Marketing Psychology and Consumer Behaviour
Let’s eat with Joy.
Let’s eat with, joy!
Did you spot the difference between two sentences, well it’s hard to differentiate. The first sentence might be set in a scenario, in a school canteen , where two friends walk, in and see two seats vacant beside their classmate Joy, where one says, let’s eat with Joy. The second sentence might be set in a scenario where a family was having a bad day, and at dinner table the Man announces, Let’s eat with, joy.
The Frame of Reference, is of key importance, whether you ask, Physicist, Grammarian, Geologist or a Marketer.
The Framing Effect is a cognitive bias where people decide on options based on whether the options are presented with positive or negative connotations; e.g. as a loss or as a gain.
– Scott Plous
Let’s understand this is with an example as shown in the figure above, the left one shows Yogurt, with 20% fat while the right one portrays Yogurt, 80% fat free, logically it does mean the same, but our mind perceives the right one as healthier option than the left, this is a classic example of our Cognitive Biases.
Let’s look through our Marketing lens, it is a common practice of all vegetable and fruit venders, to place the bright, ripe and fresh veggies and fruit at the top with not so good counterparts at the bottom. It is the same framing principle in work, the seller wants you to see only the best of his items. Smart enough right!!.
Our trusted Modern Trade Outlets, which claims to sell the best at the cheapest do play by the same principle, how exactly?
Well the answer lies in your own sight, have you wondered, why do they have special shelves, for different brands and products. The three rows, top, bottom and middle row have distinct price ranges, where usually the topmost shelf will have premium product ranges, as these are placed right at the eye-level, so scanning the packaging, contents and the price tags will be easiest for the customer. The middle will have slightly lower priced products as compared to top-shelf, customers are bound to compare these products with their top-shelf counterparts. The lowest might be the cheapest of the three. The most picked items are the middle low items as it satisfies customer’s need of the best and the value for money, thus while comparing products from the three rows, the middle one, strikes the middle ground between the price and quality in the minds of the customers, as cheaper products are assumed to be of inferior quality, this comparison is explained by, The Decoy Effect.
The Decoy Effect (or attraction effect or asymmetric dominance effect) is the phenomenon whereby consumers will tend to have a specific change in preference between two options when also presented with a third option that is asymmetrically dominated. An option is asymmetrically dominated when it is inferior in all respects to one option; but, in comparison to the other option, it is inferior in some respects and superior in others.
The Framing Principle coupled with Decoy Effects is present in all our day to day choices. It governs our decision making process and helps us to make quick decisions. These two principles play a great role in advertising and packaging.
The Insurance and the Medicare policies are sold with the positive connotation, that’s you are being a responsible Family Man, who takes great care for his family and takes great pride in insuring his future with his family. The tobacco and cigarettes come with lung cancer warning on the packages, which is a negative connotation, aimed the reduce and discourage smokers.
In this Digital World, we come across number of Call To Actions, while searching for favourite food, sports, apparels ect. Some may have a positive connotation such as Call Now and get 10% off, some may bare negative connotation such as 10% Discount, Offer Valid till stock lasts, Hurry Up or Limited Offer, Hurry Up. The positive CTAs attract audiences, with showing extra benefits while the negative CTAs allures customers to make their buying decision fast. Well, both do play the same trick, just with different wands.
Brands pick these principles to compete in the market. The perfect example for these type of competitions are the two leading detergent brands Surf Excel and Tide, offered by two FMCG rivals Hindustan Unilever and P & G.
The Tide came up with the positive connotation taglines Tide Plus White Plus, Tide ab Zyada nahi Aadha Lagega, Kyu Chaunk Gaye na where Surf Excel came up with a game changer tagline Daag Ache Hai, though with a negative connotation but proved to be a super effective Marketing Strategy by HUL.
Well next time, when you are shopping at Big Bazar, or are at Starbucks and can’t decide the which one to choose from Short, Tall & Grande do remember the Framing and Decoy Effects!!
Marketing Psychology and Consumer Behaviour
Murtaza Choolawala
Geologist, Marketer
Hi, I am Murtaza, an enthusiastic researcher. Always curious to learn new things and to connect with people. Tech and Marketing are my obsession, and Research and Analysis are my Passion.
Marketing Psych 