Ch13 Situational Influences

Chapter 13 Situational Influences Multiple Choice Questions 1. What do Hispanic girls celebrate when they are fifteen years old? A) ritual situation B) bat mitzvah C) quinceanera D) Cinco De Mayo E) a and c Answer: E Page: 483 2. Which of the following is an ancient solemn event marketing the coming of age of a Jewish male? A) bar mitzvah B) bat mitzvah C) Chanukah D) Passover E) Yom Kippur Answer: A Page: 483 3. The purchase decision and consumption process always occur in the context of _____. A) others B) a specific situation C) marketing communications D) an extended decision-making process E) a social surrounding Answer: B Page: 484 4. To understand a consumer's behavior, we must know about the _____. A) consumer B) situation C) stimulus object D) a and b E) a, b, and c Answer: E Page: 484 5. All those factors particular to a time and place that do not follow from knowledge of the stable attributes of the consumer and the stimulus and that have an effect on current behavior are known as _____. A) situational influence B) motivators C) consumption triggers D) consumption influencers E) motivational influence Answer: A Page: 484 6. Which of the following also includes a situation-specific component? A) personality B) self-concept C) involvement D) demographics E) brand image Answer: C Page: 484 7. Which of the following is a situation in which consumer behavior occurs? A) communications situation B) purchase situation C) usage situation D) disposition situation E) all of the above Answer: E Page: 484 8. Which of the following is NOT a situation in which consumer behavior occurs? A) communications situation B) purchase situation C) usage situation D) disposition situation E) all of the above are situations in which consumer behavior occurs Answer: E Page: 484 9. Which of the following is a situation characteristic? A) product B) package C) temporal perspective D) demographics E) social class Answer: C Page: 485 10. Sharon has to purchase a gift for her mother and only has this afternoon to do so because her birthday party is that evening. She's wondering how she will be able get to the mall in time to pick out the perfect gift. This is an illustration of which situation characteristic? A) physical features B) social surroundings C) temporal perspective D) task definition E) antecedent state Answer: C Page: 485 11. Which of the following is NOT an individual characteristic influencing consumer behavior? A) culture B) attitudes C) task definition D) social class E) motivation Answer: C Page: 485 12. Which of the following is NOT a consumption response? A) task definition B) problem recognition C) purchase D) disposition E) alternative evaluation Answer: A Page: 485 13. The situation interacts with the marketing activity and the individual to determine behavior. Which of the following is a marketing activity? A) lifestyle B) temporal perspective C) package D) purchase E) task definition Answer: C Page: 485 14. Mark is developing the marketing strategy for his business, which is a retail store. He knows that situation characteristics will interact with his marketing activity. Which of the following is a situation characteristic he needs to consider? A) social class B) attitudes C) lifestyle D) task definition E) all of the above Answer: D Page: 485 15. The situation in which consumers receive information has an impact on their behavior and is referred to as the _____ situation. A) communications B) purchase C) usage D) disposition E) preliminary Answer: A Page: 485 16. In which situation do marketers attempt to place their ads in appropriate media contexts to enhance their effectiveness? A) communications B) purchase C) usage D) disposition E) preliminary Answer: A Page: 485 17. When orange juice attempted to expand the various times of day when consumers would see orange juice as an appropriate beverage to consume, they were trying to influence which situation? A) communication B) usage C) purchase D) disposition E) all of the above Answer: B Page: 486 18. Arm & Hammer baking soda has been very successful promoting other uses for this product. Advertisements provide several uses other than baking, such as removing odors from carpeting, the laundry, and kitty litter boxes. Finding more uses for a product is known as _____. A) disposition situation B) purchase situation C) communications situation D) expanded usage situation E) alternative usage situation Answer: D Page: 486-487 19. In the United States, a man usually gives a woman a diamond ring for her to wear on her left-hand ring finger when they become engaged to be married. However, one diamond distributor has developed the idea that women should wear diamonds on their right hands as well. Marketing communications regarding the Diamond Right Hand Ring stress the independence of women and their ability to buy a diamond for themselves. One ad claims that a diamond on a left