Guinness Advertisement and Consumer Buying Process - Case Study Example

Consumer Buying Process Authors [Name] University’s [Name] Table of Contents Executive summary 3 Introduction 3 Segmentation 4 Perception 6 THE BUYING PROCESS OF A CONSUMER 8 Problem identification 8 Information search 10 Evaluation of alternatives 11 PURCHASE DECISION 11 Post –purchase decision 12 Marketing mix 13 Place 13 Price 13 Promotion 14 15 MOTIVATION 15 RECOMMEDATIONS 17 CONCLUSION 18 APPENDIX 19 Executive summary This report comprises of the critical analysis of Guinness advertisement as well as the consumer buying process. This report will show the relationship of the two aspects. Advertisements are vital in the contemporary business setting due to the fact that businesses aims to introduce new products, expand their markets, eliminate middlemen and educating consumers just to mention a few. As a result, the report will cover the process involved for a consumer to buy a Guinness product in expense of other drinks. Also, the report will explain what happens before purchase and after purchase. Again, the dynamics that influences the choice of the product. At the same time, how media advertisement can influence the consumers to buy products. Additionally, this report will provide some recommendations on how to improve the advertisement. Introduction Basically, purchase is the only noticeable part of a complex decision made by the customer for each buying decision they make (Viio, 2016). Managers should be able to exploit this process so as to satisfy the customers. They must be aware of altitudes, intentions, preferences of their consumers for their firms to be competitive enough. As a result, the managers should manipulate their customers by studying the decision making of their customers and developing marketing strategies. However, to incorporate the advertisement process the institution should understand the consumer buying process. One of the strategies that many managers and institutions have incorporated and attested to work is the advertisement. In this concept, there are various types’ advertisements that can be used. They include, use of billboards, guerilla methods, use of media, online advertisements, use of promotions internet amidst a few. Advertisement is a vital tool for firms to have and maintain competitive advantage against their competitors[Shi15]. In this case, I will analyze the Guinness advert on the television and radios. The ad was created in 2014 to promote the brand in Africa by Guinness Africa. The company built the brand slogan of ‘made of more,’ as well as, a strap line of ‘made of black’. According to Mark Sunday the global director of Guinness the campaign was a celebration of an altitude that represents individuals who are not afraid to truly express themselves. Segmentation The ad was created in 2014 to promote Guinness ad in African soil. Consequently, Guinness Africa agreed a deal to advertise the brand with Kanye west. The company was aware that many customers would like to identify themselves with the black musician if he chooses to advertise the brand. At the same time, the company added the background of the song as the black skinhead to lure black people to take the beer. Again, to increase their segmentation to the black people the advert featured famous artists like Fuse ODG, and Phyno who are all black. The gentlemen advertised black as an altitude rather than a color since Guinness is black. This aimed the black people who want to identify themselves with celebrities like Kanye west and Fuse ODG. This is known as lifestyle segmentation. Additionally, the ad also segmented the market in terms of certain level of income. Many consumers believe that the pop music stars have a lot of money and by taking what they take will identify them with the celebrities. Fuse ODG Kanye west Many customers felt proud of taking the same beer with their rich black celebrities. This segmentation is popular when a company want to target the youths (Bashar, 2013 ). Perception Vodka Quality Guinness Guinness vodka Price Class Guinness vodka Malt Guinness Alcohol content A perception map of Guinness brand and its competitors The nearer the brand is to the center, the lower the percentage of respective feature. The axis in the perception map represent alcohol content, class, price and quality .This are Guinness distinctive features ahead of their competitors. All plotted items are noteworthy competitors. Competitors are present in any market to shape the direction of a brand. Again, they keep Guinness on toes to offer quality products and services to their customer. Due to the presence of competitors the firms focus on the weaknesses rather than their strengths (Llanelli Star Llanelli, 2015). The Ad has created an image of classy Guinness brand due to the fact that beer is taken by famous musicians. At the same time, in the perception map Guinness brand drops due to the presence of brands like Vodka that have over 45 % alcohol content. However, the brand price is lower compared to other competitors. The class of Guinness is much high compared to other competitors due to the fact that there are key figures including US president taking the