242 PARTTWO The Consumer as an Individual Strategies of Attitude Change LEARNING OsjEcTIVE To Understand the Various Ways in Which Consumers’ Attitudes Are Changed It is important to recognize that much of what has been said about attitude formation is also ba sically true of attitude change. That is, attitude changes are learned; they are influenced by ppersonal experience and other sources of information, and personality affects both the receptiv ity and the speed with which attitudes are likely to be altered. ‘Altering consumer attitudes is a key strategy consideration for most marketers. For mar keters who are fortunate enough to be market leaders and to enjoy a significant amount of cus tomer goodwill and loyalty, the overriding goal is to fortify the existing positive attitudes of customers so that they will not succumb to competitors’ special offers and other inducement designed to win them over. For instance, in many product categories (eg. laundry detergent in which Tide has been the leader, or sneakers, in which Nike has dominated), most competiton take aim at the market leaders when developing their marketing strategies. Their objective i to change the attitudes of the market leaders’ customers and win them over. Among thé aititude-change strategies that are available to them are (1) changing the consumer's basic mo tivational function, (2) associating the product with an admired group or event, (3) resolvins ‘two conflicting attitudes, (4) altering components of the multiattribute model, and (5) chang ing consumer beliefs about competitors’ brands. CHANGING THE BASIC MOTIVATIONAL FUNCTION ‘An effective strategy for changing consumer attitudes toward a product or brand is to mak particular needs prominent. One method for changing motivation is known as the funetion approach. According to this approach, attitudes can be classified in terms of four function the utilitarian function, the ego-defensive function, the value-expressive function, and th knowledge function. The Utilitarian Function We hold certain brand attitudes partly because of a brand’s utility. When a product has bee useful or helped uis in the past, our attitude toward it tends to be favorable. One way of chan ing attitudes in favor of a product is by showing people that it can serve a utilitarian purpos that they may not have considered. For example, the ad for new Green Works™ (Figure 8: points out that the 99 percent natural cleaner either works as well or better than convention cleaners; and it is good for the environment. The Ego-Defensive Function Most people want to protect their self-images from inner feelings of doubt—they want to repla their uncertainty with a sense of security and. personal confidence. 4 Ads for cosmetics and fas jon clothing, by acknowledging this need, increase both their relevance to the consumer and likelihood of a favorable attitude change by offering reassurance to the consumer's self-conce| The Value-Expressive Function ‘Attitudes are an expression or reflection of the consumer's general values, lifestyle, and outloc If a consumer segment generally holds a positive attitude toward owning the latest design jeans, then their attitudes toward new brands of designer jeans are likely to reflect that orien tion. Similarly, fa segment of consumers has a positive attitude toward being “high tech,” th their attitudes toward thin wall-mountable HDTV sets are likely to reflect this viewpoint.Th by knowing target consumers’ attitudes, marketers can better anticipate their values lifestyle, outlook and can reflect these characteristics in their advertising and direct-marketing efforts T print ad for Mott’s Healthy Harvest line of all-natural fruit flavored apple sauces in Figure 8. States:“Treat yourself healthy." The headline and the woman enjoying a spoonful of the prod are consistent with a lifestyle that includes healthy eating and snacking, The Knowledge Function Individuals generally have a strong need to know and understand the people and things t encounter, The consumer's “need to know,” a cognitive need, is important to marketers ‘cerned with product positioning, Indeed, many product and brand positionings are attempt satisfy the need fo know and to improve the consumer's attitudes toward the brand by emp sizing its advantages over competitive brands. For instance, a message for a new OTC alleIGURE 8.9 ce: Courtesy of the Clorox pany: | question: Why and How Does This Ad Appeal to the Vtilitarian Function? — CHAPTER 8 Consumer Attitude Formation and Change 243 New Green Works” cleaners from Clorox — the natural choice Foca yuna ay ogee Mest companies tomate fr rosie fr cesar a _remcmmrsetnewaeitvery grenerweret Beene De fre Eonar epi Veryeficr ars obo Nowonde nme a te predate ape rep Fray Debuineser ae eg ems cens ato ere pre perm we osetia Wo core pour Gamnstoaptcnmeysgee Te Meet Owen hae Ca om Foaessvpeumeriedvotwdc tatceary winters avon Siethncomennlceees fades ‘onan Ge ou ane New tage pore Crd prne crewmen empng ete ren aera! maine mine eee Salata prtomssc tno ‘rh Be: eager ic oetio pt pole fey eos Seefoeparcr irene TUS Enron PouionAmeysDnin ame Macnee fedetnoman Popa parmemucieteg a — ees medication might point out how it is superior to other OTC allergy medications in alleviating the symptoms of allergies. The message might even use a bar graph to contrast its allergy symp- tom relief abilities to other leading allergy medications. Figure 8.11 is an ad for Neutrogena® that raised the question, “SPF measures UVB rays, but what about UVA rays?”"The remainder of the magazine print ad goes