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Symbolic Consumer Behavior: Gaining and Conveying Meaning

Explore how symbolic meaning is derived and conveyed from one consumer to another, the influence on symbolic meaning, sacred versus profane entities, and the process of gift-giving.

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Symbolic Consumer Behavior: Gaining and Conveying Meaning

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  1. Chapter 16 Symbolic Consumer Behavior

  2. Learning Objectives To determine: • How symbolic meaning is gained & conveyed from one consumer to another • Influencing symbolic meaning • Sacred versus profane entities • The process of gift giving

  3. Symbolic Consumer Behavior

  4. Symbolic Meaning • Derived from culture • Categories • Principles • Derived from consumer • Symbols used to say something • Consumer as a member of group or unique individual

  5. Consumption Symbols

  6. Meaning Transferfrom Culture to Product & Consumer

  7. Emblematic Function • Geographic • Ethnic • Social class • Gender • Reference group

  8. Establishing Emblematic Function • Development • Communication • Reinforcement • Removal

  9. Role Acquisition Function • Phases • Separation • Transition • Incorporation • Symbols/rituals: Reflexive evaluation • Marital • Cultural • Social status

  10. Model of Role Acquisition

  11. Other Symbolic Functions • Connectedness • Expressiveness • Multiple functions • Symbols & self-concept: Identity schemas • Actual • Ideal • The extended self

  12. Marketing/Development of Consumer Self-Concepts • Product fit with self-concept • Product fit with multiple self-concepts • Advertising fit with self-concepts • Event fit with self-concepts (This event is me!) • Sponsor fit with self-concepts

  13. Types of Special Possessions • Brands • Pets • Memory-laden objects • Achievement symbols • Collections • What are your special possessions and why are they special to you?

  14. Characteristics of Special Possessions • Not sold at market value • Few/no substitutes • Not discarded • Not always used for original purpose • Evoke powerful emotions • Frequently personified

  15. Why Some Products Are Special • Symbolic value • Mood-altering properties • Instrumental importance • Consumer characteristics • Social class • Gender • Age

  16. Rituals & CB • Possession (e.g., blinging your phone or car) • Grooming (e.g., shower) • Divestment (e.g., deleting all files off computer prior to donating) • Disposing (e.g., training wheels) • Other rituals: Practice rituals (e.g., the prom), rites of passage rituals (e.g., confirmation)

  17. Role transitions, including changes in marital status such as getting married, involve a variety of products and rituals. Used by permission of Sony Electronics Inc.

  18. Sacred Meaning • Sacred entities: great respect (e.g., The Pope, The Alamo, The Great Wall of China, Princess Di) • Profane things: ordinary/mundane • People, objects, & places • Characteristics • Involve mystery/myth • Strong approach/avoidance; feeling of power • Scarcity/exclusivity • How profaned • Treated with disrespect • Commercialized (Elvis, Michael Jackson)

  19. Gift-Giving Process

  20. Gift-Giving • Promote products/services as gifts • Cause-related marketing for frivolous products • Technology & gift shopping • Ethnicity & holiday shopping • Alternatives to traditional gifts (e.g., anti-gift certificates) • Apparent in holidays like Valentine’s Day, which have elements of market resistance

  21. Questions?

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