Consumer behaviour is the study of how people use and interact with products, services, and other aspects of their environment. It is an important subject because it helps businesses understand how to design and market their products, as well as persuade consumers to buy them. It can be broken down into five main categories: product choice, consumption, brand choice, communication, and decision-making. This article looks at six case studies for a better understanding of consumer behaviour.
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Case Study #1 Marketing a Toy for Boys
One of Fisher-Price’s most significant challenges when marketing a toy for boys was that many of their products were considered by the buyers to be more appropriate for girls. So when marketers developed a new line of toys for boys, they targeted parents with a series of Facebook ads showing pictures of adults playing with Fisher-Price toys. Their ad campaign encouraged everyone to ‘Let’s Be Kids’ again.
The campaign was successful and boosted brand sales by 65%. This case study shows that it is crucial to understand consumer behaviour before making a marketing move. It also shows how powerful social media can be in reaching an audience—and do it so quickly and effectively.
Case Study #2 Getting a Father to Use Your Product
Marketers often overlook the case studies in consumer behaviour. These case studies are often so powerful because they explain the type of consumer behaviour related to different products. The award-winning ‘The Best A Man Can Get‘ campaign is one of Procter & Gamble’s many successful examples of a company using a case study in consumer behaviour. Until ‘The Best A Man Can Get,’ Procter & Gamble had never made changes to its iconic brand. Instead, they figured they would keep creating better razors—even though their sales were slipping and competitors offered something newer and flashier.
Procter & Gamble’s most memorable marketing campaign celebrated men who represent advocates, mentors, and leaders in their communities, actively demonstrating what it means to be a great man every day. Now, when a dad sports ‘The Best A Man Can Get’ on his bathroom counter, it is obvious why they chose it over any other brand.
Case Study #3 Marketing Healthy Snacks to Adults
Coca-Cola’s Desperation Plan attempted to rejuvenate its signature cola drink. Coca-Cola began marketing a variety of non-carbonated beverages in 2000. While these products had a modest appeal initially, market research reveals that US consumers are beginning to respond more favourably to Coca-Cola’s attempts at diversification. Over half of soda drinkers and a third of overall respondents now say they occasionally buy non-carbonated Coke products.
This is excellent news for Coke because it has achieved what many marketers call mindshare with its target audience. Mindshare refers to a brand’s ability to be top-of-mind when customers want something new or different. The challenge for Coca-Cola will be sustaining mindshare as it continues to expand into other markets. But if history is any indication, Coca-Cola cannot be counted out just yet.
Case Study #4 Microsoft Focusing on Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty Globally
When Microsoft released its first Xbox video game console in 2001, it faced stiff competition from Sony and Nintendo. However, Microsoft’s success is one of the most interesting case studies in consumer behaviour because it proves that companies can create a loyal customer base by catering to regional preferences and using their global brand power to win over new customers.
Initially, if someone wanted to buy an Xbox in Japan, it had to be purchased bundled with a device called a PlayStation 2 Dreamcast, which allowed gamers to play CDs on their console; this was completely different from anything sold or promoted in North America. Still, sales were pretty stagnant even though Microsoft continued to ramp up advertising, spending for years following its initial launch. The reason for these poor sales? Japanese consumers weren’t interested in buying another gaming system when they owned the PlayStation 2 and GameCube. However, rather than give up, Microsoft took a step back and realised that there was still room for growth by looking at how Japanese consumers used their gaming consoles differently than those in North America. For example, most Japanese households didn’t have DVD players, so instead of playing DVDs on their consoles as Americans did, Japanese consumers used them as mini-computers to watch streaming media services like Hulu Plus and Netflix.
So when Microsoft launched its next-generation console in 2006—the Xbox 360—it came bundled with a DVD player, so Japanese consumers could enjoy movies without purchasing another expensive piece of equipment.
Case Study #5 An effective marketing strategy to attract health-conscious customers
Lush Cosmetics’ products are targeted at young customers in their twenties and thirties. Lush Cosmetics targets consumers through a marketing mix of Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. By adding price benefits to customers purchasing one of their products and clever advertising that shows an idea behind the name ‘Lush,’ they attract consumers who are health conscious. Their product line consists of cosmetics for women and men, hair care products, skin care products, massage bars, soaps, bath bombs, and other body care accessories. By targeting specific groups of people with different characteristics, they use a combination of these factors to create an effective marketing strategy.
Lush has been known for being a company that promotes ethical trading by not testing on animals, using fresh ingredients, and promoting fair trade ingredients when possible. They have also been known for outstanding customer service by having staff members help customers find what they need instead of pushing them out the door, as most big companies do. These factors make it easier for people looking for products with natural ingredients or who want something different from what everyone else uses.
Case Study #6 Work toward CSR to build a brand image
Brands like Starbucks, Nike, and Nokia have excellent corporate social responsibility because they convey passion and personality via their brands. Research shows that consumers evaluate companies based on their work and have more brand loyalty towards companies with corporate social responsibility. Evidently, consumers feel more connected to brands with strong personalities than those who seem purely business-oriented.
Consumers also see these passionate companies as more innovative than others, making them even more likely to buy from them in future purchases. Therefore, marketers should think carefully about how much time and effort they put into crafting their brand’s personality—since it substantially impacts consumer behaviour!
Conclusion
Case studies are an important part of consumer behaviour research. They provide information about how people think and act in specific situations. Businesses can use these case studies to learn and understand a consumer’s decision-making, impulse-buying, and problem-solving behaviour.