on to answer the question, and thereby provides product and sun protection information to guide consumers in their seeking of more knowledge about the sub- ject. Finally, note that this advertisement uses a bar graph to help present the case for being con- cerned about the two types of sun protection, Combining Several Functions Because different consumers may like or dislike the same product or service for different rea- sons, a functional framework for examining attitudes can be very useful. For instance, three consumers may all have positive attitudes toward Suave hair care products. However, one may be responding solely to the fact that the products work well (the utilitarian function); the sec- ond may have the inner confidence to agree with the point “When you know beautiful hair244° PARTTWO — The Consumer as an Individual FIGURE 8.10 Source: Mot’ isa registered trademark of Mott's LP Al rghts reserved. QUESTION: Which Lifestyle- Related Attitudes Are Expressed or Reflected in This Ad? An apple doesn’t have to cost a fortune” (an ego-defensive function). The third consumer's favorable at- titudes might reflect the realization that Suave has for many years stressed value (equal or bet ter products for less) —the knowledge function. ASSOCIATING THE PRODUCT WITH A SPECIAL GROUP, EVENT, OR CAUSE Attitudes are related, at least in part, to certain groups, social events, or causes. It is possible to alter attitudes toward companies and their products, services, and brands by pointing out their relationships to particular social groups, events, or causes. For instance, Payless ShoeSource® has a partnering relationship with the American Ballet Theatre™, whereby it carries quality dance products at particularly reasonable prices, at its Payless stores. Similarly, Figure 8.12 pre- sents an ad that shows thatYoplait yogurt supports the fight against breast cancer by making a 10-cent contribution for every unit of its yogurt sold that has a pink ribbon printed on its TidFIGURE 8.11 Seurce: Courtesy of Neutrogena, In. CHAPTER — Consumer Attitude Formation and Change 245 yay sith There's more to sun protection than SPR SPF measures UVB rays, but what about UVA rays? With the introduction of helioplex; you now have access to the best UVA/UVB protection there is. QUESTION: How Does This Ad Provide Information to Establish [~ \=.»..nholiopiex | Longest lasting broad orks Conse Andes? | RT | clon, on Pe ‘The SOF in your broad spectum protection eflectvely backs bering vB ay, but what you may ot know s thatthe UVA protection many sunscreens begs to break down the moment your skins exposed 10 {he sn. Ony a stabizng complexe heioplex” canheip UWA dense stay strong and steady longa Strongest broad spectrum protection. Wile SPF measies WV prtecton, ths 8 eng sytem for WA prolactin clad PFA. henge a sunscroms PFA vale, baer fa lnger asin ts UVA protection. With an unbeatable PPA eed ‘ehotiopiox” pus thehighst SF valde Nedrogea Uta hear S97 70 atest bos VAUD protection he Nesting tats axtpeorme LUVA Protection Factor (PFA) Peon eine daily moisturizer should provide superior sun protecti For mere on he complete neo product wih revatonary Inet oonetrogaescom Recent research into brand-cause alliances has investigated the relationship between the “cause” and the “sponsor.” The findings of one study found that while both the brand and the cause benefit from such alliances, a low familiar cause benefited more from its association with a positive brand than did a highly familiar cause.* The results of another study further suggests that if corporate sponsors fail to explicitly indicate their motives for a company-cause or a product-cause association, itis likely that consumers will form their own motives for the asso- ciation between the company, product or service, and the cause. This finding seems to indicate that itis likely to be a good idea for a sponsor to reveal to target consumers the reasoning be- hind their sponsorship, so that consumers know the sponsor’s motives rather than form their own potentially inaccurate or negative motives. To this end, the ad in Figure 8.13 specifically states that FIJI Water is committed to working with Conservation International to help protect Fiji's (the island) largest lowland rainforest, because itis a way to give back to the environment, and there is a win-win outcome.Mile QUESTION: How Does Yoplait Impact Consumers’ Attitudes Toward tks Product in This Ad? Sener te cee ena aren eek cr Attitude-change strategies can sometimes resolve actual or potential conflict between two at titudes. Specifically, if consumers can be made to see that their negative attitude toward a prod- Ut, a specific brand, or its attributes is really not in conflict with another attitude, they may be induced to change their evaluation of the brand (i.e., moving from negative to positive). For ex- ample, Richard is an amateur photographer who has been thinking of moving from his point and-shoot digital camera to a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera in order to take better pictures and to be able to change lenses, However, with the recent improvements in point-and. shoot cameras, Richard is unsure of whether his move to a DSLR camera will be worthwhile Richard loves the idea of having the ability to change lenses (attitude 1), but he may feel that purchasing a DSLR camera is an unwise investment because these cameras may be supplanted in the near future by newer types of cameras (attitude 2). However, if Richard learns that Olympus and Panasonic are developing a “micro four-thirds