QUESTION ONE (25 POINTS)
CH5: PICK ONLY ONE FROM THE FOLLOWING TWO QUESTIONS:
Ch. 5 READING QUESTION 1
Explain two or more examples from Galloway’s critique of the ways in which Big Tech marketing (Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple) strategically prey upon our physiological, safety, social, and/or personal needs (pp. 119-121).
Do you find Galloway’s arguments ultimately convincing concerning how The Four target our learning processes (122-123) by stirring up drives through the strategic interplay of cues (123), consumer response (123), reinforcement (123), and trust (127) for their own gain?
Has he made a convincing case in his attempts to show the harms that ‘The Four’ inflict upon consumer well-being (for instance, the health effects of social media and smartphones, tax evasion, job destruction, etc.)?
Explain one or more supporting strength or weakness to his overall argument, specifically as his analysis views the digital age as vastly altering consumer behavior.
*If you are interested in incorporating Galloway’s “Ted Talk” on these topics, see the video at:
Ch. 5 READING QUESTION 2
In Solomon’s Forbes essay ‘Consumer Behavior in the New Normal’ , he believes that marketers can best predict how consumer behavior will continue to change by looking closely as three basic dimensions: gratification, agency, and stability (GAS).
Explain what he means by each of these and provide an original example of an additional likely success story on one or more of these dimensions.
How might lifestyle (127), wants versus needs (119), and/or selective exposure, perception, and retention (122) affect his analysis of what he terms the New Normal?
Given the almost year-long gap since Solomon originally wrote this piece, what would be a fourth dimension you would suggest he add for businesses to consider as they rebuild? Provide a list of three or more likely success stories you would add to this fourth dimension of the New Normal.
Lastly, reread the textbook section on ‘Culture, Ethnicity, and Consumer Behavior’ in the second half of chapter five (pp. 131-134) and consider how the ‘New Normal’ might vary across different cultural, ethnic, and/or international contexts.
Can you think of concrete examples whereby the pandemic has affected consumer behavior across different cultural, ethnic, or international contexts in different ways?
Or, do you believe his analysis of the ‘New Normal’ for the present and future holds relatively constant for consumer behavior across all social contexts? Explain.
QUESTION TWO (25 POINTS)
CH5: PICK ONLY ONE FROM THE FOLLOWING THREE QUESTIONS:
CH5, 3a) Review the Apple case study that opens the chapter. From this example, identify examples of different key terms and concepts covered in the chapter.
For example, on-the-spot demos of the iPod can be conducted by an ‘opinion leader’ (130). Again, on your own view, applying concepts from the chapter, what else could Apple do to enhance the launch and subsequent sales of Apple Music?
Offer some strategy suggestions and justify each by referring to concepts from this chapter, from the Galloway chapter on The Four and the body, and/or Solomon’s views on how the ‘New Normal’ will likely shape consumer behavior in ways relevant to the Apple case.
CH5, 3b) In the concluding line of Solomon’s ‘Consumer Behavior in the New Normal,’ the author claims as his mantra: ‘We don’t buy products because of what they do. We buy them because of what they mean’ (pp. 16-17).
Based on Exhibit 5-1 and/or Exhibit 5-2 as pertains to ‘why’ consumers buy what they buy (pp. 116-117) or anything in the New Normal article, what would be some examples to support or undermine this claim of his? Do you think he is right in this claim? Why or why not?
What would be the strongest critique one could give to challenge him that we actually buy products more for what they do (‘use value’) than for what they mean (sign value’)? How might he reply? Should we be convinced by his reply?
CH5, 3c) Explain how psychographics (127), lifestyle analysis (127), and predictive analytics aid in our understanding of consumer behavior (138). Define each in your own terms and provide an original example for each.
