Consumer Behaviour Perception

5. Perception

Identify two advertisements (one print and one T.V. / YouTube)

Evaluate the effectiveness of each in relation to the three factors that attracted your attention to these ads i.e.

➢ Stimulus factors

➢ Individual factors

➢ Situational factors

Perception is the ability to make sense of the stimuli we are exposed to. There are several sequential factors, which influence our perception. Exposure, attention, interpretation and memory interact together to help us define our environment. For the purpose of this task, I will discuss the concept of attention in relation to three additional factors: stimulus, individual and situational factors.

Print Ad: The Sunday Times 'Style' Magazine

Stimulus Factors

The print advert is for 'The Shoe Salon', a designer shoe emporium recently opened in Harrods of London. The ad took a full-page spread and was positioned in a high-impact zone on the left side of the magazine. People generally read from left to right so the ad is an excellent position to grab the reader's attention. The colour and movement of the ad is intense and dark. The charcoal background is used to enhance perspective and depth. A black or dark background is commonly used to target a sophisticated high-end market creating an element of mystery (Posadas, 2009) and curiosity developing the interestingness factor. It accentuates the focal point of the ad; a glistening Louboutin shoe perched upon rugged post. The rich tones of turquoise, blue and purple represent a feminine sophistication and inspiration. The movement of the butterflies is delicate and beautiful which are similar characteristics of the shoe. Ergo, the visual is keenly representative of the target audience and what appeals to them. The visual component or picture superiority effect is an important tool in print advertising for grasping the viewer's attention.

The Louboutin shoe is encapsulated in a bell shaped showcase and sends the message that the shoe is a unique piece of great value, possibly even coveted by others and so must remain in the safety of the showcase. The image returns to the element of mystery creating much anticipation for what the viewer may experience at 'The Shoe Salon'.

The top right corner lists a variety of well-known shoe designers showcased at the store. The use of information in print advertising is to attract attention. The position of the list may not attract immediate attention but is well placed in the context of the advert. The core message is communicated clearly through the focal point of the shoe and the list is used to further enhance the information quality of the ad. The Harrods logo is placed in the bottom right corner but is visually represented well in white against the charcoal background.

Advertised in Style's 'Big Spring Issue', the ad compliments the editorial content of new and exciting trends for fashion for Spring 2011. Although visually very impressive the ad is set amongst a mass of advertisements targeting a high-end market. Indeed, the greater the competition for attention the greater attention to all items may be reduced. Therefore the ad must contrast with the expectations of the reader and provide a unique ad that is distinctive from the other ads in the issue. The ad was particularly prominent for me as it involved simply a shoe and not a model. The style, focal components and colours caught my attention as I flicked through the magazine

The YouTube ad is for Pedigree Denastix, a chewable stick designed to help clean teeth and prevent tartar build up for dogs. The ad opens with four well-groomed dogs looking rather unhappy. The voice-over announces that four out of ten dogs over the age of three have gum disease contributed to by tartar.

The yellow background immediately draws attention. The dogs look well cared for and represent owners who care for their dogs and their welfare. There are three thorough bred dogs and one mongrel reflecting a variety of dogs and breeds. The voice-over's elocution is perfect with a hint of pretentiousness. He announces a solution to