Consumer Behavior Project

APPLICATION EXERCISE ON PERCEPTION – ApEx 2

GROUP COMPONENT 1

Submitted to

Professor S. Ramesh Kumar

Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore

On

July 19, 2006

In

Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the

Consumer Behavior course in

Post Graduate Program in Management (PGP-II)

By

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PROBLEM DEFINITION

Analyze the communications in atleast three brands of shampoos from the viewpoint of

perceptual selection and perceptual organization. An existing brand, which you have

analyzed is interested in improving its perception. How would you accomplish this using

principles of perception?

LITERATURE GATHERING

Perception Theory

Perception is the process of acquiring, selecting, organizing and interpreting sensory

information or stimulus.

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Involvement

Memory

Exposure

Attention

Comprehension

Information Input

Perception Process

Figure 1 - Consumer Information Processing Model: Consumer Behaviour 5e, Mowen & Minor, Prentice Hall

Perception is the first step in the Consumer Information processing model and consists of

3 stages, viz,

o Exposure: stimulus is received through the senses

o Attention: Processing capacity is allocated to the stimulus

o Comprehension: Understanding the stimulus

The consumer is bombarded with information all the time. But it is the consumer who

decides which one(s) to pay attention to. In other words, the consumer is selective in

processing the stimuli. Other than the nature of the stimulus the factors influencing the

selectivity are the consumers’ previous experience and motives with respect to the

stimulus.1

This gives rise to 4 concepts in perceptual selection, viz,

o Selective Exposure where the consumer chooses whether or not to expose him/her

to the information being communicated

o Selective Attention where the consumer chooses to pay attention to some bits of

communication and not pay attention to some.

This is a major challenge to marketers and it is imperative that an advertisement is

designed in a way to circumvent the selective attention shield a consumer has.

Only than will a brand be able to register its presence in consumers mind

o Selective Defense where after being exposed to psychologically threatening

signals, the consumer chooses not to process the stimulus further. Research shows

that affective variables have a definite effect on perception beyond the recognition

stage. Thus, emotionally charged stimuli need a larger response time due to

perceptual defense mechanism kicking in. There seems to be an unconscious

mechanism to discriminate against distressing or emotionally painful stimuli2

o Selective Blocking where the consumer decides to block the barrage of stimuli

1 Consumer Behaviour 8th Edition, Schiffman and Kanuk, Prentice Hall India2 Justin M.Aronfreed, Samuel A.Messick, James C.Diggory, “Re-examining Emotionality and Perceptual Defense”, University of Pennsylvania

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Subliminal Perception involves stimuli below the level of consciousness, but which

nevertheless influence the consumers’ behavior. A related concept is that of Just

Noticeable Difference (JND) according to which a change is stimulus is perceived only

when is exceeds a minimum threshold. This is a ratio given by Weber’s Law:

JND = K x (Δ I / I), where I is the level of stimulation and K is the constant for each kind

of stimulus.

Adaptation level is the level of stimulus with which the consumer has become

accustomed. At this level according to the discrepancy hypothesis3 illustrated by the

Butterfly curve4, the consumers’ liking for the stimulus dips with respect to the stimulus

levels just before and after the adaptation levels. This is explained by the fact that a small

change in the stimulus will add a novelty factor and thus arouse the consumers’ interest.

But once the consumer is used to the change the interest dips. But, a radical change will

not increase the interest levels as this is perceived a totally different stimulus.

Figure 2 - Butterfly Curve

Perceptual Organization3 Haber, Ralph Norman (1958), "Discrepancy from Adaptation Level as a Source of Affect," Journal of Experimental Psychology, 56(4), 370-375.Hansen, Flemming (1972), Consumer Choice Behavior: A Cognitive Theory, New York: The Free Press.

4 Pimentel and Heckler, “Changes is logo Design: chasing the elusive Butterfly curve”

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Perceptual organization deals with how consumers organize information that is gleaned

from the stimuli into groups and process them further. The principles involved are

refereed to as Gestalt psychology. They are:

1. Figure and Ground

The images are processed by the human brain by segregating in to figure and

ground. In the following figure, the coloured shapes are the figure and the

uncoloured area is the ground.

