Truth 46. Ronald McDonald is related to Luke Skywalker

A myth is a story with symbolic elements that represents a culture's ideals.

Consider, for example, a familiar story in our culture: Little Red Riding Hood. This myth started as a peasants' tale in sixteenth-century France, where a girl meets a werewolf on her way to granny's house. (There is historical evidence for a plague of wolf attacks during this time, including several incidents where men were tried for allegedly transforming themselves into the deadly animals.) The werewolf has already killed granny, stored her flesh in the pantry, and poured her blood in a bottle. Contrary to the version we know, however, when the girl arrives at the house, she snacks on granny, strips naked, and climbs into bed with the wolf! To make the story even more scandalous, some versions refer to the wolf as a "gaffer" (a contraction of "grandfather"), implying incest as well.

This story first appeared in print in 1697 as a warning to the loose ladies of Louis XIV's court. (The author puts her in red in this version, because this color symbolizes harlots.) Eventually, the Brothers Grimm wrote their own version in 1812, but they substituted violence for sex to scare kids into behaving. And, to reinforce the sex-role standards of that time, in the Grimm version, a man rescues the girl from the wolf. So, this myth sends vivid messages about such cultural no-nos as cannibalism, incest, and promiscuity.

An understanding of cultural myths is important to marketers who, in some cases (most likely unconsciously), pattern their messages along a mythic structure. Consider, for example, the way that McDonald's takes on "mythical" qualities. The "golden arches" are a symbol that consumers everywhere recognize as virtually synonymous with American culture. They offer sanctuary to Americans around the world; Americans know exactly what to expect once they enter. Basic struggles involving good versus evil play out in the fantasy world that McDonald's advertising creates, for example, when Ronald McDonald confounds the Hamburglar. McDonald's even has a "seminary" (Hamburger University) where inductees go to learn the Ways of The Golden Arches.

We associate myths with the ancient Greeks or Romans but, in reality, comic books, movies, holidays, and yes, even commercials embody our own cultural myths. Consider the popularity of the elaborate weddings that Disney stages for couples who want to reenact their own version of a popular fairy tale. At Disney World, the princess bride wears a tiara and rides to the park's lakeside wedding pavilion in a horse-drawn coach, complete with two footmen in gray wigs and gold lamé pants. At the exchange of vows, trumpets blare as Major Domo (he helped the Duke in his quest for Cinderella) walks up the aisle with two wedding bands gently placed in a glass slipper on a velvet pillow. Disney stages about 2,000 of these extravaganzas each year. Disney is expanding the appeal of this myth as it moves into the bridal gown business. It sells a line of billowing princess gowns complete with crystal tiaras. Fairy-tale brides can walk down the aisle posing as Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine, or Ariel.

Comic book superheroes demonstrate how a culture communicates myths to consumers of all ages. Marvel Comics' Spiderman character tells stories about balancing the obligations of being a superhero with the need of his alter ego, Peter Parker, to succeed in school and have a normal love life. Indeed, some of these fictional figures embody such fundamental properties that they become a monomyth, a myth that is common to many cultures. Consider Superman; a father (Jor-El) gives his only son to save a world with his supernatural powers. Sound familiar?

 

Truth 47. Sign a caveman to endorse your product

People love the Geico caveman. He appeared in commercials as a throwback dressed in "yuppie" clothing who struggles against Geico's insensitivity when its ads claimed, "It's so easy even a caveman can do it." How much do viewers love him? Well, ABC decided to develop a sitcom (okay, a short-lived one) about a group of caveman roommates who battle prejudice in modern-day America. This nouveau Fred Flintstone isn't alone. Burger King's creepy "King" mascot shows up in a series of video games, and the fast-food chain is arranging for him to star in a feature film. And the mythical Simpsons family debuted in real life as 7-Eleven transformed many of its stores into Kwik-E-Marts to promote the cartoon series' movie. During the promotion, customers snapped up KrustyO's cereal, Buzz Cola, and ice Squishees, all products from the show.

