Full Assignment 1

Abstract “This paper discusses the critical review on the needs and motivation that

influences consumers’ buying behaviour through the use of canned fruits as a product

offering. Canned fruits are considered fast-moving consumer goods or convenience goods.

Ayam Brand is a well established canned food brand from Malaysia since 1892 in which

canned fruits such as pineapples represent one of their product lines. We find that the

consumers purchasing decision is a process caused by their innate needs which triggers their

motivation to set generic goals and product specific goals followed by being emotionally

motivated through Ayam Brand’s subjective aspects and lastly how marketers use

physiological and environmental arousals to draw consumers to Ayam Brand’s canned

fruits.”

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how potential needs and motivation of consumers

can influences their consumption patterns on a specific brand of product.

The chosen product category is canned fruits, pineapple canned fruits in particular. Canned

fruits are classified as fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), or convenience goods as they

are consumed in a single use or on a few usage occasions, which also referred to as non-

durable products (Kotler, Brown, Burton, Deans & Armstrong, 2010). The chosen brand

product is Ayam Brand, with its competitors namely being AliShan, Lee, Rex and so forth.

This paper will outline the potential needs and motivation to canned fruits, the linkage

between generic goals and product-specific goals using the means-end analysis, whether

consumers behave rationally or emotionally when making a purchase decision for this

particular FMCG as well as the motives that current marketers of Ayam Brand arouse in their

marketing campaigns to promote their canned fruits.

2.0 ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL NEEDS AND MOTIVATION

2.1 Needs

Needs is a human action which marketers try to understand, emphasize and satisfy. Everyone

has different needs as they continually strive to accomplish those needs. Innate needs

(physiological) or basic needs are food, air, clothing, shelter and sex (Shiffman, Bednall,

O’cass, Paladino, Ward & Kanuk, 2008).

Purchasing canned fruits is considered as an innate need as canned fruits are categorized as

food as well as a fast moving consumer good (FMCG). Consumers generally place less

thought into the purchase of FMCG than they do for other products (FMCG View, 2007).

Hence, consumers purchase Ayam Brand’s canned fruits as it is not only convenient but also

cheaper compared to fresh fruits. For certain families that do not have time to shop for fresh

fruits, they can just go to the nearby convenient stores and purchase the canned fruits.

At least 90% of the families consume some commercially canned foods during a period of

three to four months as a result of change in family life (Church, 1946).

From the table below, it shows that 55% of the families in the sample consume canned fruits.

Needs becomes a motive when it is aroused to an adequate level of intensity ( Schiffman, et

al., 2008). This means that when an individual realises the need of canned fruits, it becomes a

reason to look for the desired brand, and the desired choice of fruits. Certain consumers

choose to buy Ayam Brand brand because they have a large variety of mixture of fruits, for

example, fruit cocktail which consists of peaches, pears, pineapples, grapes and cherries,

(Ayam Brand, 2009). Consumers also choose Ayam Brand because of its reputation as the

company is a major force in the canned fruit industry as it is not only well established in

Malaysia but many other countries, particularly in Asia (Ayam Brand, 2009).

2.2 Motivation

Motivation is an inner drive that indicates goal-oriented arousal (Montgomery, 2008). This

inner drive is formed by a state of tension caused by an unfulfilled need (Schiffman, et al.,

2008). Thus, consumers of Ayam Brand canned fruit have a driving force inside them to

satisfy their need of enjoying a convenient healthy snack.

2.3 Goals

A goal is an unrealised state that an individual does not possess but which is deemed

desirable (Emsley, 2003). In other words, consumers are internally driven to achieve a

desired outcome such as hunger pangs or a sudden craving for a snack. All behaviour is goal-

oriented.

Needs work as a motivation to attain a goal that can be generic or product-specific

(Schiffman & Kanuk, 2000). In this case, a generic goal to a healthy convenient snack would

be canned fruits while a product-specific goal would be Ayam Brand’s canned pineapple

fruits which specifically represent one of the various brands in the market.

Generic goal – Canned fruits Product-specific goal – Ayam Brand

A different way to tackle the needs-goal paradigm is through means-end analysis. It presents

marketers a way to position products by relating means (the product’s physical attributes)

with advertising that aims to connect the consumption of products to the achievement of

desired ends (valued states) (Gutman, 1982). For example, knowing that consumers intend to

consume canned fruits does not reveal much unless marketers know the reason for their

consumption (health, convenience, hunger, etc., which are value-level considerations) and

what fruit type (longan, peach, pineapple, etc.) they associate with canned fruits. The Ayam

Brand marketer who seeks to satisfy the mentioned consumer’s means for consumption

would be clever to convince consumers who are concerned with the goal of healthy

convenient snack to buy canned pineapple fruits and particularly, the Ayam Brand brand

name to attain that goal (Durgee, 1996). Hence, the marketer is attempting to turn the generic

goal intro a product-specific goal.