Figure 3 - Figure & Ground: Nava Rubin, 'Figure and Ground in the Brain', 2001, Nature Publishing Group

This is a classic case showing how the shapes of the ground are not perceived by

the human brain. Though both the shapes in ‘b’ are present originally, only the top

one is easily associated.

This has implication in marketing communication as well. The marketer would

like to ensure the message being communicated in the figure so that it is perceived

the best.

2. Grouping/similarity

The human brain tends to clump together stimuli in order to process them in

chunks. This has implications where the marketer is trying to associate the

product with a certain feeling or situation.

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In the figure above the human mind perceives a line of ‘O’ running diagonally

across. Things that are close together are thought to be belonging to one another.

Here, the string of ‘O’ is construed to belong to the same line. Also, the ‘X’ are

thought to be in horizontal rows because we group is so.

3. Closure

This law of Gestalt psychology deals with incomplete stimulus. Even if the

stimulus in incomplete, we tend to complete it.

In this example, though the triangle is not drawn out completely, the broken

stimulus is enough to mentally draw the complete triangle.

These principles find applications in visual communication and packaging. The

fundamental tenet of Gestalt psychology is that there is a cognitive drive to obtain a good

gestalt configuration (Pragnanz), i.e., one that is simple, familiar, regular, meaningful,

consistent and complete.

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Feature-binding5

Regardless of how an object is decomposed into properties and components, the

decomposed features themselves are unlikely to be sufficient for achieving object

recognition. Given that separate features from different dimensions are initially extracted,

and yet we do not normally perceive isolated features such as brightness, colors, and

orientations free from an object, there must be a further process that binds them together

and as a result gives an integrated percept of object. The problem of feature binding

presents a central problem in current vision research. Questions such as “How are

separable features, having been teased apart in the primary analysis of an image, put back

together to make coherent objects?”

Perceptual organization and feature binding are essentially contrary concepts, going in

opposite directions. The concept of perceptual organization, which was synonymous with

Gestalt psychology, is rooted in the general theory of early holistic registration (global to

local processing). In contrast, the problem of feature binding essentially comes from the

assumption of early feature-analysis: Features are supposed to be analyzed at early stages

of visual processing; it is, therefore, logically necessary that such features be, in one way

or another, bound together later in order to achieve holistic object recognition.

The real features of an object, whatever geometrical or physical properties they are, exist

together as a coherent whole of a physical entity in the outside world. The relations

between real objects and their corresponding perceptual objects may not be simple or

direct. Real features of a real object, at a given time, originally coexist together rather

than being separated. A real object is an integral stimulus, a single thing. This truth is a

fundamental property of a real-world object. There is not any doubt of accepting the

direct perception of various featural properties such as brightness, colour, line-

orientation, and so on.

5 Lin Chen, Perceptual organization: To reverse back the inverted (upside-down) question of feature binding, Journal of Visual Cognition, 2001

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Perceptual Selection under high perceptual load6

Goal-directed behavior requires focusing attention on goal-relevant stimuli while

ignoring irrelevant distractors. Lavie, Hirst, Fockert and Viding (2004) proposed a load

theory of attention that proposes two mechanisms of selective attention. The first is a

perceptual selection mechanism that allows for excluding irrelevant distractor stimuli

from perception under situations of high perceptual load. This is a passive mechanism,

whereby irrelevant distractor interference is prevented simply because the distractors are

not perceived when there is insufficient capacity for their processing. Hence increasing

perceptual load is expected to reduce distractor interference.

Schema and Script

The concept of schema and script are increasingly finding use in understanding

perception. A schema is the set or collection of expectations which help in creating a

structure that will help in comprehending new information. The definition of schema as

given by Neissar (page 429, book) is a scheme is that portion of the entire perceptual

cycle which is internal to the perceiver, modifiable by experience and somewhat specific

to what is being perceived. The schema accepts information as it becomes available at

sensory surfaces and is changed by that information; it directs movements and

exploratory activities that make more information available, by which it is further

modified.