brand. This gives a competitive advantage over the others. This alters the consumers perception about the beer. THE BUYING PROCESS OF A CONSUMER Buying process of a consumer is a compound matter because there are both internal and external factors that impact the buying decision (Lawrence, 2014 ). Consumers spend less thinking time about purchasing of low value products bought due to their compulsion. As a result, the firms should implement a methodology that inspires the consumers to buy from them rather than their competitors. Also, when the consumer purchases a high value product they often go through a process. According to Phillip Kotler, there are sequential steps that are followed by the consumer to reach to the final decision making. The steps are as follows Problem identification According to Kotler, in this stage the consumer wants to recognize the unmet need. In other words, this is the source of force of buying behavior. In this context there is the buying need arising from unmet need. As a result, the need compels an individual to act and buy a product to meet the need. In this stage the buyer senses a difference between actual state and the desired .Meaning the need can be triggered by external or internal stimuli .Internal stimuli include normal and basic needs such as hunger, thirst and well-being. At the same time, the external stimuli include stimulations like an individual watching a new brand entering the market and desiring to buy. (Llanelli Star Llanelli, 2015).The Guinness advert is normally on the supersport channelsandthat time many customers are relaxing taking beer or soda. Consequently, the ad is mostly played during prime hours like the halftime break and before the game start. Here the main motive of this ad is to lure customers to buy their product. Again, to make the customers feel the impulse of taking a beer. This is where the identification of the need happens. Below are some of the pictures displayed during game time. These advertisements of Guinness Africa attract the black people due to the fact that Africa is inhabited with black people. At the same time, the fact that Guinness is black is used as a comparison with black people and their confidence. Information search This is the second stage of consumer buying process. In this stage the consumer tries to seek information about the products they want. The consumer reads the newspapers, magazines watch televisions listen to the radio advertisements (Gensler, 2012 ). Again, they visit showrooms as well as asking their friends who are aware of what they want. In other words, the consumer will search for all the information available from all the sources available. In this ad the consumer is likely seeks information from the televisions and the friends aroundthem about the Guinness brand. Frequently, the consumers always try more than one source of information (Badgaiyan Anant Jyoti, 2014). Consequently, the consumers may decide to buy A Guinness product and try to see if the taste is preferential. Evaluation of alternatives This is the third stage of consumer buying process. In this context the consumer has already collected the enough information about a certain brands. What follows is an evaluation of the brands as they cannot buy all of them. Usually, the consumers select the best brands that bid the maximum satisfaction. In other words, they evaluate the brands to judge which is the superlative and most attractive. Evaluation employs the evaluating various alternatives with a particular choice benchmarks. Davis, 2011 affirms that the consumer evaluates the following dynamics. Benefits offered by the brands, qualities and features, history of the brands, popularity and image, availability of brands warrant amongst others. Consequently, the customers will evaluate the price, safety after use, the level of alcohol in the Guinness products against the competitors of Guinness. PURCHASE DECISION Purchase decision is the fourth stage of consumer buying process. In this phase the consumer prefers one and the most auspicious brand out of numerous. Here, the consumers have weighed the alternatives and came up with the brand of their choice. The brand that maximizes the benefits and satisfaction is preferred; this is aided by the evaluation stages where the consumer weighs alternatives (Bashar, 2013, ). The most attractive and offers more profits compared to other brands is selected. Kotler alluded that Comparison illustrates the inferiority or superiority of a brand. In this stage the consumers makes up their mind to purchase the favorite brands. Customers weigh the attributes of Guinness and other types of beer like Heineken, malt, Vodka and other brands. Following, is the decision to buy the beer. Post –purchase decision This is the fifth phase of the buying process. In this phase the consumers have already bought the Guinness brand that satisfies their need. As a result there are certain expectations of the brand. Nonetheless, the consumer is very systematic when choosing but there is no guarantee of comprehensive satisfaction. Possibility of variation between the expected level of satisfaction and the actual satisfaction always emerge. The consequent