Then, provide one or more example consistent with Galloway’s views on the Four using psychographic, lifestyle, and/or predictive analysis to target (and manipulate?) our bodies, our drives (119), needs (119), wants (119), and emotions Then, explain how psychographics, lifestyle analysis, and/or predictive analytics might significantly differ for planning marketing strategies to reach college students, as opposed to average consumers, especially in the culture (132) that Solomon in his Forbes article believes constitute ‘The New Normal.’
QUESTION THREE (25 POINTS)
CH19: PICK ONLY ONE FROM THE FOLLOWING TWO QUESTIONS:
Ch.19 READING QUESTION 1
Read over the short case on big data social profiles on p. 547 under the title ‘What’s Next? Marketers use big data and analytics—cool or creepy?’ Notice the difference between Nick and Shelby in the comparative marketing strategies that utilize big data driven social profiles.
Does it seem fair to you that Shelby, although wealthier, would receive a $1.00 coupon, get offers for low-interest credit cards, etc. while Nick who is not wealthy, would receive a $0.50 coupon and no low-interest credit card offerings? And as for how Facebook, Twitter, cell phone activity, conversations, and clicks influence their personalized ad feeds, do you think this is ‘cool or creepy’?
A little of both? In your own experience, have you had any similar instances of marketing managers creating a consumer profile of you that have led to ‘cool or creepy’ cases of ad and sales promotion
? If so, explain. Based on the Blackboard selection from his ‘Yes, and Now What?’ chapter 11 and/or his Ted Talk, what do you think Galloway would say about these sorts of cases—’cool or creepy’?
Ch. 19 READING QUESTION 2
Using either the Blackboard selection from his Ch. 11 or link to his Ted Talk, explain two or more examples from Galloway’s presentation of the ways in which Big Tech marketing (Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple) preys upon consumer vulnerability.
Do you find Galloway’s arguments ultimately convincing? On your view, has he made a convincing case in his attempts to show the unethical harms that ‘The Four’ inflict upon consumer well-being (for instance, the health effects of social media and smartphones, tax-evasion, job destruction, etc.)?
This time, how might Galloway’s argument pertain to our textbook Ch. 19 Exhibit 19-6, p. 544 on the proposed cooperative model among the three key groups needed for an effective marketing strategy to contribute to a better world: consumer-citizens, business/marketing, and government/society, pp. 543-544]?
On your view, which of the three groups hold the most importance and why?
*If you are interested in incorporating Galloway’s “Ted Talk” that also touches on these topics, see the video at:
QUESTION FOUR (25 POINTS)
Ch. 19: PICK ONLY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING THREE QUESTIONS:
3a) Review the case study that opens the chapter (pp. 527-528) and then reread the chapter section ‘Today’s Marketers Face Challenges and Opportunities’ (pp. 541-549). If you could advise the U.S. government, would you increase regulation around these challenges?
Focus on one or more challenge in particular as a way to illustrate your point. On your view, do American consumers need or want all of these options (e.g. 11 kinds of Cheerios, etc.)?
Do you think they are more satisfied with products that better meet their individual choices—or are they overwhelmed by too much choice? Explain.
3b) Should marketing managers, or business managers in general, refrain from producing profitable products that some target customers want, but that may not be in their long run best interest? Should firms be expected to produce “good” but less profitable products?
What if such products break even? What if they are unprofitable but the company makes other profitable products—so on balance it still makes some profit? Looking back over your responses, what criteria are you using for your answers?
3c) Discuss how two or more of the trends or changes shown in Exhibit 19-5 (p. 542) are affecting marketing strategy planning for two or more specific firms that serve the market where you live.
The textbook authors argue that as firms adapt to a wide array of changes and trends affecting marketing strategy planning, they also note the increasing consumer trend of expecting businesses to behave ethically and to make the world a better place (p. 543).
Given your discussion of two or more firms in the initial part of this question, does their marketing strategy include a commitment to ethical behavior and/or making the world a better place?
If so, explain how. If not, what might they consider doing differently to leverage this social/ethical trend in their marketing strategy planning?
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