Role of Advertising in Consumer Psychology

Role of Advertising in Consumer Psychology

Consumer psychology is a specialty area that studies how our thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and perceptions influence how people buy and relate to goods and services.

Consumer psychologists study a variety of topics including:

• How consumers choose businesses, products and services
• The thought processes and emotions behind consumer decisions
• How environmental variables such as friends, family, media, and culture influence buying decisions
• What motivates people to choose one product over another

• How personal factors and individual difference affect people's buying choices
• What marketers can do to effectively reach out to their target customers

Marketers need to understand the buying behaviour of consumers while designing their advertisements for the desired impact.Advertisements play an essential role in creating an image of a product in the minds of consumers. Advertisements must be catchy and communicate relevant information to consumers.

Understanding the needs of the consumer is really important when it comes to creating the right advertisement for the right audience. Remember it is only through advertisements; individuals are able to connect with your brand.

Identify your target audience. The advertisement in some way must touch the hearts of the end-users for them to buy the product.

It is really essential to show what the consumers like. Meet your target audience and find out what they expect from your product and brand on the whole. Do not show anything which might offend any religious group or community. Make sure the message is relevant and crisp. Overload of information nullifies the effect and the advertisement might go unnoticed. Don’t try to confuse the consumers. They will never buy your product. Understand their psychologies well.

The advertisement must show what the product is all about. It should, in a way give some kind of information about its price, benefits, usage, availability and so on.

Examples of Advertisement and Consumer psychology:

1.    Consumers perceive Women Horlics as a health and energy drink which is a must for all working women as well as expecting mothers for their overall well -being. A Horlics advertisement with a male model does not make sense as the target audience would never be able to connect with the product. A lean and inactive office going female drinking Women’s Horlics and thereafter beaming with energy and confidence would be the ideal concept for the advertisement. Through advertisements, the company actually tries to win over the confidence of consumers who would not mind spending on their product.

2.    A Tag Heuer, Rolex, Mercedes, I phone advertisement ought to be classy for people to recognize these products as status symbols. Use expensive props, unique concepts and well known faces for all premium and exclusive brands.

3.    Advertisements meant for younger people (college goers, young professionals) ought to be colourful and trendy for them to be able to relate themselves with the product. Serious advertisements do not go very well with the youngsters. It is essential to understand the mindsets, attitudes and preferences of target audience.

4.    Advertisements for insurance plans, medical benefits, hospitals ought to be sensible as they convey much serious information and target a mature segment of individuals altogether.

The time slot of commercials also needs to be taken care of. Advertisements for products meant for children should ideally be aired during afternoon or early evening hours as this is the time when they watch maximum television. Understand the lifestyle of your target audience. Prime time commercials are the ones which are viewed by maximum people.

Choose the right theme for your advertisement. The advertisements ought to create the need among the consumers for them to buy the product. Commercials ought to give complete information to the consumers. All tobacco and alcohol commercials must show the warning message.