hand says “we,” while a diamond on the right hand says “me.” This diamond distributor is attempting to _____. A) influence the competitive situation B) expand the usage situation C) reduce the disposition situation D) influence the social surroundings E) influence the temporal perspective Answer: B Page: 486-487 20. Which situation involves consumers disposing of products or product packages after or before product use? A) communications situation B) purchase situation C) usage situation D) disposition situation E) task situation Answer: D Page: 487 21. Decisions made by consumers regarding the _____ situation can create significant social problems as well as opportunities for marketers. A) disposition B) purchase C) communication D) expanded usage E) usage Answer: A Page: 487 22. Which group needs to understand how situational influences affect consumers' disposition decisions? A) marketers B) government C) environmental organizations D) a and b E) a, b, and c Answer: E Page: 487 23. Walker and his wife have two children. They have purchased a new computer for their household every four years or so for almost twenty years. When Walker purchases a new one, usually for him to be able to work at home, one of his children will get the old one. However, they have a few old computers sitting in the attic and garage because Walker doesn't really know how to get rid of them. This is an example of which type of situation? A) disposition situation B) purchase situation C) communications situation D) expanded usage situation E) replacement situation Answer: A Page: 487 24. Gertrude is very environmentally-conscious, so she only uses paper bags at the grocery store and tries to purchase items in packages that are recyclable. Her behavior concerns which type of situation? A) socially sensitive situation B) disposition situation C) usage situation D) purchase situation E) communications situation Answer: B Page: 487 25. Which of the following is NOT a key situational dimension or characteristic that influences consumer behavior? A) physical surroundings B) social surroundings C) alternative evaluation D) temporal perspectives E) task definition Answer: C Page: 488 26. Decor, sounds, aromas, lighting, weather, and configurations of merchandise or other materials surrounding the stimulus object are included in which situational characteristic? A) physical surroundings B) social surroundings C) temporal perspectives D) task definition E) antecedent states Answer: A Page: 488 27. Melanie lives in a small city that does not have a lot of the interesting retail stores. She and her two best friends take a trip twice a year to places such as Atlanta, Dallas, and Chicago to go shopping. It's so exciting for them to go in some of the stores because they are so unique, and they have only seen them online or in catalogs. Also, several cities now have lifestyle centers or town centers that are reminiscent of downtown in bygone days. All of the factors such as decor, sounds, aromas, lighting, weather, and configurations of merchandise or other materials surrounding the merchandise that Melanie and her friends make a special trip to experience comprise which situation characteristic? A) physical surroundings B) social surroundings C) temporal perspectives D) task definition E) antecedent states Answer: A Page: 488 28. The sum of all the physical features of a retail environment is referred to as the _____. A) store situation B) retail ambiance C) retail surroundings D) store atmosphere E) merchandising mix Answer: D Page: 488 29. Many of you have probably heard of Banana Republic retail stores and perhaps have shopped there. Many of you may not know that the store used to look much different than it does today. It used to be more like an adventure, and the merchandise assortment was more appropriate for a safari. If you've ever seen an Indiana Jones movie, you can get a pretty good idea of what Banana Republic used to look like. The stores would have a jeep in the store, camouflage netting, and music from the 1940s playing. The inside had wooden beams and maps hung on the wall that looked like treasure maps. Much of the merchandise was accompanied by a sign that had a tale of some adventure associated with it. These physical features of the retail environment are referred to as the _____. A) store situation B) retail ambiance C) retail surroundings D) store atmosphere E) merchandising mix Answer: D Page: 488 30. A store's atmosphere can influence which of the following? A) consumers' judgments of the quality of the store B) store's image C) shoppers' moods D) shoppers' willingness to visit and linger E) all of the above Answer: E Page: 488 31. _____ is the process managers use to manipulate the physical retail environment to create specific mood responses in shoppers. A) Servicescape B) Psychographics C) Atmospherics D) Environmentalism E) Landscaping Answer: C Page: 488-489 32. Carmen