Reality engineering occurs when marketers appropriate elements of popular culture and use them as promotional vehicles. Reality engineers have many tools at their disposal; they plant products in movies, pump scents into offices and stores, attach video monitors in the backs of taxicabs, buy ad space on police patrol cars, or film faked "documentaries" such as The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield. A New York couple funded their $80,000 wedding by selling corporate plugs; they inserted coupons in their programs and tossed 25 bouquets from 1-800-FLOWERS. Internet casino GoldenPalace.com paid people a total of $100,000 to tattoo the company name on their foreheads, cleavage, and pregnant bellies. In one poll, about half of the respondents said they would consider accepting money from corporations in exchange for naming rights to their babies. Others do it for free: In 2000, the latest year for which data is available, 571 babies in the United States were named Armani, 55 were named Chevy, and 21 were named L'Oréal.

Traditionally, TV networks demanded that producers "geek" (alter) brand names before they could appear in a show, as when Melrose Place changed a Nokia cell phone to a "Nokio." Nowadays, though, real products pop up everywhere. A script for ABC's soap opera All My Children was reworked so that one of the characters would plug a new Wal-Mart perfume called Enchantment. Daytime TV stars eat Butterball turkeys, wear NASCAR shirts, and use Kleenex tissue. And the characters on the soap have been drinking a lot of Florida orange juice—not only because they're thirsty. Product placement is the insertion of real products in fictional movies, TV shows, books, and plays. Many types of products play starring (or at least supporting) roles in our culture; in 2007, for example, the most visible brands ranged from Coca-Cola and Nike apparel to the Chicago Bears football team and the Pussycat Dolls band.

For better or worse, products are popping up everywhere. Worldwide product placement in all media was worth $3.5 billion in 2004, a 200 percent increase from 1994. New advances in technology are taking product placement to the next level, as producers can insert brands into shows after filming them. Virtual product placement put a box of Club Crackers into an episode of Yes, Dear; producers also inserted Cheez-It crackers, a can of StarKist tuna, and Nutri-Grain bars into the show. This new procedure means that a brand doesn't have to be written into the script, and it can't be deleted by late editing changes.

Is the placement worth the effort? A 2006 study reported that consumers respond well to placements when the show's plot makes the product's benefit clear. It found that the year's most effective brand integration occurred on ABC's now-cancelled Miracle Workers reality show, where physicians performed novel, life-changing surgeries. Audiences reacted strongly to CVS Pharmacy's role in covering the costs of medications that patients needed after the procedures.

 

Truth 48. Make your brand a fortress brand—and make mine a Guinness

A ritual is a set of multiple, symbolic behaviors that occurs in a fixed sequence and is repeated periodically. Bizarre tribal ceremonies, perhaps involving animal or human sacrifice, may come to mind when you think of rituals but, in reality, many contemporary consumer activities are ritualistic.

Consider, for example, a ritual that many beer drinkers in the United Kingdom and Ireland hold near and dear to their hearts—the spectacle of a pub bartender "pulling" the perfect pint of Guinness. According to tradition, the slow pour takes exactly 119.5 seconds as the bartender holds the glass at a 45-degree angle, fills it three-quarters full, lets it settle, and tops it off with its signature creamy head. Guinness wanted to make the pull faster so that the bar could serve more drinks on a busy night, so it introduced FastPour, an ultrasound technology that dispenses the dark brew in only 25 seconds. Did you guess the outcome? The brewer had to scrap the system when drinkers resisted the innovation. You just don't mess with consumers' rituals.

The BBDO Worldwide advertising agency labels brands that we closely link to our rituals fortress brands because, once they become embedded in our rituals—whether brushing our teeth, drinking a beer, or shaving—we're unlikely to replace them. The agency reported that people it observed in 26 countries practice some rituals in common, including one it labels preparing for battle. For most of us, this ritual means getting ready for work. Relevant activities include brushing our teeth, taking a shower or bath, having something to eat or drink, talking to a family member or partner, checking e-mail, shaving, putting on makeup, watching TV or listening to the radio, and reading a newspaper. The study claims that 89 percent of people use the same brands for these sequenced rituals, and three out of four are disappointed or irritated when something disrupts their ritual or their brand of choice isn't available.