format” small point-and-shoot- size cameras that will offer interchangeable lenses, he might change his mind and thereby re- solve his conflicting attitudes.URE 8.13 Cr acd ON Re eke QUESTION: How ls Fiji Water's Link fo an Environmental Cause Likely to impact Consumers’ Attitudes Toward lbs Produc ee rea _ a ee ee here eke in th Pere ee ee natural environment. All of which makes Ful Water not just the be ally responsible choice. Nature Earlier in this chapter we discussed a number of multiattribute attitude models. These models have implications for attitude-change strategies; specifically, they provide us with additional insights as to how to bring about attitude cha (1) changing the relative evaluation of an attribute, and (4) changing the overall attributes, (2) cha brand rating. z brand beliefs, (3) adding Changing the Relative Evaluation of Attributes The overall market for many product categories. often set out so that different consumer sex ments are offered different brands with different features or benefits. For instance, within a product category such as deodorants, there are brands such as Mitchum that stress potency and brands such as Secret that stress gentleness, These two brands of deodorant have historically appealed to different segments of the overall deodorant market. Similarly, when it comes to coffee, the market can be divided into regular coffee, flavored coffee (e.g., hazelnut), and248 PARTTWO The Consumer as an Individual decaffeinated coffee, or when it comes to headache remedies, there is the division between as pirin (e.g., Bayer), acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol), and naproxen sodium (e.g., Aleve). In general, when a product category is naturally divided according to distinct product fea tures or benefits that appeal to a particular segment of consumers, marketers usually have an opportunity to persuade consumers to “cross over,” that is, to persuade consumers who prefer one version of the product (e.g,, standard bifocal eyeglass lenses) to shift their favorable att- tudes toward another version of the product (¢.g., progressive bifocal lenses). Changing Brand Beliefs A second cognitive-oriented strategy for changing attitudes concentrates on changing beliefs or perceptions about the brand itself. This is by far the most common form of advertising ap- peal. Advertisers constantly are reminding us that their product has “more” or is “better” ot “best” in terms of some important product attribute. As a variation on this theme of “more. ads for Palmolive dishwashing liquid are designed to extend consumers’ brand attitudes with regard to the product's gentleness by suggesting that it be used for hand washing of fine cloth ing items. Yet, another example would be an ad for Kraft’s Miracle Whip that indicates that it makes for a better turkey sandwich than does mayonnaise. To support such a claim, it might points out that Miracle Whip has “more flavor and half the fat” of mayonnaise. Within the context of brand beliefs, there are forces working to stop or slow down attitude change, For instance, consumers frequently resist evidence that challenges a strongly held attitude ‘or belief and tend to interpret any ambiguous information in ways that reinforce their preexisting attitudes? Therefore, information suggesting a change in attitude needs to be compelling and re- peated enough to overcome the natural resistance to letting go of established attitudes. Adding an Attribute Another cognitive strategy consists of adding an attribute. This can be accomplished either by adding an attribute that previously has been ignored or one that represents an improvement ot technological innovation. The first route, adding a previously ignored or unknown attribute or benefit is illustrated by the point that yogurt has more potassium than a banana (a fruit associated with a high quantity of potassium). For consumers interested in increasing their intake of potassium, the comparison of yogurt and bananas has the power of enhancing their attitudes toward yogurt Figure 8.14 contains an ad for Listerine® Antiseptic that presents a newly identified potential benefit for its product. Specifically, it notes that “science suggests that there may be a link be- ‘tween the health of your mouth and the health of your whole body.” This ad also illustrates the first route to adding an attribute to influence brand or product attitudes. ‘The second route of adding an attribute reflects an actual product change or technological innovation is easier to accomplish than stressing a previously ignored attribute. To illustrate, imagine Wish-Bone® Salad Spritzer™, which provides a pump device that allows a consumer to spray a mist of dressing on a salad, thus allowing consumers to more precisely control how _ much dressing they put on their salads. Sometimes eliminating a characteristic or feature has the same enhancing outcome as adding a characteristic or attribute. For instance, a number of skin care or deodorant manufac- turers offer versions of their products that are unscented (i.e., deleting an ingredient). For ex- ample, NIVEA for Men markets an unscented and alcohol-free version of its aftershave balm. Another example of removing a product attribute is depicted in Figure 8.15, where Gummy Bear Vitamins stresses that it has no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Changing the Overall Brand Rating Still another cognitive-oriented strategy consists of attempting to alter consumers’ overall as- ‘sessment of the brand directly, without attempting to improve or change their