As can be seen it is a two stage repetitive process. Schema is a way of putting stimuli as

and when observed in order and also scouting for more information continuously and

again putting that in order and so on. A Schema is general in nature and includes what we

expect to see from an event.

A script is set of consequences or actions which are associated with a particular situation.

They include specific information as expectations about people, their roles, locations and

situations etc. In general think of a situation and whatever set of sequences of possible

events, small responses, people etc that come to one’s mind are part of the scripts.

6 Lavie, Hirst, Fockert and Viding, Load Theory of Selective Attention and Cognitive Control, Journal of Experimental Psychology, Vol. 133, 2004

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Scripts are useful in understanding the usage behavior of consumers.

Consumer Perception Theory

Consumer perception theory is a process flow explaining the consumers purchasing

behavior. It starts with a perceived need felt by the consumer and finishes with actual

purchase of product.

Step 1: Perceived Need: A purchase decision is initiated when a consumer feels the need

for a product or service. Therefore the first step in consumer perception theory is a

perceived need felt by the consumer.

Active Advertising Experience

Consumer

Perceived Need

Positive Perception, Fits Need

Purchase

Consumer Perception Theory

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Step 2: Active Advertising Experience: Once a need is felt by the consumer the second

stage is his/her coming in contact with the advertisement from a relevant product i.e the

one which satisfies consumers need. The timing of this exposure is very important. Since

the consumer has realized the need for a particular product, he/she is that much more

attentive when he/she sees an advertisement of a relevant product. This exposure is

accompanied by the consumer actively observing the advertisement. This is called Active

advertising experience.

Step 3: Positive Perception, Fits Need: Once active exposure to the advertisement has

happened, the consumer who already has perceived a need for a particular offering, tries

to evaluate the Advertisement. The evaluation is done to check whether this product fits

the bill for consumers need. Thus a consumer assigns either positive or negative value to

the product. If the consumer assigns positive value to the product, he/she moves to next

step in CPT model.

Step 4: Purchase- Although even after getting a positive value for the product, actual

purchase may or may not happen but most of these factors are external to an advertise

and therefore cannot be controlled. The purpose of the advertise was to leave the

consumer with a strong desire to purchase the product which has been fulfilled.

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ISSUES IDENTIFIED

Shampoo brands in India are many in number and all are fighting for the same

advertisement space in television and print media. There is a high degree of clutter and

heave perceptual load due to which the tendency to perceive selectively happens a lot.

More so because shampoo as such is a low involvement category and hence consumers

won’t actively seek information in advertisements.

Here, the brands being analyzed are Sunsilk, Clinic Plus and Pantene.

Sunsilk

One of HLL’s most popular brands, Sunsilk has offered a large number of variants in

shampoo for different types of hair in different fragrances and colors. There is certainly a

Sunsilk variant for each type of hair problem.

One way that Sunsilk has create contrast is by the use of non-traditional media. Sunsilk

has used FM radio shows in the metro, the growing Internet community, sponsored

events like Femina Miss India, to boost brand saliency and imagery.

The brand has been continuously evolving and changing with time from being a plain

hair beauty brand to a customized haircare brand. It has used many prominent brand

ambassadors to further stand out amidst the clutter. It achieved this with the Sunsilk panel

of experts who do not merely endorse the brand but also interact with consumers and help

them seek solutions to their problems. Sunsilk as a brand recognizes and respects the fact

that every woman has unique hair needs and problems.

Sunsilk communication has been consistent with its values. It demonstrates an

understanding of women and their concerns of hair care. The communication has been to

capture the emotional drama in a girl’s life that results out of a particular hair problem.

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Some ads and their communication

The above ad circumvents the sensory adaptation and selective attention by using the

metaphor of pearl string for strength of hair. It is a good example of use of an

unconventional idea, hence a contrast. Here, the figure is the pearls in the hair which

immediately grabs attention and makes the viewer process the same before he

understands the implication of the message.

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The above ad is again a very good way of using a metaphor to communicate. The

bounce in the hair is aptly conveyed by the people bouncing on the rubber platform.

The contrast immediately catches the eye as to what two people are doing in the

woman’s hair.