Rituals occur at several levels. Public rituals such as the Super Bowl, presidential inaugurations, and graduation ceremonies are communal activities that affirm our membership in the larger group and reassure us that we are reading from the same script as everyone else. Other rituals occur in small groups or even in isolation. Market researchers discovered that, for many people, the act of late-night ice cream eating has ritualistic elements, often involving a favorite spoon and bowl! And rituals are not always set in stone; they change with the times. For example, when we throw rice at a wedding, we are expressing our desire for the couple to be fertile. In recent years, many newlyweds have substituted soap bubbles, jingling bells, or butterflies for the rice, because birds eat the rice, which expands inside their bodies with nasty results.

Many businesses owe their livelihoods to their capability to supply ritual artifacts to consumers. These are items we need to perform rituals, such as wedding rice, birthday candles, diplomas, specialized foods and beverages (for example, wedding cakes, ceremonial wine, or even hot dogs at the ball park), trophies and plaques, band uniforms, greeting cards, and retirement watches. In addition, we often follow a ritual script to identify the artifacts we need, the sequence in which we should use them, and who uses them. Examples include graduation programs, fraternity manuals, and etiquette books. Make your brand a fortress brand.

 

Truth 49. Turn a (pet) rock into gold

In the early 1980s, Cabbage Patch dolls were all the rage among American children. Faced with a limited supply of the product, some retailers reported near-riots among adults as they tried desperately to buy the dolls for their children. A Milwaukee DJ jokingly announced that people should bring catcher's mitts to a local stadium, because an airplane was going to fly overhead and drop 2,000 dolls. He told his listeners to hold up their American Express cards so their numbers could be photographed from the plane. More than two dozen anxious parents apparently didn't get the joke; they showed up in subzero weather, mitts in hand.

The Cabbage Patch craze lasted for a couple of seasons before it eventually died out, and consumers moved on to other things, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which grossed more than $600 million in 1989. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers eventually replaced the Turtles, and Beanie Babies and Giga Pets, in turn, deposed them before the invasion of Pokémon followed by Yu-Gi-Oh! cards and now Webkinz. What will be next?

Although the longevity of a particular style can range from a month to a century, fashions tend to flow in a predictable sequence. Like a person, an item or idea progresses through basic stages from birth to death. The fashion acceptance cycle is pretty predictable, but the rate at which it occurs is speeding up dramatically in our global and high-tech economy. This means that companies have to work harder than ever to continually innovate rather than simply introduce a great product and rest on their laurels. Product development cycles accelerate in many industries from apparel (which used to have four seasons but now has six per year) to computers.

We distinguish among products in terms of the length of their acceptance cycle. A classic is a fashion with an extremely long acceptance cycle. It is, in a sense, "antifashion" because it guarantees stability and low risk to the purchaser for a long period. Keds sneakers, introduced in 1917, appeal to those who are turned off by the high fashion, trendy appeal of Nike or Reebok. When researchers asked consumers in focus groups to imagine what kind of building Keds would be, a common response was a country house with a white picket fence. In other words, consumers see the shoes as a stable, classic product. In contrast, participants described Nikes as steel-and-glass skyscrapers, reflecting their more modern image.

In contrast, a fad is a short-lived fashion. Relatively few people adopt a fad product. Adopters may all belong to a common subculture, and the fad "trickles across" members but rarely breaks out of that specific group. Indeed, others are likely to ridicule the fad (which may add fuel to the fire). Some notable past fad products include hula hoops, snap bracelets, and pet rocks. More recently, an entrepreneur named Johnny Earle caught the fad wave by turning his nickname—"Cupcake"—into a booming business. He started selling his T-shirts featuring cupcakes in unlikely situations (for example, one with a cupcake and crossbones) out of the trunk of his car. He wound up with two retail stores, including one on upscale Newbury Street in Boston. Customers walk away with the shirts wrapped in doughnut boxes rather than bags.