is double majoring in fashion merchandising and graphic design in college. When she graduates, she wants to design the physical environment of retail stores, particularly those in women's fashions. She wants to create environments that create specific mood responses in shoppers. Which field best describes what Carmen wants to do? A) architecture B) retail atmospherics C) art D) graphic design E) marketing Answer: B Page: 488-489 33. Atmosphere is referred to as _____ when describing a service business such as a hospital, bank, or restaurant. A) landscape B) servicescape C) ambiance D) environment E) servqual Answer: B Page: 489 34. With respect to the typology of service environments, a bank would be categorized as _____. A) utilitarian B) personal C) hedonic D) tangible E) moderate Answer: A Page: 489 35. Marcie will soon be 50 years old, so to pamper herself, she decided to get a massage. With respect to the typology of service environments, this type of service would be categorized as _____. A) utilitarian B) personal C) hedonic D) intangible E) moderate Answer: C Page: 489 36. Which of the following services would be classified as having an extended hedonic consumption purpose? A) bank B) cruise C) business dinner D) exercise class E) theater Answer: B Page: 489 37. Which of the following are components of the physical environment? A) colors, aromas, music, and crowding B) normal and expanded usage C) utilitarian and hedonic product characteristics D) moods and momentary conditions E) internal and external influences Answer: A Page: 490 38. Which color is arousing? A) red B) yellow C) blue D) a and b E) a, b, and c Answer: D Page: 490 39. Which type of industry has developed around the use of ambient scents? A) professional scenting B) environmental fragrancing C) scent motivation D) environmental creationism E) environmental construction Answer: B Page: 490 40. How does music influence consumer behavior? A) subliminally B) reduces consumers' perception of overcrowding C) changes temporal perspective D) influences mood E) changes cognitive structures Answer: D Page: 490 41. Mike is the owner of a restaurant that also has a bar. Based on research that studied the impact of background music on restaurant patrons, what can Mike expect if he uses slow music in his establishment? A) faster service time B) customers spend less time at a table C) larger amount of bar purchases D) significantly more (i.e., 50% or more) spent on food purchases E) greater number of customer groups leaving before seated Answer: C Page: 490-491 42. Crowding generally produces which outcome for the retail outlet and the consumer? A) generally positive outcomes for the retailer, but negative outcomes for the consumer B) generally negative outcomes for the consumer, but positive outcomes for the retailer C) generally positive outcomes for both D) generally negative outcomes for both E) none of the above Answer: D Page: 491 43. Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding crowding as a situational characteristic? A) Crowding generally produces negative outcomes for both the retail outlet and the consumer. B) Most consumers find crowded feelings to be unpleasant. C) Crowding is unpleasant regardless of a consumers' culture. D) Most consumers find feelings of crowding to be unpleasant and will spend less time in the store. E) Crowding causes most consumers to spend more money. Answer: C Page: 491 44. Under conditions of crowding, consumers tend to _____. A) buy less B) make faster decisions C) use less information D) be less satisfied E) all of the above Answer: E Page: 491 45. Under conditions of crowding, consumers tend do to all of the following EXCEPT _____. A) buy less B) make faster decisions C) make more demands on the sales personnel D) be less satisfied E) all of the above Answer: C Page: 491 46. A closed-in feeling created by a crowded store will result in adaptive strategies that could _____. A) lengthen shopping time, shorten purchases, and increase the use of in-store information B) shorten shopping time, increase purchases, and decrease the use of in-store information C) reduce shopping time, reduce purchases, and alter the use of in-store information D) reduce shopping time, reduce purchases, and greatly increase the use of in-store information E) none of the above Answer: C Page: 491 47. The other individuals present in the particular situation are referred to as the _____. A) servicescape B) social surroundings C) physical surroundings D) store atmosphere E) temporal perspective Answer: B Page: 492 48. Jessica and her friends are 16 years old like to shop at Aeropostale, which is a clothing store targeted to teens and young adults. They like to go in that store because there are usually some pretty cute guys working and shopping there. Even though there are some parents shopping with their teens, the other customers are usually teens like themselves. The