and
positive word-of-mouth.
The next one is Emotion Reduction. Marketers design or position many
products to prevent or reduce unpleasant emotions. Take Allstate
Insurance as an example, uses the slogan "You're in good hands" to
reassure customers that they will be taken care of in the event of an
accident or disaster, reducing the fear and anxiety associated with
unexpected life events.
Another situation is Consumer Coping in Product and Service Encounters
Consumers must cope with the negative emotions they experience in
various marketing situations. For example, John is in the market for a new
car and visits a dealership to explore his options. The buying process
involves several stress-inducing factors such as negotiating prices or
making trade-offs between price and features. In this situation, John might
delay the purchase or have bad feelings if continue to make decision.
These are 3 types of strategies that customers have towards this situation
The last one is emotion in advertising. Emotional content in ads enhances
their attention or maintenance capabilities. For instance, Always, the
feminine hygiene brand, launched the "Like a Girl" campaign to challenge
societal stereotypes and empower girls and redefine what it means to do
something "like a girl," with a message of strength and confidence. This
campaign captured immediate attention andgenerated support and
admiration for Always as a brand that stands for social change and
inclusivity.
The second one is change affective component.
Marketers tend to influence customer preferences of their brand by
directly attacking their behaviors. If successful, this will increase the
positive attitudes and the need for their products. There are 3 approaches
to increase affect. The first one is classical conditioning. In this approach,
a stimulus the audience likes is consistently paired with the brand name.
Over time, this interest will transfer to the brand. The second one is Affect
toward the Ad or Website. Liking the advertisement can increase the
tendency to like the brand.
with the product condensed milk, Vinamilk developed an ad with the
remake version of a popular song for close relationship, love, family. Over
time, the positive emotions changed from the ad to the brand. Consumers
start to link the product with their feelings, which increases brand loyalty
and encourages consumers’ brand preference.
The last one is mere exposure . For example, McDonald's uses its iconic
Golden Arches logo to create mere exposure effect. The logo appears
consistently on packaging, advertisements, and storefronts worldwide. By
consistently displaying its logo across various channels, McDonald's can
position its brand into the global consciousness, making it easily
recognize.
 CHAPTER 14, 15

The third factor is consumer characteristics. This table shows 6 influencing factors
and its affect towards external search. For example, good experience or knowledge
of existing brand will decrease customers’ external search. With high social status
like education, occupation, or income and perceived risk can lead customers to
search prior to purchase more. On the other hand, shopping orientation, age,
household life cycle, or product involvement can vary in different categories.

The final factor is situation characteristics. Among these situation characteristics,

temporal perspective is the most important because when customers have limited
amount of time to solve problems, they will limit their external information search
for these problems.

This table illustrates 2 dimensions of search: the type of decision influences on the
level of search and the nature of the evoked set. And then we have 6 strategies
from these 2 dimensions
The first one is maintenance strategy. If the brand is purchased habitually by the
target market, the marketer’s strategy is to maintain that behavior. For instance,
Coca-Cola has successfully maintained a large repeat purchaser segment. This
strategy involves regular promotion of their brand values, quality, and product
benefits through various advertising channels. Coca-Cola’s iconic campaigns, like
“Share a Coke,” help to keep the brand top-of-mind and build emotional connections
with consumers. This consistent reinforcement helps to defend its market position
against major competitors by fostering strong brand loyalty and reducing the
likelihood of consumers switching to alternative brands.

Secondly, if the brand is not part of the evoked set and the target market engages
in nominal decision making, the marketer’s first task is to disrupt the existing
decision pattern. This is a challenge for marketer because customers do not search
externally. However, in a short run, they can break these habitual decisions by
some specific advertising. For example, Tesla disrupted the traditional automotive
market by introducing electric vehicles (EVs) with cutting-edge technology,
impressive performance, and a strong brand identity focused on sustainability and
innovation. As a result, Tesla rapidly disrupted customers’ habitual decisions and
gained market share significantly until now.

The third one is capture strategy. Because these consumers engage in limited
search, the marketer needs to know where they search and what information they
are looking for so that they can provide customers with the exact information they
need.