The first company to identify a trend and act on it has an advantage, whether the firm is Starbucks (gourmet coffee), Nabisco (Snackwells low-fat cookies and crackers), Taco Bell (value pricing), or Chrysler (retro cars). Nothing is certain, but some guidelines help to predict whether the innovation will endure as a long-term trend or if it's just a fad destined to go the way of hula-hoops, pet rocks, and little rubber spiders called Wally Wallwalkers that slowly crawled down walls instead of just dropping to the ground:

• Does it fit with basic lifestyle changes? If a new hairstyle is hard to care for, this innovation isn't consistent with women's increasing time demands. However, the movement to shorter-term vacations is more likely to last, because this innovation makes trip planning easier for harried consumers who want to get away for a few days at a time.
• What are the benefits? The switch to poultry and fish from beef came about because these meats are healthier.
• Can it be personalized? Enduring trends tend to accommodate a desire for individuality, whereas styles such as Mohawk haircuts or the grunge look tend to lock followers in to a fairly restricted set of styles.
• Is it a real trend or just a side effect of something else? An increased interest in exercise is part of a basic trend toward health consciousness, although the specific form of exercise that is "in" at any given time will vary (for example, low-impact aerobics versus Pilates).
• What other changes are occurring in the market? Sometimes carryover effects influence the popularity of related products. The miniskirt fad in the 1960s boosted hosiery purchases substantially. Now, sales of these items are in decline because of today's more casual styles.
• Who has adopted it? If working mothers, baby boomers, or some other important market segment don't adopt the innovation, it is not likely to become a longer-term trend.

 

Truth 50. Think globally, act locally

When Wal-Mart started to open stores abroad in the early 1990s, it offered a little piece of America to foreign consumers—and that was the problem. The retail behemoth promoted golf clubs in soccer-mad Brazil and pushed ice skates in Mexico. It trained its German clerks to smile at customers—who thought they were flirting. Now Wal-Mart is adapting (though not in Germany—the company had to throw in the towel there). Its Chinese stores sell live turtles and snakes and lure shoppers who come on foot or bicycle with free shuttle buses and home delivery for refrigerators and other large items.

As corporations compete in many markets around the world, the debate intensifies regarding the need to develop separate marketing plans for each culture versus crafting a single plan that a firm implements everywhere. Let's briefly consider each viewpoint.

• Adopt a standardized strategy—Proponents of a standardized marketing strategy argue that many cultures, especially those of industrialized countries, have become so homogenized that the same approach will work throughout the world. By developing one approach for multiple markets, a company can benefit from economies of scale because it does not have to incur the substantial time and expense to develop a separate strategy for each culture. For example, Starbucks is becoming a household name in Japan (where it is pronounced STAH-buks-zu). Like their American counterparts, local Japanese outlets feature comfortable sofas, and hip-hop and reggae tunes play in the background.
• Adopt a localized strategy—Disney learned the hard way about the importance of being sensitive to local cultures after it opened its Euro Disney Park in 1992. The company got slammed for creating an entertainment venue that re-created its American locations without catering to local customs (such as serving wine with meals). Visitors to Euro Disney from many countries took offense, even at what seemed to be small slights—such as the sin of serving only French sausage to Germans, Italians, and others who believed their own local version to be superior. Disney applied the lessons it learned in cultural sensitivity to its newer Hong Kong Disneyland. Executives shifted the angle of the front gate by 12 degrees after they consulted a feng shui specialist, who said the change would ensure prosperity for the park. Cash registers are close to corners or along walls to increase prosperity. The company burned incense as it finished each building, and it picked a lucky day (September 12) for the opening. One of the park's main ballrooms measures 888 square meters because eight is a lucky number in Chinese culture.

In some cases, consumers in one place simply do not like some products that are popular elsewhere, or their different lifestyles require companies to adapt the way they make their products. IKEA finally realized that Americans use a lot of ice in their drinks, so they weren't buying smaller European glasses. The Swedish furniture chain also figured out that, compared to Europeans, Americans sleep in bigger beds, need bigger bookshelves, and like to curl up on sofas rather than sit on them. Snapple failed in Japan because the drink's cloudy appearance and the pulp floating in the bottles were a turnoff. Similarly, Frito-Lay stopped selling Ruffles potato chips (too salty) and Cheetos there. (The Japanese didn't appreciate having orange fingers after they ate a handful.) The company still makes Cheetos in China, but the local version doesn't contain cheese, which is not a staple of the Chinese diet. Instead, local flavors come in varieties such as Savory American Cream and Japanese Steak.