behavior is influenced by the gradation of satisfaction (Badgaiyan Anant Jyoti, 2014 ) Marketing mix The Guinnness ad has utilised the marketing mix perfectily.The 4ps of marketing mix include product ,place process,price and promotion.However, in this case I will discuss price, place and promotion because they are more relevant in this ad. Place Guinness Kenya has a large network of stores allover Africa.This has aided in availability of the product as well as convenience and accessibility for their customers.Additionally, the ad shows customers enjoying their drinks in variuous party of Africa.At the same time, presence of the bars and and drinking places in the advert further indicate the availabilty of the brand globally. Better still, the ad displays the black beer and naming it an altitude rather than color,this encourage the black people.Again, the ad displays how to diffrentiate the Guinness with the competitors.This gives a milestone to the company brand. Price The ad starts by showing the greatness of the black people who takes the beer. At the same time, the ad displays how Guinness cares for its customers by entertaining them and sponsoring games. Also, the ad displays people in their jovial moods watching football. Kanye West and Fuse ODG appear playing black skinhead head song. Existence of the US President Barack Obama taking the beer shows the class of the beer. This confirms the slogan ‘made of black ‘This makes the consumer forget about the price of the brand but the quality of the brand. It’s worth noting, customers are always willing to pay more when the services offered are quality. Promotion The ad displays the jovial customers happy and satisfied with the Guinness brand .The ad shows great goals by footballers .resolves the question where and when to get marketing messages to the target market. At the same time, the ad gives the Guinness websites, their Facebook accounts name, twitter handles and the link- in. This are the important sources of information where customers can get information about the brand. Again, this helps the firm to expand markets and eliminate middlemen. Better still, the ad shows Guinness customers who have won firms promotions competitions. The displays shows young man celebrating winning free airtime. Again, a middle aged man who have won a shopping voucher of Guinness brand and jovially celebrating with friends. This motivates the consumers in different parts of Africa and the world. MOTIVATION Motivation is an extremely important aspect in the consumer satisfaction. It’s worth noting, unmotivated consumer can be motivated by different variables when the buying process is well understood. According to evolution theory by Charles Darwin he postulated that human behavior is affected by directional aspect and arousal component. In other words, Darwin alluded that there are internal and external stimulus of human behavior. Further, Abraham Maslow 1965 postulated that needs are hierarchal. Meaning human needs are inform of a ladder. Once one need is fulfilled another need arises. According to Maslow when a physiological needs are meet the human nature will demand for safety needs. At the same time, when safety needs are met, nature demand for belonging, then esteem and lastly self-actualization. In this ad Guinness Africa presume that everybody watching the advert is above belonging level. As a result, they can be able to buy Guinness brand. They display attractive pictures of the Guinness brand on the televisions. This pictures motivate their consumers to buy the product. At the same time, presence of celebrities like Kanye West play a big role in persuading the customers to buy their brand. Many customers want to identify themselves with Kanye West to fulfill their esteem stage in the Maslow hierarchy of needs. Maslow hierarchy of needs Pictures used in the Guinness advertisement RECOMMEDATIONS Guinness Africa should spend a lot of money in the advertisement sector to realize growth in their sales. At the same time, the use of media should be paramount. Nevertheless, firms should check on their advertisement not to contain content that may corrupt the minds of minors. Also, advertisements that are sensitive to gender and or culture. The firms should take initiatives to support the customers in every stage of buying process. To capture the attention of the consumers the firms should offer quality goods. Again, the companies should offer promotions to their customers. At the same time, loyalty cards that accumulate points as the customers do their shopping. CONCLUSION After a profound evaluation of the buying process and Guinness advertisement on TV it can be concluded that: Buying process is a journey that starts from problem recognition to reaction of the consumers. The whole process is significant to the organizations this stages are sequential and the companies must understand them for them to understand the preferences of consumers. The ad by Guinness Africahas successfully advertised the Guinness brand well in African soil.       APPENDIX Buying is a process that comprises of five stages that are inevitable to successfully satisfy the consumers.   References Shi15: , (Shimizu, 2015), Read More