other individuals present in this store represent the _____. A) servicescape B) social surroundings C) physical surroundings D) store atmosphere E) temporal perspective Answer: B Page: 492 49. Some consumers are highly susceptible to interpersonal influence, which is a _____. A) norm B) situation factor C) product factor D) personality trait E) cultural factor Answer: D Page: 492 50. Mimi is a teenager and wants to be accepted by her friends. In fact, she might act a certain way not because she really wants to, but rather, she does it because others around her are doing it. The influence these others have on Mimi represent which situational characteristic? A) temporal perspective B) physical surroundings C) task definition D) antecedent states E) social surroundings Answer: E Page: 492 51. Which of the following is a negative emotion influenced by both the product (e.g., hearing aids, feminine hygiene products) and the situation? A) embarrassment B) shame C) fear D) anger E) disappointment Answer: A Page: 493 52. Clara is shopping with her friend, Jane, when they both went into a drug store. Clara needed to buy medication for hemorrhoids, but she was reluctant to do so in front of Jane. Which emotion was Clara probably experiencing in this situation? A) embarrassment B) shame C) fear D) anger E) disappointment Answer: A Page: 493 53. Which situational characteristic deals with the effect of time on consumer behavior? A) physical surroundings B) social surroundings C) temporal perspective D) task definition E) antecedent states Answer: C Page: 493 54. One aspect of purchasing from QVC, one of the cable shopping channels on television, is that the “offer” will expire within a certain amount of time, creating a sense of urgency among consumers. Teresa watches this channel frequently, and admitted that this aspect of the situation does influence her decision to buy something. Which characteristic of the situation is influencing Teresa and others' behavior? A) physical surroundings B) social surroundings C) temporal perspective D) task definition E) antecedent states Answer: C Page: 493 55. Shopping on the Internet provides which important time-related dimension? A) It has the potential to reduce the amount of time required to make a specific purchase. B) It provides the consumer with almost total control over when the purchase is made. C) It eliminates the uneasiness of crowding experienced in many retail outlets. D) a and b E) a, b, and c Answer: D Page: 493-494 56. The reason the consumption activity is occurring is the situation characteristic of _____. A) physical surroundings B) social surroundings C) temporal perspective D) task definition E) antecedent states Answer: D Page: 494 57. Stacy is shopping to purchase new linens for her guest room. Which situational characteristic is influencing her behavior? A) physical surroundings B) social surroundings C) temporal perspective D) task definition E) antecedent states Answer: D Page: 494 58. Which of the following is a reason consumers give gifts? A) social expectations B) ritualized consumption experiences C) to elicit return favors D) as an expression of love and caring E) all of the above Answer: E Page: 494 59. James is giving his cousin, Conor, a new video game for his birthday. Which of the following is the most likely reason James is giving this gift? A) he is required to do so B) it is a ritualized consumption experience C) to elicit return favors D) as a return favor E) because he hopes the receiver will share the gift Answer: B Page: 494 60. John is a salesman and gave one of his customers an expensive watch. Which of the following is the most likely reason John gave this gift? A) social expectations B) it is a ritualized consumption experience C) to elicit a return favor D) it is a business requirement E) as an expression of loving and caring Answer: C Page: 494 61. One study found that wedding gifts tend to be _____ while birthday gifts tend to be _____. A) expensive; inexpensive B) inexpensive; expensive C) fun; utilitarian D) utilitarian; fun E) large; small Answer: D Page: 494 62. Rachel is going to the mall to purchase a wedding gift for a co-worker. Based on research, which type of product is she likely to buy? A) expensive B) inexpensive C) expressive D) utilitarian E) hedonic Answer: D Page: 494 63. Which of the following is a way that gifts communicate symbolic meaning? A) In many cases price can be known and can be interpreted as a measure of the esteem the giver has for the receiver. B) The image and functionality of the gift implies the giver's impression of the image and personality of the receiver. C) It reflects on the image and thoughtfulness of the giver. D) It can signify the type of relationship the giver has or desires with the receiver. E) all of the above Answer: E Page: 494 64. A person who shops a nicer store than normal because he or she is buying a gift is influenced