So, what's the verdict—does global marketing work? Perhaps the more appropriate question is, "When does it work?" Although the argument for a homogenous world culture is appealing in principle, in practice it hasn't worked out too well. One reason for the failure of global marketing is that consumers in different countries have varying conventions and customs, so they simply do not use products the same way. Kellogg, for example, discovered that, in Brazil, people don't typically eat a big breakfast—they're more likely to eat cereal as a dry snack.

Some large corporations such as Coca-Cola have been successful in crafting a single, international image. Still, even the soft drink giant must make minor modifications to the way it presents itself in each culture. Although Coke commercials are largely standardized, the company permits local agencies to edit them so that they highlight close-ups of local faces. To maximize the chances of success for these multicultural efforts, marketers must locate consumers in different countries who nonetheless share a common worldview. This is more likely to be the case among people whose frame of reference is relatively more international or cosmopolitan, or who receive much of their information about the world from sources that incorporate a worldwide perspective. The best candidates for standardization: affluent people who are "global citizens" and who come into contact with ideas from around the world through their travels, business contacts, and media experiences; and young people whose tastes in music and fashion are strongly influenced by MTV and other media that broadcast many of the same images to multiple countries.

And that's the truth.

 

References

Truth 1

1. Kenji Hall, "Sony Walkman Wants the Spotlight Back," BusinessWeek (October 13, 2006), http://yahoo.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/oct2006/gb20061013_132346.htm, accessed January 1, 2008.

Truth 2

2. Quoted in Jack Neff, "P&G Boosts Design's Role in Marketing," Advertising Age 1 no. 2 (February 9, 2004): 52.

Truth 3

3. Deborah J. Mitchell, Barbara E. Kahn, and Susan C. Knasko, "There's Something in the Air: Effects of Congruent or Incongruent Ambient Odor on Consumer Decision Making," Journal of Consumer Research 22 (September 1995): 229–38.

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Truth 4

7. Michael Lev, "No Hidden Meaning Here: Survey Sees Subliminal Ads," New York Times (May 3, 1991): D7.

Truth 5

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Truth 6

11. James Ward, Barbara Loken, Ivan Ross, and Tedi Hasapopoulous, "The Influence of Physical Similarity on Generalization of Affect and Attribute Perceptions from National Brands to Private Label Brands," in Terence A. Shimp et al., eds., American Marketing Educators' Conference (Chicago: American Marketing Association, 1986), 51–56.

Truth 7

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Truth 8

18. Keith Naughton and Bill Vlasic, "Nostalgia Boom," BusinessWeek (March 23, 1998): 59–64.

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Truth 9

21. Mary Kay Ericksen and M. Joseph Sirgy, "Achievement Motivation and Clothing Preferences of White-Collar Working Women," in Michael R. Solomon, ed., The Psychology of Fashion (Lexington, MA: Lexington Books, 1985), 357–369.

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Truth 10

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24. Marsha L. Richins, "Special Possessions and the Expression of Material Values," Journal of Consumer Research 21 (December 1994): 522–533.

25. David Brooks, "Why BoBos Rule," Newsweek (April 3, 2000): 62–64.

Truth 11

26. Emily Burg, "Whole Foods Is Consumers' Favorite Green Brand," Marketing Daily, mediapost.com, accessed May 10, 2007.

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29. Sarah Mahoney, "Wal-Mart: The Average Joe Is Greener Than You Think," Marketing Daily, available from mediapost.com, accessed April 19, 2007.

30. http://green.yahoo.com/index.php?q=action, accessed June 30, 2007.