2.4 Rational vs Emotional Motives

Consumers can be rationally or emotionally motivated when making any purchase decision.

Rational motives serve to maximise satisfaction based on an objective assessment (Aziz,

2009). Emotional motives imply that consumer select goals based on subjective or personal

preference (Schiffman, et al., 2008).

FMCG markets are defined as relatively low-cost, constantly purchased and immediately

consumed products on which consumers exert minimal purchasing effort (Leahy, 2011).

Ayam Brand’s canned fruit is an FMCG and therefore, consumers are unlikely to be

rationally motivated in their purchasing decision. As shown in the picture below, a quick

check at the Giant Hypermarket reveals that Ayam Brand’s canned pineapple fruits along

with its competitors are relatively low in cost, roughly about the same price, roughly about

the same size and weight and have an expiry date within two years of purchase.

Emotional motives can be used when rational motives do not produce a decision (Hertzberg,

1976). Due to its FMCG nature, consumers are more likely to be emotionally motivated

based on their subjective criteria. Today’s consumers want variety and choice (Datta, 1996).

For example, Ayam Brand’s canned fruits have a variety of recipes available online for their

canned pineapple fruits (Ayam Brand, 2009). Besides, packaging sells the product by

attracting attention and communicating to the consumer (Prendergast, 1971). The labeling

and design of Ayam Brand’s canned fruits can which is the companies symbolic red and

yellow colours will cause consumers to behave emotionally by attracting their attention and

by triggering the hunger need of consumers to consume canned fruits. Also, Ayam Brand is a

well established brand which fulfills the consumer’s desire for prestige and recognition

(James, 1999).

2.5 Arousal of Motives

Park and Mittal (1985) describes motive as “goal-oriented arousal”. The arousal of motives is

due to internal stimulation including physiological, emotional and cognitive arousals as well

as external stimulation including environmental arousals (Schiffman, et al., 2008).

Consumers generally may understand that they need to depend on related information to help

them make the appropriate decisions when selecting products, particularly a wide range of

canned fruits on offer in the market. As long as their activated needs aren’t satisfied, they will

continue to remain in a state of tension. Current marketing campaigns for Ayam Brand’s

canned fruits utilise both physiological and environmental arousal.

Physiological arousal occurs when there are changes in physiological processes in the body

like stomach contractions that activate specific needs like hunger (Schiffman, et al., 2008).

For instance, a hungry person may open his fridge door to search for food and make a mental

note to stock up on food. Research indicates that television programs are able to provoke

physiological arousal (Surendra & Gilbert, 1987). Ayam Brand’s canned pineapple fruits

have been featured in several cooking television programs and subsequently their videos on

various recipes can easily be found online (Ayam Brand, 2009).

Videos of Recipe – (Ayam Brand, 2009)

Today’s consumers want variety and choice (Datta, 1996). Consumers who purchase Ayam

Brand’s canned fruits have a wide variety of recipes in which videos of them can be

downloaded and printed.

Environmental arousal occurs when distinct stimuli in the environment activate particular

needs and motives (Schiffman, et al., 2008). For example, promotion is an environmental

cue. “Promotion is used to communicate with consumers with respect to product offerings.”

(Rowley, 1927). During Chinese New Year, Ayam Brand introduced a promotion whereby

ang pao packets would be given out as a free gift for every purchase of three of their canned

fruits, while stocks last (Ayam Brand, 2009). Consumers, particularly Chinese consumers

who notice this promotion will be motivated to purchase Ayam Brand’s offerings although

they had no intention to purchase it on that day.

Chinese New Year Promotion – (Ayam Brand, 2009)

Besides, research shows that on unplanned purchasing, exposure to in-store cues in a grocery

environment such as local hypermarkets activates need recognition (Easwar, 1989). The vital

consequences of an inefficient assortment and promotion are stock-outs and confusion, which

angers consumers when they are not able to find their desired products (Kyle & Thomas,

1986). Hence, Ayam Brand’s canned fruits are placed strategically in the isle of other fast

moving consumer goods so that it is easily noticeable by consumers.

Ayam Brand’s Canned Pineapple Cubes at a Giant Hypermarket shelf.

3.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Marketers must fully understand that consumer needs and motivation can influence consumer

decision making and product choice. At first, consumers have to undergo a need with an

intensity high enough that will motivate them to satisfy it. They will then set generic followed

by product-specific goals to achieve. Depending on the individual, consumers will select their

goals based on rational (objective) or emotional (subjective) motives. These motives are then

aroused through either internal or external stimuli that causes them to experience a need and

are activated to satisfy it.

The canned fruit market is very competitive and demands a dynamic marketing approach

(Jabbar, 2007). It is recommended that Ayam Brand adopt a positive motivation when

marketing its canned fruits. Consumers are positively motivated when they are involved in

behaviour where they approach an object (Schiffman, et al., 2008). Ayam Brand can portray

their canned fruits as helping consumers achieve positive goals by consuming a healthy snack

which is convenient to consume as well as inexpensive.