The use of marketing communication stems from its persuasive nature and its ability to influence consumers’ attitudes, perceptions and purchasing behaviour. Marketers need to gain an understanding of their customers in order to develop an offering that will attract customers and help achieve their goals. Organisations have focused on the ability of marketers to understand their customers – their buying behaviour, habits and needs (Parumasur & Roberts-Lombard, 2014).
Consumer behaviour refers to the combination of activities and influences that occur before, during and after the purchase itself. Consumer behaviour studies individuals, groups or organisations and the processes they use to select, secure, use and dispose of products, services, experiences or ideas in order to satisfy their needs. The need to understand customers is intensified as a result of the environment in which businesses operate. The environment can be described as dynamic in nature and the high level of competition propels marketers to differentiate their offerings in the hope of achieving a competitive advantage (Parumasur &
Roberts-Lombard, 2014). Understanding consumers’ behaviour results in the satisfaction of needs, which leads to repeat purchases and the formation of positive relationships, which is fundamentally important for the success of any organisation.
2.11.1 Perception
Perception is the way in which buyers interpret or give meaning to the world around them. It is ultimately defined as the process through which people select, organise and interpret stimuli to form a meaningful picture of the world through the senses of sight, sound, smell, touch and taste (Parumasur & Roberts-Lombard, 2014). The perception that an individual develops about a product or brand has a direct impact on their purchasing patterns. For example, negative perceptions towards a product or brand will result in a consumer not purchasing that product but those who have positive views or feelings towards a product are more inclined to not only engage in a transactional exchange but to develop a long-term relationship with the organisation where repeat purchases are made.
Perception is said to be selective, as consumers are exposed to high volumes of marketing stimuli on a daily basis. Consumers generally pay attention only to those messages that affect them and perception can therefore be described as selective and subjective, as it can differ considerably from one individual to another. Perception is based on the individual’s frame of reference and is related to their experiences. For example, if an individual decides to dine at a certain restaurant and has a negative experience, he or she will form a negative perception towards that restaurant and will be unlikely to visit the restaurant again. If an individual develops a negative perception towards an organisation, product or brand, it will affect the marketer’s ability to use advertising or other marketing communication tools to influence their behaviour (Parumasur & Roberts-Lombard, 2014).
2.11.2 The perception process
The process of perception comprises four stages: exposure; attention; interpretation and recall.
Exposure refers to the extent to which an individual is cognisant of stimuli and the extent to which their senses are heightened from exposure to such stimuli. Marketers use a host of media, such as television, in the hope of consumers becoming aware of a particular product or brand.
An individual’s interests affect the marketing communication messages they pay attention to and those they ignore. Exposure to a message means that the message has been seen or heard but there is no guarantee that the individual will pay attention to it. In order to increase attention, marketers are encouraged to be creative and strategic in terms of where they place their advertisements (Parumasur & Roberts-Lombard, 2014).
Attention refers to the extent to which an individual, after being exposed to a stimulus, notices the stimulus. Consumers are more inclined to pay attention to those marketing communication messages that affect them directly and which pose a solution to satisfying one or more of their needs. Marketers choose to use a variety of tools in order to capture the attention of their target audience. The use of size, colour and positioning the advertisement where it is likely to be noticed, are all crucial elements that the marketer and advertiser need to consider. Marketers are experiencing difficulty in capturing viewers’ attention due to the saturation of media. The saturation of traditional media has also led to the use of advertising in sports stadiums and the use of product placements in a variety of films, documentaries and television programmes (Parumasur & Roberts-Lombard, 2014).
A consumer being exposed to a marketing communication message and paying attention to it, does not guarantee the reaction intended by the marketer. Interpretation is a key aspect in the trial and use of a product. A number of individuals can be exposed to the same stimulus but have completely different interpretations of it. Individuals tend to interpret information according to their existing beliefs, attitudes, experiences and general disposition. Similar to attention, interpretation is selective, with consumers often misunderstanding or interpreting a message in a way that was not intended by the marketer or advertiser. Consumers, either purposefully or subconsciously, can distort a message to fit in with their likes, dislikes, prejudices and attitudes. (Parumasur & Roberts-Lombard, 2014).
The last stage of the perception process is recall. Advertisers strive to produce stimuli that
a strong focus on producing stimuli that break the advertising clutter and ensure that information is retained by consumers, thus influencing their buying behaviour. Consumers often forget marketing communication messages, which has led to the introduction of in-store promotions to remind consumers of the product, its benefits and use (Parumasur & Roberts-Lombard, 2014).
(Cant & van Heerden, 2013)
Figure 2.3: The perception process