Research - 'Hooked - How to Build Habit-Forming Products'

The purpose of this book is understanding the consumer psychology and products that will appeal to the consumer the most. It involves a range of techniques especially the use of modern technology from Web 2.0 with examples such as twitter being used as an social app yet, it still has an audience it needs to appeal in order to make the social product a success. This demonstrates how habit-formed good or services are done in order to establish the

Nir Eyal explains in the book about all forms of products have hooks in them such as "apps, sports, movies, games and even our jobs". It's said that, "Hooks can be found in virtually any experience that burrows into our minds (and often our wallets).

The process in which the consumers get hooked is based on 'The Hook Model' which consists of the four phases; trigger, action, variable reward and investment.

The trigger is the start of the consumer's behaviour and there are two types of triggers known as the internal and external. An example would be through using external triggers such as "an e-mail, a Website link, or the app icon on a phone". An example for an internal trigger is the use of Facebook. The consumer may use the social app at first just to view what their friends are doing and what they have done but it gradually becomes used more and more often thus it's slowly becoming a habit and being used in their everyday routine in life.

The action is "the behaviour done in anticipation of a reward" which is typically a simple action carried out by the user in order to receive a particular reward. For example, clicking a picture on Facebook which will lead to the picture enlarging itself and allowing the user to see the picture closely with better quality.

The variable reward is said to be "one of the most powerful tools companies implement to hook users". The hook's ability is to create a craving for users to repeat their actions but with another reward applying to that same action, this creates a sense of intrigue for the user.

The investment stage involves the user doing some work which is an increase in the likelihood of the user repeating the cycle of the 'Hook model' in the future. This requires the user to "put something into the product or service such as time, data, effort, social capital, or money". This stage implies an action that helps better the product or service in order for the next time it's used. It also engages the user with the product by showing their commitment to the good or service by mentioning it to their friends and family. "These commitments can be leveraged to make the trigger more engaging, the action easier, and the reward more exciting with every pass through the Hook cycle."

SOURCE: 

Bibliography

Eyal, N. (no date) Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products. United Kingdom: Portfolio Penguin.

Citation

(Eyal, no date, pp. 6 – 10)

Research - Brief History of Marketing

Marketing is said to have emerged from the early 1900s. It used to be associated with the very basics of economics such as the demand and supply and advertising which was already developed by 1900. Back in those times, no one really researched or investigated further with the link between the economics of the demand and supply of the product and the customer purchasing behaviour.

The drive for the development of marketing was due to the need to find out and understand the relationships and behaviours that existed between the sellers and buyers. The research and study into the subject demonstrated that certain strategies could be found to significantly benefit the relationship between the buyers and sellers in the industry. This meant that the marketing before the 1950s consisted of researching tactics to sell products and services without acknowledging the customers wants. This was known to companies as the "sell-as-much-as-we-can" philosophy. However, this didn't mean the sellers wanted to build long term customer relationships.

At the start of the 1950s, businesses were starting to realise that their way of selling their products were becoming old and over-used techniques in which customers were starting to lose appeal and interest with what sellers had to offer. As firms became more competitive across many sectors of the industry, companies wanted to improve on the buyer's perspective. They found a philosophy which suggests 'key factors in successful marketing is understanding the needs of the customers'. This marketing concept suggests to companies that they should first know who their customers (target audience) are and what they want. By doing this, it starts the process to develop the marketing products and services needed in order to capture the consumers.

The marketing concept is still being used for most of the marketing efforts of today but it has problems when being used with technology meaning that the concept can't always be applied to new technology. Marketers since the past have now realised that their marketing efforts can't just be to persuade the customers to buy more of their product but instead, they need to learn and understand the thinking ways of their customers and their utmost desires.


Source: http://www.knowthis.com/what-is-marketing/history-of-marketing

Research - Marketing Research of Teenage girls

It’s said that teenagers have become one of the key spenders among the consumers. As perfume fragrance companies look beyond their usual market (mainly consisting of older consumers such as adults) in order to expand growth of sales for their products.

“Today’s 13-19 year olds (842 million globally in 2005) have far more spending power than any generation before them and are serviced by a teenager’s products market that is expected to hit an estimated US$238 billion worldwide this year.” This means that modern-day teens have become more sophisticated spenders through fashion-tastes and personality. By creating fragrances targeted towards the teenage demographic can increase the likelihood of teens having expensive taste, therefore leading them to purchase more premium products.