The above ad attracts attention by its decreased sensory input. There is no background

and the punchline is highly visible and not drowned by the shampoo bottle or models.

The line could actually lead to a closure effect with people wanting to complete the

sentence with the use of Sunsilk for curly hair. The text is obviously the figure and

the shampoo is the ground.

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This is again an ad which is slightly more suggestive and tongue-in-cheek than the others,

but here also the figure is the shirt and the ground is the shampoo brand. Here again, very

little content and hence strong contrast is depicted.

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Clinic Plus

Clinic Plus was msotly promoted as a family, health shampoo. Most of the ads involved

the family or the mother-daughter pair in the ad, acknowledging the benefits of healthy

hair attributed to it.

The above ad uses strong imagery in terms of the blue color that Clinic Plus is associated

with. The presence of blue bottle, blue background and blue combs indicate a signal to

the viewer to tie the association between the color blue and Clinic Plus.

On the other hand, the ad below is direct and impactful. It does not use any models or

celebrites to convey the brand message, just a mother-daughter relationship talking about

beautiful hair. There is less possibility of source derogation coming from endorsers like

this. The ad says by using Clinic Plus you can give your child the confidence and make

yourself proud. This is in effect wooing the housewife by saying that a using clinic plus

gives the child confidence and bodes well for children’s performance.

The buyer is typically a middle class house-wife who is concerned about the well being

of her children. Therefore she is on constant look out for giving her children means to

perform better. This is a possible example of catering to selective exposure.

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The above ad creates value and a greater customer maket since it offers them the

sachet. It is eye-cathcing owing to the new style of packaging, i.e. the shampoo in a

sachet.

The above ad appears like it is a supplement to some magazine wherein as part of the

sales promotion something is offered behind the sheet which asks the viewer to check it

out. Again a strong conveyance of the blue color.

The questioning stimulus of the advertisement is a contrasting way of communicating the

value offered by this offering. The effect is highlighted by the bottle in the center shown

with a bright corona outside it, mystifying the content of the bottle.

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Clinic Plus Advertisement Four: More Health for your Hair

The advertisement again presents a contrast with the upside down hung children and both

of them looking alike. Also the statement beneath “More More health health for for your

your hair hair” uses repetitive words to drive home the point that the bottle gives you

twice as much as you expect.The two ‘twins’ hanging upside down with flowing hairs

and the message that is beneath is the figure trying to convey that there is double value in

the offering. This gives a message that this offer will give them twice as much as what

they usually get.

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Pantene

This is a very contrasting ad by its subtleness which stands out with the absolute lack

of text or other frills. The single picture is enough to communicate the message and is

low on perceptual load. The advertisement shows only a strand of hair and a bottle of

pantene hanging from it with a small headline stating, ‘The power of healthy hair’.

The absolute white background looks like it is not a picture but actually a bottle of

Pantene is hung with a thread. The advertisement is very silent on communication in

words except for the small line which can be easily missed. The advertisement

captures attention and then leaves the viewer to figure it out that Pantene makes the

hair grow so strong.

This Advertisement also tries to circumvent the tendency by a customer to pay

attention to only selective stimuli in an advertisement. Usually a customer picks up

what he wants to see from an assortment of stimuli from an advertisement. But in this

advertisement the only thing which is being presented as stimuli is the concept of

strength in hairs due to Pantene. The viewer because he is presented with fewer

stimuli to concentrate on pays attention to the concept the advertiser wants to bring.

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The advertisement is contrasting in more ways than one. First choice of models is male

sadhu. The one third from right has clean flowing hairs while the rest of them sport

unkempt and messy hairs. The background around the four of them is white and allows

viewers to look at the models with full attention.

The figure is the four male sadhus and only one having clean and flowing hairs, which

show that Pantene can bring your hair alive. The small headline on the right bottom

corner is what is being actually conveyed. But even though the advertisement manages to

seek attention whether it will have the desired effect of putting across the message that

with only one Pantene wash you can get flowing, alive hairs is questionable and would

require more research into it. This advertisement could be a possible case of ground

replacing figure as the most visible part of advertisement

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This is again an ad where the message is strongly conveyed by the metaphor and figure

and ground. If we look against the background, this seems like a muscular arm raise,

however on looking at the black outline, it is perceived to be hair shaped accordingly. So

the ad itself has used a direct figure and ground image. Amidst this, the Pantene bottle is

small and obscure since the idea has anyways been conveyed.

