Consumer Behaviour - Comparison Between Two Shampoo Products - Pantine and Fructis

COMPARISON OF CONSUMERS ACROSS

PANTINE PROV 'DAILY MOISTURE RENEWAL' SHAMPOO

AND

FRUCTIS 'SLEEK AND SHINE' SHAMPOO

Abstract

Marketers rely on the study of consumer behavior when formulating marketing and advertising

campaigns. They undertake the task of examining consumers needs and motivations, perceptions

and studying consumers personality traits in order to effectively reach their target market. This paper

examines the differences in consumer behavior across two product offerings; Garnier Fructis 'Sleek and

Shine' shampoo and Pantene Pro V 'Daily Moisture Renewal' shampoo.

It can be seen that each product is targeting a significantly different audience and therefore the methods employed, while similar in some instances, vary greatly. Consumers who purchase 'Daily Moisture Renewal' are likely to be more mature, require more information and rely more heavily on verbal and intrinsic cues. Consumers who purchase 'Sleek and Shine' are likely to be from a younger generation, are consumer innovators and rely more heavily on extrinsic cues when making product decisions.

Introduction

Consumer behavior can be defined as the 'behavior consumers display in searching for, purchasing,

using, evaluating... the products and services that they expect will satisfy their needs' (Leon Schiffman,

2010). How consumers chose what products to buy has become a key element of, and the basis for, a

companies overall marketing strategy.

There has been increased research over the last several years into Consumer behavior and a growing

area of research interest is in uncovering the underlying psychology of consumer information acquisition strategies. (De Maeyer et al, 2011). The following essay will attempt to analyze the differences in consumer behavior with relation to two product offerings; Pantene Pro V 'Daily Moisture Renewal Shampoo' and Garnier Fructis 'Sleek and Shine' shampoo. This will include analyzing the different needs and motivation, personality and perceptions of consumers within the target market for each product.

A general indication of the target market for each product is below:

Pantene Pro V 'Daily Moisture Renewal' is targeted towards woman in the 'Baby Boomer'

and X generations who have a higher disposable income

Garnier Fructis 'Sleek and Shine' is targeted towards woman in Generation Y who have a

lower disposable income.

Consumers Needs and Motivation

Needs and motivation can be defined in two categories. Innate needs, these are the "physiological needs that underline all human action" - the need for food, shelter, air, clothing and sex. And acquired needs, "needs that we learn in response to our culture or environment" such as the need for self-esteem, prestige, affection, power or learning (Schiffman et al, 2010). When a consumers need is unfulfilled they are motivated (by various stimuli) to fulfill their needs. The advertising campaigns of both Ganier Fructis 'Sleek and Shine' and Pantene Pro V's 'Daily Moisture Renewal' shampoos aim to reduce unfulfilled needs and therefore alleviate the driving motivational forces in their target consumers.

Consumers who use 'Daily Moisture Renewal' shampoo may feel the need for more moistrised and nourished hair as well as the need to stop split ends from forming. It is advertised as a product that moisturises dry, damaged hair leaving it clean and healthy - their ad states "moisturize hair and helps to repair damage. Hair shines with the look of health" (Pantene Pro V). This shows that this product will fulfil the consumers physiological needs, by giving the body moisture, as well as safety and security needs, by helping fight off split ends (as per Maslows hierarchy of needs (Leon Schiffman, 2010)).

'Daily Moisture Renewal' shows a woman who is a Psychiatrist and an working mum with an active lifestyle who had dry split ends in its television commercial. It utilizes a storytelling-technique and tells the story of this woman who, with the help of this product, she was able to rejuvenate her hair to the point where now people will comment on its length as well as its health. Consumers who see this may see a way fulfill their social and ego needs. They see a successful woman who has people commenting on her hair and may believe that by using this product they too will have the social acceptance and status of the woman in the ad (Myadworld LLC).

Garnier Fructis 'Sleek and Shine' shampoo also address' similar physiological and social needs in their advertising. Consumers who are looking for a product that soothes split ends and helps arm the user against "external aggressors such as humidity and heated styling tools" (Garnier Fructis, 2010) as well as a brand that is new and youthful may use this product.

'Sleek and Shine' shows a group of young adults in television advertising. It portrays them in an dventurous setting in the Australian outback when they are suddenly waylaid by badly damaged and broken hair. The coloring of the commercial at this point is bleak showing an overlarge sun beating down with heat. When a male member of the group produces a bottle of 'Sleek and Shine' and gives it to one of the female members of the group, and the female uses the product, the color of the commercial immediately becomes vibrant blues and greens and the sun a simple shining yellow ball in the background. The group is then up and mobile and rides off on horses into the sunset. Consumers who see this may see a way to fulfill not only their basic physiological needs, by using the product they instill life into their broken damaged hair, but also a way of fulfilling their need for social acceptance,

by buying this product they will be socially accepted by their peers and others within their age group as the people in the ad are the