Consumer Decision Making Process for Packaged Tuna

Packaged tuna and any other canned food is not a necessity. This aspectsuggests that consumers can easily substitute them with other products that satisfy their needs. Marketers take advantage of consumer decision-making by strategizing on the factors that influence buying decisions at every step. The first phasefor tuna consumer decision-making is the recognition of needs. It is a phase in which the potential consumers start realizing that they need canned tuna. The main factors that may influence this decision are the taste preference for the product, and its nutrient content. Mowen (2009)argued that marketers tap the opportunity on the imbalance between consumer preferred status and their present status to advance their marketing objectives. In this regard, internal stimulus among consumers that value the taste and the need for tuna is the primary driver for need recognition in the first step of the consumer decision-making process.

The second step is the search for information about tuna foodstuff and the availability of alternative selections.The other aspects in this step are the pricing mechanism for tuna about its substitutes that satisfy consumer needs. Internal information search entails utilizing the past experiences and memories associated with the canned food. An external search for relevant information, on the other hand, involves asking close family members and other consumers on the experiences related to acquiring tuna products. The third phase is the evaluation of alternatives. In this regard, the consumers willask themselves questions such as whether tuna is the right selection and if it will satisfy their needs and wants. Consumers would then compare the price and the quality before choosing the product that meets essential aspects of their parameters.

The fourth step is purchasing the product. Accordingly, the consumers would buy tuna after a logical conclusion that is based on emotional outcomes associated with marketing campaigns and advertising. The final step entails post-purchase satisfaction or dissatisfaction. It is a point that tuna consumers review whether the product delivers the aspects of advertising and marketing campaigns. Also, they will tend to evaluate if tuna match or exceed their expectations.At this stage, there is a tendency to evaluate the satisfaction that would have with the purchase of alternative products. The argument rests on the fact that the consumers would be keener on evaluating the value of money.

Prior to making the decision to order the products, there is often a deep consideration of what they want. Through their built choices, it implies that the customers of the product are in knowledge of the perceived quality. The outlined steps indicate that the customers followed the AIDA model. Under this model, there is a focus on elements such as attention interest, desire and action. It is a highlight of the steps or events that take place from the point that a consumer traces a product. In large cases, many consumers become aware of a specific brand through adverts and other forms of marketing. It implies that the advertising techniques employed by a brand must be in a position to answer the questions that are raised by the customers.

Reasons for the Changes in the Decision Making Process

It is apparent from the case study that there is a shift from advertising media and thus a drastic change in the consumer decision-making process. Initially, consumers were used and habituated towards influential personalities. These people were icons in media advertising since they played essential roles when Chicken of the Sea Incorporation intensified its marketing campaigns. Prominent figures such as “Charlie the Tuna” dramatically shaped customer loyalty towards specific brands in the company. As such, the shift to in-store promotions, print-ads, and coupons require strategic approaches to enhance a normal consumer decision-making process.

Based on the provisions of the AIDA model, it is evident that there are different factors that influence the decision making the process of the customers. One of the factors is access to information. After developing an interest in a product, customers often embark in searching for information relating to the products such as the price and quality. Likewise, the marketing team often employs the AIDA model as being a way of evaluating the most effective methods of connecting with the customers. They are thus likely to come up with marketing approaches that effectively connect with the customers. In the initial stages, there was the use of celebrities and other notable figures in marketing the product.

Any shift in the method of communicating this information may cause significant changes in customer preferences and tastes.The current marketing method being employed by the organization implies that marketing method is not effective as it fails to connect with the interests and needs of the customers.  On the other hand, the use of many intermediaries in the marketing processes may have the effect of increasing the cost of goods and services. In a typical setting, an increase in the costs of goods tends to lower the demand levels.  It holds that a reduction in the price of Chicken Inc. products would see a significant increase in revenue levels.

There is high competitiveness in the market and therefore implies thatconsumers tend to buy the cheapest products. There is no brand loyalty, and the company may not succeed in its strategy to employ commercial ads. It is apparent in the case study that organizations compete to provide many promotions in a move to establish brand loyalty. At present, these organizations are offering discounts as an approach to increase their sales volume. The consumers, however, end up opting for tuna products and this aspect implies that Chicken of the sea has established customer loyalty unlike the other competitors in the industry. These organizations use a variety of promotions, newspaper ads and display of interactive products in their websites.

Response Hierarchy Model

It is a theoretical model that marketers use to determine the behaviours and consumer response to advertising campaigns. The model provides marketers with a detailed and complete understanding of the reactions that underpin customer experiences throughout the consumer decision-making process. In this regard, the Hierarchy of Effects Model could have influenced customers to buy tuna products before the company shifted away from media advertising. Initially, brand loyalty motivated the customers to buy a brand of their choice since they had already decided on the products of their choice.

However, the most applicable model after a change from media advertising isAIDA response hierarchy. This aspect is so since several factors influence the final decision to purchase tuna foods. Initially, customer loyalty did not play an exclusive role in shaping a buying decision, but rather it is a combination of several purchase actions and factors. It implies that marketers ought to create some motivations through integrated marketing communication components such as promotions, print advertisements, and retails. These aspects are influential in that they enhance the consumers to choose the brand over the substitutes in the market.