The next one is intercept strategy. The objective is to intercept the consumer during
the search for information on the brands in the evoked set. Marketers can focus on
shelf space or coupons. For instance, Red Bull strategically places its products in
high-visibility areas, ensuring the product is seen by consumers at critical moments
during their shopping trip, increasing the likelihood of impulse purchases. They also
frequently engage in sampling campaigns, where brand ambassadors offer free
samples of the product to consumers in sports events or college campuses to create
immediate product awareness in customer mind.

Another strategy is preference. The marketer needs to structure an information

campaign that will result in the brand being preferred by the target market. The
first step is a strong position on those attributes important to the target market.
Next, information must be provided in all the appropriate sources. For example, on
Apple website, when clicking on any product, its detailed information will be shown
fully to meet demand for deep search of customers.

The last one is acceptance strategy. Despite having extensive search, the
customers do not focus on the brand. Therefore, besides what mentioned in
preference strategy, marketers must attract customers attention and motivate
them to search for their brand. Recently, most brands apply search engine
optimization (SEO) to enhance a brand's visibility when customers search for
information. This helps brands appear prominently in search engine results pages
(SERPs) for relevant keywords and phrases that consumers use during their
decision-making process. By optimizing content and website structure, brands can
ensure they are discoverable when consumers conduct research related to their
products or services.
The third factor is consumer characteristics. This table shows 6 influencing
factors and its affect towards external search. For example, good
experience or knowledge of existing brand will decrease customers’
external search. High social status and perceived risk can increase this.
On the other hand, others like shopping orientation or age can vary in
different categories. The final factor is situation characteristics. In this
table, temporal perspective is the most important because when
customers have limited amount of time to solve problems, they will spend
less time on external information search for these problems.
This table illustrates 2 dimensions of search: the type of decision
influences and the nature of the evoked set. And then we have 6
strategies from these 2 dimensions
The first one is maintenance strategy, which is to maintain the habitual
behavior. For instance, Coca-Cola has successfully maintained a large
repeat purchaser segment by regular promotion of their brand values or
product benefits through various advertising channels. Coca-Cola’s iconic
campaigns “Share a Coke,” help to keep the brand top-of-mind with
consumers. This helps to defend its market position against major
competitors by fostering strong brand loyalty and reducing the likelihood
of switching to alternative brands.
Secondly, if the brand is not part of the evoked set and the target market
engages in nominal decision making, the marketer’s first task is to disrupt
the existing decision pattern. In a short run, they can break these habitual
decisions by some specific advertising. For example, Tesla disrupted the
traditional automotive market by introducing electric vehicles with
cutting-edge technology or a strong brand identity focused on
sustainability and innovation. As a result, Tesla rapidly disrupted
customers’ habitual decisions and gained market share significantly until
now.

The third one is capture strategy. Because these consumers engage in

limited search, the marketer needs to know where they search and what
information they are looking for so that they can provide customers with
the exact information they need. The next one is intercept strategy, which
is to intercept the consumer during the search for information on the
brands in the evoked set. Marketers can focus on shelf space or coupons.
For instance, Red Bull strategically places its products in high-visibility
areas, ensuring the product is seen by consumers at critical moments,
increasing the likelihood of impulse purchases. They also engage in
sampling campaigns, where brand ambassadors offer free samples of the
product to consumers in sports events or college campuses to create
immediate product awareness in customer mind.
Another is preference. The marketer needs to structure an information
campaign that will result in the brand being preferred by the target
market. The first step is a strong position on those attributes important to
the target market. Next, information must be provided in all the
appropriate sources. For example, on Apple website, when clicking on any
product, its detailed information will be shown fully to meet demand for
deep search of customers.

The last one is acceptance strategy. Despite having extensive search, the
customers do not focus on the brand. Therefore, besides what mentioned
in preference strategy, marketers must attract customers attention and
motivate them to search for their brand. Recently, most brands apply
search engine optimization to enhance a brand's visibility. This helps
brands appear prominently in search engine results pages for relevant
keywords that consumers use during their decision-making process. By
optimizing content, brands can ensure they are discoverable when
consumers conduct research related to their products or services.