Lower-priced mass fragrances in the pass have been appealed to the teenage market due to how affordable it was but now more prestigious brands are repositioning themselves in order to target a more younger demographic. An example would be Ralph Lauren’s fragrance ‘Ralph Hot’ which has their brand logo, bold packaging design and a multimedia advertising campaign, etc. in order to appeal to the younger demographic.

Another successful perfume fragrance that has been targeted towards teenagers is ‘Curious’ by Britney Spears. Celebrity-brands can also be a boost since it’s featuring the celebrity of the brand in relation to their perfume so fans may more likely purchase the fragrance.

Imaging is said to be quite vital to hyper-fashion-conscious teenagers so making the packaging and marketing one of the key factors which determine the success for teenage brands which is why ‘Curious’ by Britney Spears is successful.

The retail format is also another key factor in consideration for fragrances to attract the money that teenagers possess. By using the right location and store to sell the fragrance; it can be seen as a determine to how many sales they will gain.

Source: http://www.marketresearchworld.net/content/view/2067/77/

Planning - Development on Initial Idea for Artefact

I've decided to change a detail for my artefact since I believe it'll enhance the interest towards my target audience and the style for the product will influence the outcome of the entire marketing campaign.

The change I've applied to the project is towards the main idea. Rather than focusing a product on one particular major music artist; I've decided to do a collaboration of two artists in order to see if there would be an increase in the more likeliness of people willing to purchase the product if it featured two major artists.

I plan to carry out an video interview with customers within the targeted age group to see if they would purchase the product when it had the initial idea of only featuring one pop music artist or are they more likely to purchase the product now that it features two music artists.

Project To-Do List for 2015

This post contains a detailed list for what needs to be done this year. I will also be setting myself personal deadlines to meet in order to keep track of the time left until the final deadline for the project.

January plans:

• Creation of the survey

I will have created an on-line survey for people in the age group to answer. The questions will both be related to marketing techniques that are mostly effective on their age group as well as more particular questions that will relate more to the product's marketing campaign.

• Research for the marketing concept will be complete

The research will be finished by this month with all areas completed especially marketing techniques and the marketing style for my product marketing campaign.

• Initial Designs and sketches

Initial designs will consist of rough packaging designs drawn on paper. The packaging design will consist of both the template with the design and also views from different angles as to what the packaging will supposedly look like. 

February plans:

• Carrying out the on-line survey

I will be carrying out an on-line survey with a group of teenage girls ranging from ages 13 to 18 years old. The survey group-size will consist of 30 female students with approximately 5 students from each specific age group. E.g. 5 students who are 12 years old, 5 students who are 17 years old, etc

• Analysis report of survey

After my survey results are completed; I plan to do a slideshow of my analysis for the results obtained. It will consist of the overall findings from each question and whether it met my expectations for the age group. The results may also affect the marketing campaign I plan to do so I will also take note of any changes I decide to apply to the marketing campaign.

• Development of design idea and application to the campaign

These will feature my final design theme which will be developed on the computer and applied towards the marketing techniques being used for the campaign. Also, the plan is to make the marketing posters and such to look as realistic as possible in order to make it appear as a professional marketing campaign being carried out. This also includes the creation of social media in order to back-up the realism of the campaign being carried out.

Research - Mood Board of Celebrity Profile for endorsement (5 Seconds of Summer)

This is a mood board which will influence the designs for the perfume posters and packaging. I will be doing a similar style with the designs in order to match their personalities that are displayed in the images.

Research - Celebrity Profile for Perfume Product

To help with my creation of a marketing and advertising strategy, I've decided to make-up a client in order to know what's required for the marketing and what their ideas are. Marketeers often work with their clients on a basis in order to know what their desires are for the marketing campaign. This post is a profile on the ideas for the marketing strategies and the research profile of the clients who are going to release a brand-new product.

I've created a short profile as to what is expected from the clients and the marketing strategies required.

Clients: 5 Seconds of Summer (Australian Boy band)

Product: Perfume (Their own product)

Marketing strategies:

• Poster Ad
• Packaging
• Social Media
• Magazine Ad 

Main Points on Background Information on the Clients (5 Seconds of Summer)

 Group members:

• Michael Clifford
• Luke Hemmings
• Calum Hood
• Ashton Irwin 

• The band officially debuted around 2011-2012.
• They're a four-piece band with vocals, bass and rhythm guitars and a drummer.
• They originate from Australia.
•  Won awards such as Teen Choice Awards 2014 and People's Choice Awards 2015.
• They supported the world's greatest boy band, One Direction on tour.
• Their music genre is pop punk/ pop rock.
• They were first recognized on Youtube which then their popularity accumulated until they became known as Youtube celebrities.