Memory and Consumer Behavior - Essay Example

?Memory is defined as the recollection of past experiences. In marketing, it is a consumer’s personal storehouse of knowledge about products and service and consumption experience. It is comprised of two important parts: an experience, a second experience that is related to the first experience. Thus, memory associates with the retrieval term which is “the process of remembering or accessing what we have stored in memory”. For instance, consumers are able to identify products easily after having seen or used them in the past. Most marketers capitalize on the memories of the consumers by ensuring that their marketing messages are designed in ways that are easy to remember. Similarly, the interest of marketers also includes the perception of the consumers with inclusion of filtering and storage of memory. Most marketing firms rely on memory in ensuring that they meet their targets. Models of Memory Standard Model This type of memory is devoted to show that the memory of human beings is easily affected by the position of an item that is placed sequentially on list. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as serial- position effect. Thus, human beings are best at been able to recapture the first and last items on a particular list and tend to forget those that are the middle. This process of remembering the first items is known as the primary effect while the process of remembering the last items is known as the recency effect (Hoyer & Maclnnis,2008). Additionally, standard model of memory is argued to comprise of system that is further divided into three interacting systems namely: sensory memory ,short memory and the long term memory. First, the sensory memory which refer to the initial process of storing information that is perceived through our senses. It is known to hold a given piece of perception in mind temporally for both visual and auditory sensations, it lasts about 1-2 seconds after which the information could be dismissed or transfer it to short-term memory. For example during listening to my friend talk on the phone , I overheard my mother speaking about her backache because I can't pay attention for both of them I will store some of my mother talk and switch back to my friend’s talk. Second, short term memory (STM) is known to hold a limited amount of encoded information on a time frame of 15sesonds. The qualities of this type of memory divided to the two elements: capacity and the time needed to transfer information to the LTM. Transfer times as mentioned above allows the information to stay in STM 15 second at least before it is encode to LTM or decay. The other element is the capacity. Miller (1956) worked out that seven chunks of information approximately could memory handle at one time this because for keeping the ability of rehearsing these items. Also, on a more concrete level, the use of chunking has been proven to be a significant aid for enhancing the STM transfer to LTM. STM's capacity is limited to about seven items, regardless of the complexity of those items. Chunking allows the brain to automatically group certain items together, hence the ability to remember and learn better. Third, long term memory is argued to hold unlimited amount of information in the mind for a longer period of time: minutes to years (Hoyer &Maclnnis, 2008). The coding processes which lead the information transfer to LTM it may be the most crucial process for retention the message. Marketers can take advantage of the memory to create meaningful and unforgettable elements. Network Model This type of model is denoted to show that the memory of human beings has the tendency to keep information in form of node which is further connected with other information nodes. Essentially, nodes are perceived to have either semantic or affective. As a result, nodes have dictated the type of emotions and related associates that human beings experience (Hoyer &Maclnnis, 2008). Applications of the Memory to Marketing Marketing of products highly depends on consumer behaviour. As such, all marketers should ensure that the behaviour of customers is well understood to facilitate easy marketing. According to psychologists, the use of short memory by marketers must ensure that customers are not fed with too much information that is new to them at once. Ideally, the information given by marketers should be simple language and be broken in chucks to facilitate easy understanding for the consumer in determining if they are ready to purchase the brand or not. For instance, a marketer can give a consumer a brand, what the brand does, show or give them a contact, phone number and end with showing or giving them a sample of the product. In terms of encouraging rehearsal, marketer should ensure that the advertisement placed on media especially the social mass media such as YouTube, Twitter , Facebook , and blogs because the word of mouth communication tend to be more widespread and trustful especially if it used by non-marketers resource such as popular opinion leader in specific domain . This ensures that potential consumers gain confidence in the brand that is being advertised. For instance, if an international company such as Coca Cola Company decided to market a new product then they must first rehearse the catchy segment before it is taken to the media for advertising (Boone & Kurtz, 2010). One of the ways in which the phenomena of memory can be used in marketing is its ability to help in branding. All great companies depend on branding to access the market. Branding would not be easy without memory. The reason a brad is a brand is because people can remember the visual aspects of the brand such as the packaging. This include the colours, shapes and logos all of which the people remember and associate with a certain company and a certain product. A very good example of this is the coca cola brand. Coca Cola Company has been credited as being one of the best firms to have used branding to create a global market for its products. Coca Cola used chunks of information as a way to create a memorable image in the minds of many people. To begin with, Coca Cola made sure that its logos were everywhere even in the remotest places in the word. To complement this, Coca Cola also used television advertising. These chunks of information made it easier for the consumers to be able to rehearse the information and keep a clear memory of the Coca Cola brand. Firms can use this strategy to create a brand for themselves. To begin with, they would have to make sure that the images of their brand are delivered to the consumer in different modes. This is easier in a modern world because there are numerous media for delivering messages, which include television, print media, bill boards and the social media. Relations with Cognitive Theory Of importance is that marketing must be in close relation with a learning theory in order to work best. Cognitive learning theory entails problem solving. Essentially, most of the objects involved are perceived in new and meaningful relationship with one another thus increasing the impact between marketer’s message and customer reception. For instance, in the last decades the implication of the cognitive theory can be used to help in ant-smoking advertisements by creating an unforgettable emotions and massage in memory included unpleasant fear, and a sense of anxiety which could convince the unused smokers to change their behaviour. This is by remembering and thinking of the unpleasant images on packaging or visual screen. Similarly, marketers should utilize expectancy and relevance cues that are mostly present in the products. Basically, cues are necessary in advertised products as they ensure that ensure the consumer associate or stimulate the product with past experiences. For instance, retrieval cues placed on a Coca Cola advertisements express it is everyday drink which is for enjoyment, parties and youth. Read More