CSR 63100 Hye Young Hah

1. Consumer Self-Concept, Symbolism and Market Behavior:A Theoretical ApproachEdward L. Grubb and Harrison L. Grathwohl CSR 63100 Hye Young Hah

2. Contents • Review of Related Research • Introduction to Self-Theory and Symbolism • Future Research Direction • Applications • A Case Study

3. Review of Related Research • Research of ‘Personality and Consumer Behavior’ • Hypothesis : Individual’s consumption manner reflects ‘certain common personality characteristic’ • Experiments of car owners • Results: Some relationship between personalities and the product they consume Evans’ Experiment Westfall’s Experiment No significant differences on a limited sample In Chevy and Ford model • Little different personality Between the owners of standard model and compact model Kuehn’s analysis • Personality of convertible owners defined as active and less stable Prediction on Personality Is based on Dominance And Affiliation

4. Review of Related Research • Research of ‘Personality, Product Image, and Consumption’ • Assumption: Consumers’ buying behaviors correlate to the buyer’s personality and the image of the purchased products • Results:‘Statistically significant’ low correlation between masculinity of cigarette smokers and the perceived masculinity of the brand they consume • “The product or brand image is a symbol of the buyer’s personality”(Pierre Martineau) • “Where ego-involvement with the purchase is high, product image is important to the consumer” • (Walter A. Woods) • “The act of consumption as symbolic behavior may be more important to the individual than the benefits provided by the functioning of the product purchased” • (James S. Duesenberry)

5. Feminine? Masculine?

6. Introduction to Self-Theory and Symbolism • Concept of the self • Self-Theory • is one’s attitude, feelings, perceptions, and evaluation of oneself as an object • is a measurement and critical element of how the individual perceives himself • develops through the process of social experience • represents a totality as a principal value in lifetime • has been psychological and sociological research subject • allows application of the behavioral concept of symbolic interaction • focuses on self-evaluation

7. Goods as Symbol • is a means of communication with himself or with others • stands for or express something else • composed of signs and their meanings • Identified by a group with similar meaning Example Shared thought: Product as Symbol Me : “I have a Lexus car for myself.”

8. Classification System Goods Recognition Common value Direction Ideal self Perceived self Reinforcement Organization Self-Concept Behavioral Correction Self-enhancement expectation Personal Attire Environment Setting The Interaction Process • The self-concept grows out of the reactions of others • The self-enhancement depends on the reactions • Classification System directs action and arouses expectation in relationship setting

9. Desired Reaction to Enhance Individual’s Self-Concept Audience B (Parents, Teachers Peers, Significant Others) Individual A d b c a Symbol X (Product, Brand, Or Store) Relationship of the consumption of Goods As Symbols To the Self-Concept Introduction to Self-Theory and Symbolism • A diagram of Self-Concept and Symbolism

10. A Model of Consuming Behavior • Systematic Relationship between Self-theory and symbolism • Theoretical guideline for future research

11. Future Research Direction • To identify some relationships between personality and products they consume • To verify the role of self-concept for marketing research • The psychic values to segmented markets • A guideline for marketing decision-making • To test and improve a model of consuming behavior • When the self-concept begins • What products have symbolic value • How the symbolic meaning is relevant to individual’s self-concept

12. A Case Study – Lexus (High-end Brand) • Among the marketers, Lexus is the best brand positioning brand • Consumer recognize Lexus as a blameless perfect high brand car • Lexus means pride and loyalty Source : J.D. Power and Associates Reports

13. A Case Study – McDonald’s (Low-end Brand) • McDonald’s is everyday brand and almost everyone knows it. • McDonald’s stresses on a variety of sponsorships through the world • and children’s health as a brand positioning. • According to the report entitled "McDonald's and Children's Health: The Production of New Customers, "the world's largest fast food chain uses cartoons, toys, schools, charities and even parents to reach its youngest customers. • (Source : http://www.corporationsandhealth.org/mc...)

14. Applications • What if my purchasing symbols cannot get desired responses from groups? • How long do the symbols last in this era? • Within the same product category, can consumers identify that competing brands have different symbols and leads to different self- concept? • In marketer’s perspective, how they break into the ‘blue ocean’ markets with stereotypical products which has already symbolized image to consumers?