Brands and People

In certain situations, people actually salivate when they desire material things, like money and sports cars, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "In multiple languages, the terms hunger and salivation are used metaphorically to describe desire for non-food items," writes author David Gal (Northwestern University). "But will people actually salivate when they desire material things?" The answer, Gal found, is yes. In one study, for example, Gal examined whether people...

People assume that consumers are influenced by celebrities and high-status individuals, but according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research, it may be the janitor or the security guard who makes you want to run out and purchase the latest gadget. "Consumers from a lower socioeconomic status are not usually considered ideal influencers for higher status customers. After all, people accept influence from those they identify with — those who are similar to them or people who they...

Whether they are aware of it or not, consumers dislike being reminded of money — so much that they will rebel against authority figures, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "When consumers are reminded of money, do they conform, shrug it off, or react against others' attempts to influence them?" ask authors Jia (Elke) Liu (University of Groningen), Dirk Smeesters (Erasmus University), and Kathleen D. Vohs (University of Minnesota). The researchers found that money...

Imagine that you are sitting in the park, deeply engaged in a conversation with your loved one. A group of teenagers pass by in front of you. The next day you learn that the police are looking for someone to identify them as these teenagers are suspected of a serious mugging. You would most probably not be able to make a positive identification. Do you really have absolutely no memory for their faces? A new study, which will be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal...

Consumers who feel a lack of control over circumstances seek boundaries — including physical borders, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "People often turn to aesthetic boundaries in their environment to give them a sense that their world is ordered and structured as opposed to random and chaotic," writes author Keisha Cutright (University of Pennsylvania). Cutright's research indicates that people who feel a lack of control seek tangible boundaries, such as frames...

Certain brands bring to mind particular cultures, and consumers react more positively to brand extensions when products match expectations about cultures, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. That's why a Budweiser barbecue sauce might be a more successful product than a Sony cappuccino maker. "Many well-known brands become symbols or icons of the cultures or countries with which they are associated," write authors Carlos J Torelli and Rohini Ahluwalia (both University...

If you think driving a luxury car like a BMW, Lexus or Cadillac makes you feel better — think again, says a University of Michigan researcher. "Almost everyone assumes that driving a luxury car is more enjoyable than driving an economy car, but the reality is more complicated," says Norbert Schwarz, professor of marketing at Michigan's Ross School of Business. "When drivers focus on their car while driving, a luxury car is indeed more fun than an economy car. But most of the time, the driver's...

Something strange happens when a consumer learns her favourite product choice isn't available: Instead of picking the runner-up, she'll reject it for another alternative, according to a recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "Close second choices are an important consideration when a consumer makes a purchase decision and then learns that their selection is unavailable (out-of-stock, discontinued, just sold)," write authors Wendy Attaya Boland (American University), Merrie Brucks, and...

Consumers who are in a positive mood make quicker and more consistent judgments than unhappy people, according to a recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "There has been considerable debate about how affect (moods, emotions, feelings) influences the quality of people's decisions," write authors Paul M Herr (Virginia Tech), Christine M Page (Skidmore College), Bruce E Pfeiffer (University of New Hampshire), and Derick F Davis (Virginia Tech). "We join this debate by looking at affect...

Businesses can go too far when trying to keep in touch with customers, who are easily driven away by too many emails, phone calls and mailers. A three-year study by University of California at Riverside Professor Andrea Godfrey, Boston College Professor Kathleen Seiders and Southern Methodist University Professor Glenn Voss found there is an “ideal level” at which businesses should communicate with clients, and once that's exceeded, the risk of losing them increases considerably. The trio's...