evaluation of any single brand attribute, Such a strategy frequently relies on some form of global statement that “this is the largest-selling brand” or “the one all others try to imitate,” or a similar claim that sets the brand apart from all its competitors. For instance, when Verizon Wireless mentions in ‘many of its marketing communications that it is “America’s Most Reliable Wireless Network, it is applying the strategy of changing the overall brand rating in the minds of its target con- sumers and it current customers (see Figure 8.16).FIGURE 8.14 Source: Lsterine® isa registered trademark of Johnson & Johnson, Used with permision QUESTION: The Ad States That There ls a Link Between One's Mouth Health and the Health of One's Whole Bods. How ls This New Benefit Likely to Impact Consumers’ Attitudes Toward the Product? CHAPTER 8 Consumer Attitude Formation and Change 249 If you think it’s just for your mouth, think bigger. Big news about orl care may change the way ety mouth can clea o good tings. Tats wy {ou tink about naaing wih Lstorne Antsapic. Se Ls Rs proven Pep kes you mau that re ray be ine eater by Kg te gums that came Daas and fete! Sogn. io. ary we oy eth use ‘ourole body. Pryscans and dentate dort yet hes You 2x the gore at {now te eat conrectenbiteeen Death ol” Stine pave and gai T ear mae, vat ‘our oush ae tal eye body bat several wcisre como ek You dant, rent ‘eetes east One tang everyone ages on at 2 oF Pyscan about he muti body conection Learn more about the mouth-body connection at wivlsern.com ‘DO IT FOR YOUR MOUTH. DOT FOR LIFE. CHANGING BELIEFS ABOUT COMPETITORS’ BRANDS. Another approach to the attitude-change strategy involves changing consumer beliefs about the attributes of competitive brands or product categories. For instance, an advertisement for ipse chewing gum makes a dramatic assertion of product superiority over other gums by claiming that “Most other gums just mask bad breath. We kill the germs that cause it.” Simi larly, Caltrate calcium supplement claims that one of its tablets contains nearly twice the cal- cium of Citracel (a principal competitor). Still further, Valvoline® SynPower full synthetic 5W-30 motor oil claims superiority in terms of “better wear protection than its major competi: tor” Mobil 1 (see Figure 8.17). While potentially very effective, such comparative advertising can boomerang by giving visibility to a competing brand and their claims.250 FARTTWO The Consumer as an Individual FIGURE 8.15 Source: Courtesy of Northwest Natural Product, QUESTION: How Is the Absence ofan ingredient Likely to Lead to @ Favorable Attitude Toward a Product? 3 OMEGA: CE Bott uu ee With no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives & award-winning toste, They‘re Naturally Better!’ {nme they nado ren op tape Deity a shar, Wheat of atau opin an sy Soa, Immune CPs inc Echinacea megs 3 Gummy Fah Pinmane owing poner forbrain-boosting benefit, (se. Pe THE ELABORATION LIKELIHOOD MODEL (ELM; Compared to the various specific strategies of attitude change that we have reviewed, the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) proposes the more global view that consumer attitudes are changed by two distinctly different “routes to persuasion”: a central route or a peripheral route (see also Chapter 7). The central route is particularly relevant to attitude change when a consumer's motivation or ability to assess the attitude object is high; that is, attitude change use the consumer actively seeks out information relevant to the attitude object it- self, When consumers are willing to exert the effort to comprehend, learn, or evaluate the avail- able information about the attitude object, learning and attitude change occur via the central route. Additionally, recent research has found that even such largely cognitive processing can have an emotional core. In contrast, when a consumer's motivation or assessment skills are low (c.g., low involve. ‘ment), learning and attitude change tend to occur via the peripheral route without the consumer focusing on information relevant to the attitude object itself. In such cases, attitude change of ten is an outcome of secondary inducements (e.z., cents-off coupons, free samples, beautifulCase es an LC ins Tansee aioe Oe UCR CET Ca Cre ae eter cur ace aac ee Meo ce ae ae ees background scenery, great packaging, or the encouragement of a celebrity endorsement). Re search indicates that even in low-involvement conditions (e.g such as exposure to most adve tising), in which both central and secondary inducements are initially equal in their ability to evoke similar attitudes, itis the central inducement that has the greatest “staying power” —that is, over time it is more persistent, Additionally, for subjects low in product knowle tisements with terminology result in the consumer having keli better attitude toward the brand and the ad.*” Figure 8.18 presents the claborat that both central variables and peripheral variat nd shows An offshoot of the ELM is the dual mediation mode! (DMM). The DMM adds a link be tween altitude toward the ad and brand cognitions. It acknowledges the possibility that the route to persuasion could be influenced by a peripheral cue (i.e ad). Thus, this m central attitude toward the the interrelationship between the central and peripheral recently been used in a research study that concluded that an adver tisement’s effect is important in the formation of an attitude, and therefore the DMM can be employed to explain how advertising impacts consumer behavior Jel demonstrat processes. This mode