Truth 12

31. Gary Rivlin, "Facing the World with Egos Exposed," New York Times Online (June 3, 2004).

32. Marsha L. Richins, "Social Comparison and the Idealized Images of Advertising," Journal of Consumer Research 18 (June 1991): 71–83; Mary C. Martin and Patricia F. Kennedy, "Advertising and Social Comparison: Consequences for Female Preadolescents and Adolescents," Psychology & Marketing 10 (November–December 1993): 513–530.

33. Philip N. Myers, Jr. and Frank A. Biocca, "The Elastic Body Image: The Effect of Television Advertising and Programming on Body Image Distortions in Young Women," Journal of Communication 42 (Summer 1992): 108–133.

34. Charles S. Gulas and Kim McKeage, "Extending Social Comparison: An Examination of the Unintended Consequences of Idealized Advertising Imagery," Journal of Advertising 29 (Summer 2000): 17–28.

Truth 14

35. A. L. E. Birdwell, "A Study of Influence of Image Congruence on Consumer Choice," Journal of Business 41 (January 1964): 76–88; Edward L. Grubb and Gregg Hupp, "Perception of Self, Generalized Stereotypes, and Brand Selection," Journal of Marketing Research 5 (February 1986): 58–63.

36. Benedict Carey, "With That Saucy Swagger, She Must Drive a Porsche," New York Times Online (June 13, 2006).

37. Russell W. Belk, "Shoes and Self," Advances in Consumer Research (2003): 27–33.

Truth 15

38. Diane Goldner, "What Men and Women Really Want…to Eat," New York Times (March 2, 1994): C1 (2).

39. "Defining Metro Sexuality" Metrosource (September/October/November 2003).

40. "National Poll Reveals the Emergence of a 'New Man,'" Millerbrewing.com, accessed April 15, 2006.

Truth 20

41. Linda Keslar, "What's in a Name?" Individual Investor (April 1999): 101–102.

42. Seth Stevenson, "How to Beat Nike," New York Times Online (January 5, 2003).

43. Gabriel Kahn, "Philips Blitzes Asian Market as It Strives to Become Hip," Wall Street Journal Online (August 1, 2002).

44. Erin White, "Volvo Sheds Safe Image for New, Dangerous Ads," Wall Street Journal Online (June 14, 2002).

Truth 21

45. "Consumers Willing to Trade Off Privacy for Electronic Personalization," www.mediapost.com, accessed January 23, 2007.

Truth 23

46. Julie Bosman, "Chevy Tries a Write-Your-Own-Ad Approach, and the Potshots Fly," The New York Times (April 4, 2006).

Truth 25

47. Gary Belsky, "Why Smart People Make Major Money Mistakes," Money (July 1995): 76; Richard Thaler and Eric J. Johnson, "Gambling with the House Money or Trying to Break Even: The Effects of Prior Outcomes on Risky Choice," Management Science 36 (June 1990): 643–660; Richard Thaler, "Mental Accounting and Consumer Choice," Marketing Science 4 (Summer 1985): 199–214.

48. Geoffrey C. Kiel and Roger A. Layton, "Dimensions of Consumer Information Seeking Behavior," Journal of Marketing Research 28 (May 1981): 233–239.

49. Richard Thaler, "Mental Accounting and Consumer Choice," Marketing Science 4 (Summer 1985): 199–214, quoted on p. 206.

Truth 27

50. "Customer Product Reviews Drive Online Satisfaction and Conversion," www.mediapost.com (January 24, 2007).

Truth 28

51. John et al., "Sampling Data for Covariation Assessment: The Effects of Prior Beliefs on Search Patterns," Journal of Consumer Research 13 (June 1986): 1;38–48.

Truth 29

52. John P. Robinson, "Time Squeeze," Advertising Age (February 1990): 30–33.

53. "We're Hating the Waiting; 43% Prefer Self-Service," Marketing Daily (January 23, 2007), mediapost.com.

Truth 30

54. Gary L. Clark, Peter F. Kaminski, and David R. Rink, "Consumer Complaints: Advice on How Companies Should Respond Based on an Empirical Study," Journal of Services Marketing 6 (Winter 1992): 41–50.