by the _____ characteristic of the situation. A) physical surroundings B) antecedent state C) task definition D) temporal perspective E) none of the above Answer: C Page: 494 65. Features of the individual person that are not lasting characteristics, such as momentary moods or conditions, are called _____. A) personality B) antecedent states C) context effects D) task definition E) self-concept Answer: B Page: 495 66. Transient feeling states that are generally not tied to a specific event or object are known as _____. A) noncontextual effects B) traits C) temporal effects D) social surroundings E) moods Answer: E Page: 495 67. Which of the following are antecedent states? A) colors, aromas, music, and crowding B) normal and expanded usage C) utilitarian and hedonic D) moods and momentary conditions E) internal and external influences Answer: D Page: 495-496 68. A market research study asked consumers to rate themselves with respect to several adjectives, such as happy, cheerful, peaceful, sad, blue, and depressed. What is this research trying to assess? A) noncontextual effects B) traits C) temporal effects D) social surroundings E) mood Answer: E Page: 495 69. Which of the following statements is true regarding moods? A) Mood are relatively stable states that are tied to a specific event or object. B) Moods affect the consumption process, but they are not affected by the consumption process. C) Positive moods have not been shown to affect shopping behavior. D) Consumers do not actively try to manage their mood states. E) Ad and brand attitudes are often influenced in a mood-congruent manner. Answer: E Page: 495 70. Which of the following reflects temporary states of being rather than temporary states of mind? A) moods B) momentary conditions C) task definition D) personality traits E) self-concept Answer: B Page: 496 71. Clark and his family normally live paycheck to paycheck. However, this month, they found themselves with a little extra money, so they decided to go out to a nice restaurant and to a movie. This is an example of the antecedent state of _____. A) positive mood B) good luck C) momentary conditions D) optimism E) hedonism Answer: C Page: 496 72. Stan was feeling very tired and hungry in the mid-afternoon, so he ate a Snickers candy bar. Stan is attempting to manage his _____. A) personality traits B) momentary condition C) mood D) self-concept E) daily ritual Answer: B Page: 496 73. A socially defined occasion that triggers a set of interrelated behaviors that occur in a structured format and that have symbolic meaning is referred to as a _____. A) ritual situation B) momentary condition C) prescriptive D) schema E) holiday Answer: A Page: 497 74. Every year around the 4th of July, families get together and celebrate a family reunion as well as Independence Day. The Normans, one such family, does this every year, and the party is pretty much the same every year. A cookout is held at one family member's home, and games for the children are played, such as a three-legged race and an egg toss competition. The family that wins the overall competition gets to take home a hideous, but meaningful trophy for that year. This is an example of a _____. A) ritual situation B) momentary condition C) prescriptive D) schema E) social schema Answer: A Page: 497 75. Giving out candy to children on Halloween, giving chocolate and roses to sweethearts on Valentine's Day, and wearing green and drinking green beer on St. Patrick's Day are all examples of _____. A) ritual situations B) momentary conditions C) prescriptives D) schemas E) social surroundings Answer: A Page: 497 76. Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding ritual situations? A) Rituals are receiving increasing attention by marketing scholars and practitioners. B) Ritual situations are of major importance to marketers because they often involve prescribed consumption behaviors. C) There is enough shared behavior across individuals and households that marketers can develop products and promotions around the common ritual situations that arise each year. D) Ritual situations can also result in injurious consumption. E) Marketers cannot change or create consumption patterns associated with ritual situations. Answer: E Page: 497-498 77. Binge drinking among college students can be described as a(n) _____. A) ritual behavior B) socially desirable behavior C) task accomplishing behavior D) antecedent behavior E) value-expressive behavior Answer: A Page: 499 78. Which of the following is a step in the approach for developing situation-based marketing strategies that was given in the textbook? A) Use observational studies, focus group discussions, depth interviews, and secondary data to discover the various usage situations that influence the consumption of the product. B) Survey a large sample of consumers to better understand and quantify how the product is used and the benefits sought