TheHierarchy of Effects Modelis highly effective in determining factors that influence the reception of products in the market. Marketing is regarded as being an important tool that helps communicate the properties of a product in question. In any marketing initiative, there is a need to compel customers to buy a product. On the other hand, the decision making processes of the customers is influenced by the availability of vital information. It is through access to such information that they can make comparisons among different products.It gives the customers a clue about whether the features of a product conform to their needs and preferences.

The order of any marketing process entails knowledge, awareness, conviction and preferences. It thus calls for the use of persuasive advertising techniques that connect with the needs of the customers. The primary objective of any marker is to offer a detailed guide to the customers on the stages of the hierarchy efforts theory. An example is the fact that the first stage entails the creation of interest to the customers by raising their awareness levels towards a product.The other aspect that is featured in the model is making convictions that would propel the customers to buy a product.Under this stage, there is an emphasis on the need to address the doubts that may prevent the customers from buying different products.

The Role of Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)

The Chicken of the Sean brand ought to review its marketing communication efforts, especially after shifting from the use of media advertising techniques. In this regard, Integrated Marketing Communication plays an essential role since it stabilizes the brand to its consumers in the market. The company attains this aspect by employing new marketing efforts that enhance customer perception of the brand. ICM is a more useful technique compared to the initial approaches where the company exclusively focused on brand symbol beside driving sales using mermaid techniques. It is apparent that organizations apply significant promotions and advertisements and consequently leading to a shift in attention and responsibility from the retailer instead of the manufacturer. Accordingly, the organization empowers the retailers to push for the distribution of canned tuna from Chicken of the Sea brand over the brands that offer similar products in the market.

The Chicken of the Sea Incorporationhas several marketing tools that it employs to shape customer perception and brand loyalty. For instance, it appeals to an array of consumers using print ads, interactive websites, and coupons of advertisements. There is a need for the company to use an Integrated Marketing Communication that combines several marketing tools. The approach enhances the company to create and convey a stable message. Also, it facilitates the combination of marketing efforts that will enable the Chicken of the Sea Incorporation to deliver a consistent message to its target market. The capability of the company to convey the intended information through a couple of multiple mediums is an indication of success in the use of IMC.

The organization has realized the benefits of marketing through IMC rather than exclusively depending on independent means of marketing communications. The focus and the implementation of IMC techniques are beneficial since the organization can potentially regain its brand loyalty. In this case, the Chicken of the Sea initially enjoyed the benefits associated with brand loyalty through its mermaid icons.Mihart (2012) corroborate that an organization records significant benefits when marketing mix are incorporated to work in harmony rather than in isolation. According to the author, IMC facilitates marketing campaigns in that an organization can communicate information that is carefully linked together. Therefore, it is apparent from this perspective that integrated marketing communication played a critical role that led to the success of Chickens of the Sea.

In any marketing processes, it is worth noting that there is the intersecting of different that may either promote or derail the marketing processes.  On the other hand, the marketing prices often entail the contribution of different stakeholders thus creating the risk of complicating the processes. However, having an Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) ensures that there is smooth coordination of all important factors. Such a platform ensures that the customers are in an improved position to interact with an enterprise thus making it possible to raise their queries as well as acquire more information on the concerned brands. Having stable relations with the customers is cited as being one of the ways that an organization can effectively create a large client base.

Other than focusing on the communication between the management and the customers, it is worth noting that an integrated approach contributes to the evaluation of the marketing objectives.In any marketing processes, there is the need to have a holistic approach that ensures that all important facets are addressed. One of the critical areas is ensuring that the customers have unlimited accesses to information. The argument rest on the fact that the failure to access vital information may serve as one of the factors that may prompt the consumerssome of the methods of accessing information include both offline and online platforms.

Appropriateness of using Jessica Simpson as Spokesperson of the Company

            The organization’s decision to employ Jessica Simpson is a viable move. Also, it is an attractive option for the Chicken of the Sea Incorporation in 2003. The argument behind this decision is based on the reasoning that Jessica is a star on the rise at a time the company implemented its IMC strategies. Therefore, the star is best suited to navigate the organizationsmarketing objectives considering the tremendous popularity. Jessica being a spokesperson implies that the organization has a recognizable name of all time in the industry.

Nonetheless, it is advisable that the Chickens of the Sea critically evaluate the aspects beyond the popularity of Jessica as its official spokesperson. The most critical element, in this case, is the reputation of the proposed spokesperson since it directly impacts on the image of the company. Accordingly, the marketing and advertising team ought to evaluate the image that Jessica will portray to its target audience. The most appropriate decision, in this case, is to determine the personnel that would best relay the intended message to the target audience.

