Consumer Psychology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Consumer Psychology - Assignment Example When you think of a candy, the brand should produce saliva in your mouth. M & Ms had created their popular slogan " Melts in your mouth, not in your hands", to activate the memory of the buyer to think of their product. In the case of Hershey's they have all along been associating their flagship brand Kissables, with popular shape, but with different sizes and colors, more particularly with their signature wrapping. The Associative network model of memory is the common way that the consumer researchers have conceptualized the organization of brands and brand related information in memory. (Curtis P. Haugtvedt, et al, 2008) That way both these candy marketers have applied well the activation models of memory in creating their brand equity. Activation models can primarily of two types, viz., discrete and continuous. Discrete activation models help remembering the utility of the particular product right at the time of buying and continuous activation models create growing interest in the minds of the consumer to buy that product at times of need [Yantis S, Meyer CE, 1988, 26-02-2009()] This is a war of brand equity. And, at the root of these marketing effects is consumers' knowledge. In other words, consumers' knowledge about a brand makes consumers respond differently to the marketing of the brand. The study of brand equity is increasingly popular as some marketing researchers have concluded that brands are one of the most valuable assets that a company has [Wikipedia, 26-02-2009()] Hershey's Kissables has a brand image with its signature wrapping. However, the CEO of the Company wonders if the comfort level of the consumer was reduced in the process of unwrapping the candy and so the consumer might choose a some other brand that would make the candy instantaneously melt in his mouth. So, he plans to shift the pattern of wrapping. The advantage part of it is that it might work. It is easy to unwrap and it is spoken high time immemorial. On the other hand, as the question itself suggests, it might take away the customer who is used to buy Kissables for its tight wrappers. Hershey's must take strategic efforts to introduce this change.. Kenichi Ohmae has very beautifully illustrated in his book 'The mind of a Strategist', as to how the roll film maker changed its less attractive brand name, first by introducing a new specification of 16 exposure film. Perhaps, Hershey's should promote the product in terms of good slogans activating the memory of the consumer as t o how the same standard is provided, with an additional advantage of easy unwrapping. 3 How might Hershey's use a nostalgia campaign to promote Kisses and/or Kissables In the political scenario, nostalgic appeals are a way to channel contemporary anxieties [ Michael Schaffer, 26-02-2009(http://www.tnr.com/politics)] This is true with regard to consumer behavior as well. The company is 100 years old and enjoys a nostalgic reputation all throughout. It was in existence even when sliced bread had not come into existence. Even