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STRATEGIC ORIENTATION

Having analyzed the three shampoo brands, one can try and find a pattern in the

communication they portray.

The advertisements from Sunsilk are refreshing and youthful. They represent energy

and fun, the desire to live life happily.

The advertisements from clinic plus are simple and consistently portray an image of a

family shampoo, to be used by everyone. It concentrates on family values like

mother-daughter, a complete family in harmony etc.

Pantene projects in its advertisement a challenging, Tongue in cheek humor that

addresses the concerns of ‘aspiring’ India in a hearty manner.

After having viewed all three brands and keeping the target consumer in mind, we

take Clinic Plus as the brand whose brand association is to be improved upon.

Clinic Plus is targeted at the family and not any specific type of individual. Its customers

are price-conscious buyers and therefore the primary communication in their

advertisement revolved around promotions. This is understandable given the target

consumers profile and usual buying behavior. But the communication is becoming very

monotonous. After the ‘Jhalke, Damke Damke’ series of advertisements from clinic plus

there has been no other ad campaign which has come out to substantially capture the

imagination with the same success.

The future communication can employ certain suggestions:

1. Clinic Plus is the largest selling shampoo in the country across all categories.

Probably a campaign to take advantage of this can be undertaken. Use its top position

in shampoo market as a ‘halo’ effect; say ‘Largest selling shampoo’ or ‘Most number

of satisfied user’ to gain more acceptance.

2. Increase the portrayal of ‘happy families’ in campaigns and satisfy the ‘Selective

Exposure’ the consumer in the target category seeks. The assumption here being that

the typical clinic plus consumer is from the price conscious range but also is the one

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which is most possible to make transition to upper middle class and comparatively

happier days with respect to increasing financial security and consecutively a ‘better

life’. The consumer is on constant look out for such information of closely knit and

happier families.

3. Clinic Plus brings to the mind an image of the blue clinic plus bottle immediately.

While recently changes have been brought to the shape and color of the bottle, we

suggest the brand should make an effect to develop a binding association with blue

color. This will help cement the brand association and brand recall of clinic plus.

4. Also association with blue color bottle has another advantage. Color blue is

associated with Icy cold and cool comfort from heat. Clinic plus can benefit from this

understanding and association of color blue to cold and comfort on one hand and

Clinic plus on another by bringing the two thoughts together. This will help increase

the perception of Clinic plus as a cool and comforting shampoo. Of course the

product will have back this feeling with additional attributes to the product offering

so that the promise is delivered.

5. Increase use of humor content in ads to make them standout as against conventional

message of health and strength of hair, not using humor much and more of

informative ads. Could border on perceptual overload among all other shampoo brand

ads.

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REFERENCES

1. Schiffman and Kanuk, Perception, Consumer Behaviour, 8th Edition, , Prentice

Hall India

2. Justin M. Aronfreed, Samuel A.Messick, James C.Diggory, “Re-examining

Emotionality and Perceptual Defense”, University of Pennsylvania

3. Haber, Ralph Norman, "Discrepancy from Adaptation Level as a Source of

Affect," Journal of Experimental Psychology, 56(4), 370-375. (1958)

4. Hansen, Flemming, Consumer Choice Behavior: A Cognitive Theory, New York:

The Free Press. (1972)

5. Pimentel and Heckler, “Changes is logo Design: chasing the elusive Butterfly

curve”

6. Nava Rubin, 'Figure and Ground in the Brain', 2001, Nature Publishing Group,

2001

7. Company websites of respective shampoo brands

8. Euromonitor Country Report for India-July 2005, “Cosmetics and Toiletries”

Available on 19-07-2006 on http://www.gmid.euromonitor.com

9. Advertisements were collected from MAGIndia Website, Available on 19-07-

2006 on www.magindia.com

10. www.Hindubusinessline.com

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