The decision to use Jessica was the most appropriate strategy that will promotebrand awareness. Using the famous star in the advertisement for canned tuna is essential in reaching out to new customers and expanding the customer base. Consequently, the Chicken of the Sea would be able to attain this objective considering that the notable star would attract attention during marketing campaigns. The challenge, however, is evaluating customer perception and whether customer perception is directly associated with the brand itself or Jessica Simpson. Also, it is possible that the star would overshadow the products that the company is promoting through the celebrity. However,MTV and other similar outlets would likely accept Jessica since there is a perception in the general public that she is ditzy. From this perspective, it is possible that the loyal buyers of the Chickens of the Sea would see Jessica negatively.

In any marketing processes, there is the need to ensure that individuals used as ambassadors of a brand are in a position to positively connect with the customers. An ambassador with negative traits may ruin the reputation of a brand. It is critical to settling for individual who readilyidentify with the customers. One of the ways that this can be attained is byensuring that there is the involvement of the employees in all importantprocesses.Having an effectivecommunication platform implies that it is possible to monitor the feedback of the customers and the reactions they have towards the product. Social media platforms are merging as being effective platforms of ensuring that there is a positive relationship between the management and the customers.

The general public has a famous fish faux that they associate with Jessica Simpson. This aspect is beneficial to the marketing objectives of the company. In this case, the target audience will likely view the star as funny and whimsical and thus adversely affecting the reputation of the company. Initially, Jessica was neither conversant nor knew more about tuna products. The ultimate consequence is that the target audience may find the ad campaigns unappealing. The reasoning is based on the argument that viewers experience blonde moments from their perception towards Jessica. The critical aspect in this context is the need for the company to identify the right fit. The manner that the organization manages the star personality will determine whether it will positively shape the image of the company or damage its reputation in the long run.

                                        The Pros and Cons of Hiring Jessica Simpson                    

The decision to hire Jessica Simpson as an international spokesperson of Chickens of the Sea is beneficial but also has adverse consequences in the long run. The pros of having a star personality are useful and outweigh the underlying disadvantages. Firstly, it improves the time that the potential consumers in the target market recognize the brand and the tuna products. Secondly, there is an opportunity for the company to enhance brand awareness by using a star that attracts significant attention in the market. This aspect is beneficial in that the Chicken of the Sea can potentially venture to the new markets, particularly the young generation that celebrities can easily attract their attention. Thirdly, Jessica being the spokesperson is an opportunity for the company to optimize on the famous fish faux pas. The eventual consequence is the fact that Jessica will significantly drive the popularity and the success of the organization.

However, hiring Jessica, the star has cons that will adversely impact on the reputation and the image of the organization. Firstly, there are high chances that the “blonde” or the ditzy perception towards Jessica will neither merge nor fit the brand image. Consequently, the target market may perceive the hiring of Jessica as a wrong decision to the reputable of the organization. Secondly, having a celebrity is costly to the organization. The agreement will see the organization part with $ 1 million to sign the deal. As such, the marketing and advertising team ought to evaluate whether the decision is beneficial. They ought also to determine if it will support the initiatives to recoup the underlying costs. Thirdly, the decision may pose negative impacts in that it will taint the organization’s mermaid image and reputation. Fourthly, the recruitment of Jessica comes in handy and at the expense of the actual promotion strategies. Fifthly, it comes with additional costs since the company has to air pricey broadcasts as an approach to utilize Jessica Simpson properly.

Reflections on Don George’ Decision

If I were in charge of the company, I would advance the initiative to hire Jessica Simpson as the spokespersons of the company. The celebrity was incredibly famous at a time the organization was searching for a new spokesperson. The primary consideration behind the decision is the fact that the personality will support the company to enter new markets. Arguably, Jessica is best suited to capitalize on her popularity to the advantage of the organization. The fish faux pas, in particular, will dramatically shape the reputation of the organization by creating brand awareness. If I were in the position of Don George, I would utilize the celebrity by creating an advertising campaign that places Jessica as a strategic icon. In this case, Jessica would play a critical role that entails influencing the target audience to consider canned tuna over the other substitutes and brands in the market.

Nonetheless, I would not use Jessica as mermaid icon for the organization if I were Don George. As such, I would maintain the initial separation where Jessica Simpson would assume the roles in the new line of ads. On the other hand, the organization will use mermaid icons in its different mix of brand products. By doing so, the organization would be maintaining its long tradition iconic mermaids that the consumers are accustomed to and thus making the brandfamiliar tothem.

The marketing and advertising team would establish a new market where Jessica Simpson specifically will create awareness and influence interest in canned tuna. It implies that the celebrity will drive sales in the new market as the organization maintains its long-time audience that primarily entails women of 25 to 54 years old. From this point, I would center the iconic mermaid on all the marketing and advertising campaigns that involve in-store promotions, print ads, and so on. Jessica, on the other hand, would be the star of all the other commercials in the company.

References

Mihart, C. (2012). Impact of integrated marketing communication on consumer behavior:

Effects on the consumer decision-making process.International Journal of Marketing

            Studies, 4(2), 121.

Mowen, J. C. (2009). Beyond consumer decision making. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 5(1),

15-25.

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