in the usage situation by the market segment. C) Construct a person-situation segmentation matrix. D) Evaluate each cell in terms of potential. E) all of the above Answer: E Page: 500 79. Which of the following is the FIRST step in the approach for developing situation-based marketing strategies? A) Use observational studies, focus group discussions, depth interviews, and secondary data to discover the various usage situations that influence the consumption of the product. B) Survey a large sample of consumers to better understand and quantify how the product is used and the benefits sought in the usage situation by the market segment. C) Construct a person-situation segmentation matrix. D) Evaluate each cell in terms of potential. E) Develop and implement a marketing strategy for cells that offer sufficient profit potential given your capabilities Answer: A Page: 500 80. Richard is studying how various usage situations influence the consumption of his company's products. He conducted qualitative analyses (i.e., focus group discussions and depth interviews) as well as surveyed a larger sample of consumers to better understand and quantify how products are used and the benefits sought in the usage situation by the market segment. Richard is performing the first two steps in an approach to develop _____. A) demographically-based marketing strategies B) geographically-based marketing strategies C) situation-based marketing strategies D) momentary conditions E) hedonic purchase situations Answer: C Page: 500 True/False Questions 81. To better understand a consumer's behavior, we must know about the consumer, about the primary stimulus object, and about the situation. Answer: True Page: 484 82. Consumer behavior occurs within four broad categories or types of situations: the communications situation, the purchase situation, the usage situation, and the social situation. Answer: False Page: 484 83. Expanded usage situation strategies can produce major sales gains for established products. Answer: True Page: 486 84. The disposition situation can create significant social problems as well as opportunities for marketers. Answer: True Page: 487 85. Physical surroundings represent the situational characteristic that has the greatest impact on consumption behavior. Answer: False Page: 488-491 86. Psychographics is the process managers use to manipulate the physical retail environment to create specific mood responses in shoppers. Answer: False Page: 488-489 87. Consumers typically attend the theater for utilitarian purposes. Answer: False Page: 489 88. The only aspect of music that influences consumer behavior is tempo. Answer: False Page: 490-491 89. Personal space and resulting crowding perceptions can vary from culture to culture. Answer: True Page: 491 90. Individuals tend to comply with group expectations, particularly when the behavior is visible. Answer: True Page: 492 91. The major task dichotomy used by marketers is between purchases for self-use versus gift-giving. Answer: True Page: 494 92. Mood is an example of a momentary condition reflecting a temporary state of being. Answer: False Page: 495-496 93. Marketers do not attempt to change or create consumption patterns associated with rituals. Answer: False Page: 497 94. Individuals cannot “create” the situations they face. Answer: False Page: 498 95. Determining how products are currently used across situations can help the marketer develop appropriate advertising and positioning strategies. Answer: True Page: 499 Essay Questions 96. Describe the nature of situational influence on consumer behavior, and briefly discuss the four broad categories or types of situations. Page: 484-487 Answer: Situational influence is all those factors particular to a time and place that do not follow from a knowledge of the stable attributes of the consumer and the stimulus that have an effect on current behavior. Thus, with one exception, the situation stands apart from the consumer and the stimulus. The exception is in the case of temporary characteristics of the consumer or stimulus that are specific to the situation and sometimes even caused by it (e.g., a bad mood caused by the surrounding media context). Consumer behavior occurs within four broad categories or types of situations: Communications Situation--the situation in which consumers receive information. Purchase Situation--the situation in which a purchase is made. Usage Situation--the situation for which a product is or may become appropriate. Disposition Situation--the situation in which consumers dispose of products or product packages after or before product use. 97. Pablo is planning on opening a Mexican restaurant in the town where he lives. He is considering how to design the physical environment of the restaurant. Discuss the components of the physical surroundings that can influence consumption behavior and make some recommendations to Pablo regarding