Truth 31

55. Dyan Machan, "Is the Hog Going Soft?" Forbes (March 10, 1997): 114–119.

Truth 36

56. Lawrence F. Feick, Linda L. Price, and Robin A. Higie, "People Who Use People: The Other Side of Opinion Leadership," in Richard J. Lutz, ed., Advances in Consumer Research 13 (Provo, UT: Association for Consumer Research, 1986): 301–305.

57. Scale items adapted from Lawrence F. Feick and Linda L. Price, "The Market Maven: A Diffuser of Marketplace Information," Journal of Marketing 51 (January 1987): 83–87.

Truth 37

58. Barbara Kiviat, "The End of Management," Time Inside Business (July 12, 2004). [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,994658,00.html], accessed October 5, 2007.

Truth 38

59. Robert Lohrer, "Haggar Targets Women with $8M Media Campaign," Daily News Record (January 8, 1997): 1.

60. Jennifer Steinhauer, "Mars and Venus: Who Is 'the Decider'?" New York Times Online (April 26, 2006), accessed April 26, 2006; "Tailor-Made," Advertising Age (September 23, 2002): 14.

Truth 39

61. "Kids Strongly Influence Brand Decisions," www.marketingpower.com (February 22, 2007).

62. Russell N. Laczniak and Kay M. Palan, "Under the Influence," Marketing Research (Spring 2004): 34–39.

63. Stephanie Thompson, "Mrs. Butterworth's Changes Her Target," Advertising Age (December 20, 1999): 44.

Truth 40

64. Steve Kroft, "The Echo Boomers," CBSNews.com (October 3, 2004), accessed October 3, 2004.

65. Laurel Anderson and Julie L. Ozanne, "The Cyborg Teen: Identity Play and Deception on the Internet," Advances in Consumer Research 33, no. 1 (2006).

Truth 41

66. Amy Merrick, "Gap Plans Five Forth & Towne Stores for Fall," The Wall Street Journal (April 22, 2005): B1.

Truth 43

67. Shelly Reese, "The Many Faces of Affluence," Marketing Tools (November–December 1997): 44–48.

68. Martin Fackler, "Pajamas: Not Just for Sleep Anymore," Opelika-Auburn News (September 13, 2002): 7A.

Truth 45

69. Robert V. Kozinets, "Utopian Enterprise: Articulating the Meanings of Star Trek's Culture of Consumption," Journal of Consumer Research 28 (June 2001): 67–88, quoted on p.74.

 

About the Author

Michael R. Solomon, Ph.D. is Professor of Marketing and Director of the Center for Consumer Research in the Haub School of Business at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia. He is also Professor of Consumer Behaviour at the Manchester School of Business, The University of Manchester, U.K. Professor Solomon's primary research interests include consumer behavior and lifestyle issues, branding strategy, symbolic aspects of products, psychology of fashion, decoration, and image, services marketing, and the development of visually oriented online research methodologies. Professor Solomon has been recognized as one of the 15 most widely cited scholars in the academic behavioral sciences and fashion literature and as one of the 10 most productive scholars in the field of advertising and marketing communications. His textbook, Consumer Behavior: Buying, Having, and Being, published by Prentice Hall, is widely used in universities throughout North America, Europe, and Australia and is now in its eighth edition.

In addition to his academic activities, Professor Solomon is a frequent contributor to mass media. His feature articles have appeared in magazines such as Psychology Today, Gentleman's Quarterly, and Savvy. He has been quoted in numerous national magazines and newspapers, including Allure, Elle, Glamour, Mademoiselle, Mirabella, Newsweek, The New York Times, Self, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal. He frequently appears on television and radio to comment on consumer behavior issues, including The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNBC, Channel One, Inside Edition, Newsweek on the Air, The Wall Street Journal Radio Network, the Entrepreneur Sales and Marketing show, the WOR Radio Network, and National Public Radio. Professor Solomon provides input as a marketing consultant to a variety of organizations on issues related to consumer behavior, branding, services marketing, retailing, and advertising. He frequently speaks to business organizations around the world about new trends in consumer behavior.