Page 187 - Foundations of Marketing

154 Part 3 | Customer Behavior and E-Marketing

changes a product or its package may face consumer backlash from customers looking for the
old, familiar product or package and who do not recognize, or do not like, the new one. Unless
a product or package change is accompanied by a promotional program that makes people
aware of the change, an organization may suffer a sales decline.
Although marketers cannot control buyers’ perceptions, they often try to influence them.
Several problems may arise from such attempts, however. First, a consumer’s perceptual
process may operate such that a seller’s information never reaches the target. For example,
a buyer may entirely block out and not notice an advertisement in a magazine. Second, a
buyer may receive information but perceive it differently than was intended, as occurs in
selective distortion. For instance, when a toothpaste producer advertises that “ 35 percent
of the people who use this toothpaste have fewer cavities,” a customer could infer that
65 percent of users have more cavities. Third, a buyer who perceives information inputs to
be inconsistent with prior beliefs is likely to forget the information quickly, as is the case
with selective retention.
motive An internal energizing
force that directs a person’s Motives
behavior toward satisfying
needs or achieving goals A motive is an internal energizing force that directs a person’s activities toward satisfy-
ing needs or achieving goals. Buyers are affected by a set of motives rather than by just
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
The five levels of needs that one. At any point in time, certain motives will have a stronger influence on a person than
humans seek to satisfy, from others. For example, the sensation of being cold is a strong motivator on the decision to
most to least important purchase a new coat, making the feeling more urgent in the winter than it is in the summer.
Motives can be physical feelings, states of mind, or emo-
tions. Some motives may help an individual achieve his
or her goals, whereas others create barriers to achieve-
ment. Motives also affect the direction and intensity of
behavior.
Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist, con-
ceived a theory of motivation based on a hierarchy of
needs. According to Maslow, humans seek to satisfy five
levels of needs, from most to least basic to survival, as
shown in Figure 6.2 . This pyramid is known as Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs . Maslow proposed that people are con-
stantly striving to move up the hierarchy, fulfilling one level
of needs, then aspiring to fulfill the next.
At the most basic level are physiological needs, require-
ments for survival such as food, water, sex, clothing, and
shelter, which people try to satisfy first. Food and beverage
marketers often appeal to physiological needs, such as sex
appeal or hunger. Carl’s Jr. is famous for its commercials
Reproduced with the permission of GlaxoSmithKline. advertisement for Breathe Right nasal strips. The ad con-
of lingerie models eating burgers, appealing to two physio-
logical needs at once—hunger and sex appeal. Look at this

sists of the word “sleep,” with the word congestion wedged
between each letter. It tells customers that congestion can
inhibit sound sleep, and Breathe Right strips can help peo-
ple sleep better when they are congested. Since sleep is one
of the most basic functions, this advertisement appeals to
our physiological needs.
At the next level are safety needs, which include secu-
rity and freedom from physical and emotional pain and
suffering. Life insurance, automobile air bags, carbon mon-
Physiological Needs
Breathe Right nasal strips help an individual sleep better by facili- oxide detectors, vitamins, and decay-fighting toothpastes
tating improved breathing. This product contributes to achieving are products that consumers purchase to ensure their safety
physiological needs, since sleep is a basic function of survival. needs are met.

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