each component. Page: 490-491 Answer: Four components of the physical environment were discussed in the text: Colors--certain colors and color characteristics create feelings of excitement and arousal which are related to attention. Bright colors are more arousing than dull colors, and warm colors such as reds and yellows are more arousing that cool colors such as blues and greys. The best colors to use depends on the type of store or, in this case, restaurant. Cool colors tend to increase sales and customer satisfaction and appear to reduce wait time perceptions by inducing feelings of relaxation. Warm colors grab attention and can drive impulse purchases (e.g., ordering dessert in a restaurant). Aromas--while there is increasing evidence that odors can affect consumer shopping, it seems reasonable that they also affect consumption behavior in a service environment such as a restaurant. Music--music influences consumers' moods, which influence a variety of consumption behaviors. One study found that slow tempo music resulted in an increased gross margin, but that was true because of a greater amount of bar purchases. If Pablo does not have a bar, he might want to consider faster tempo music so he can have a quicker customer turnover. Crowding--generally produces negative outcomes for both the retail outlet and the consumer. While crowding may have a negative influence on Pablo's non-Hispanic customers, this may not be a significant factor for Pablo's Hispanic consumers. 98. Tim is looking for a give for his relatively new girlfriend that he likes a lot but is not sure if she's “the one.” He's facing somewhat of a dilemma with this gift because he doesn't want to send the wrong message to her, but he doesn't want to appear cheap, either. Moreover, he's not sure how she really feels about him. Explain the types of symbolic meaning the gift he selects might hold. Page: 494 Answer: Gifts communicate symbolic meaning on several levels. The gift item itself generally has a known, or knowable, price that can be interpreted as a measure of the esteem the giver has for the receiver. The image and functionality of the gift implies the giver's impression of the image and personality of the receiver. It also reflects on the image and thoughtfulness of the giver. Finally, the nature of a gift can signify the type of relationship the giver has or desires with the receiver, or it can alter the relationship between the giver and receiver. 99. Explain why ritual situations are important to marketers. Page: 497-498 Answer: A ritual situation can be described as a socially defined occasion that triggers a set of interrelated behaviors that occur in a structured format and that have symbolic meaning. Ritual situations are of importance to marketers because they often involve prescribed consumption behaviors. While there is significant variation across individuals and households, there is enough shared behavior that marketers can develop products and promotions around the common ritual situations that arise each year. Marketers also attempt to change or create consumption patterns associated with ritual situations. However, marketers must also be aware that ritual situations can also result in injurious consumption (i.e., binge or excessive drinking). 100. You are tasked with the responsibility of developing a situation-based marketing strategy. Explain how you would go about doing that. Page: 499-500 Answer: Because most people “create” many of the situations they face, a marketer needs to identify the different situations that might involve the consumption of a product and determine which products or brands are most likely to be purchased or consumed across those situations. One method of approaching this is to jointly scale situations and products, and Figure 13-3 provides an illustration. Determining how products are currently used across situations can help the marketer develop appropriate advertising and positioning strategies. Or a marketer may try to change the situation for which a product is used. Another approach for developing situation-based marketing strategies is to follow these five steps: Use observational studies, focus group discussions, depth interviews, and secondary data to discover the various usage situations that influence the consumption of the product. Survey a larger sample of consumers to better understand and quantify how the product is used and the benefits sought in the usage situation by the market segment. Construct a person-situation segmentation matrix. The rows are the major usage situations and the columns are groups of users with unique needs or desires. Each cell contains the key benefits sought. Evaluate each cell in terms of potential (sales volume, price level, cost to serve, competitor strength, and so forth). Develop and implement a marketing strategy for those cells that offer sufficient profit potential given your capabilities.