CAO712S Schiffman CB10e IM 08
CAO712S Schiffman CB10e IM 08
CHAPTER 8
Consumer Attitude Formation and Change
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
CHAPTER SUMMARY
How consumer attitudes are formed and how they are changed are two closely related
issues of considerable concern to marketing practitioners. When it comes to attitude
formation, it is useful to remember that attitudes are learned and that different learning
theories provide unique insights as to how attitudes initially may be formed. Attitude
formation is facilitated by direct personal experience and influenced by the ideas and
experiences of friends and family members and exposure to mass media. In addition, it is
likely that an individual’s personality plays a major role in attitude formation.
These same factors also have an impact on attitude change; that is, attitude changes are
learned, and they are influenced by personal experiences and the information gained from
various personal and impersonal sources. The consumer’s own personality affects both the
acceptance and the speed with which attitudes are likely to be altered.
Strategies of attitude change can be classified into six distinct categories: (1) changing the
basic motivational function; (2) associating the attitude object with a specific group or
event; (3) relating the attitude object to conflicting attitudes; (4) altering components of the
multiattribute model; (5) changing beliefs about competitors’ brands; and (6) the
elaboration likelihood model. Each of these strategies provides the marketer with
alternative ways of changing consumers’ existing attitudes.
Most discussions of attitude formation and attitude change stress the traditional view that
consumers develop attitudes before they act. This may not always, however, or even
usually be true. Both cognitive dissonance theory and attribution theory provide alternative
explanations of attitude formation and change that suggest that behavior might precede
attitudes. Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that the conflicting thoughts, or dissonant
information, that following a purchase decision might propel consumers to change their
attitudes to make them consonant with their actions. Attribution theory focuses on how
people assign causality to events and how they form or alter attitudes as an outcome of
assessing their own behavior, or the behavior of other people or things.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
*****Use Figure #8.1 Here; Use Key Term attitude Here; Use Learning Objective
#8.1 Here; Use Discussion Question #2 Here*****
1. Object refers to such things as: product, product category, brand, service, possessions,
product use, causes or issues, people advertisement price, Internet site, price, medium,
or retailer.
a) Attitude “can be conceptualized as a summary evaluation of an object.”
b) In conducting attitude research, we tend to be object specific..
1. Consumer attitudes occur within, and are affected by, the situation.
*****Use Discussion Question #1 Here; Use Table #8.1 Here; Use Figure
#8-2 Here *****
1. Psychologists have sought to construct models that capture the underlying dimensions
of an attitude..
a) The focus has been on specifying the composition of an attitude to better explain
or predict behavior.
*****Use Key Term tricomponent model Here; Use Figure #8-3 Here*****
1. Cognitions are knowledge and perceptions that are acquired by a combination of direct
experience with the attitude object and related information from various sources.
a) This previous knowledge and perceptions commonly take the form of beliefs
b) The consumer believes that the attitude object possesses various attributes and
that specific behavior will lead to specific outcomes.
1. Conation, the final component of the tricomponent attitude model, is concerned with
the likelihood or tendency that an individual will undertake a specific action or behave
in a particular way with regard to the attitude object.
a) The conative component may include the actual behavior itself.
2. In marketing and consumer research, the conative component is frequently treated as
an expression of the consumer’s intention to buy.
a) Intention-to-buy scales are used to assess the likelihood of a consumer
purchasing a product or behaving in a certain way.
*****Use Key Term intention-to-buy scales Here; Use Discussion Question #3 Here;
Use Table #8-5 Here; Use Exercise #1 Here*****
Theory-of-Reasoned-Action Model
1. The theory of trying-to-consume is designed to account for the cases where the action
or outcome is not certain but reflects the consumer’s efforts to consume.
a) Sometimes personal impediments or environmental impediments prevent the
desired outcome.
2. Researchers have recently extended this inquiry by examining those situations where
consumers do not try to consume—that is, fail to try to consume.
a) In this case, consumers appear to fail to see or are too ignorant of their options.
i) Consumers appear to make a conscious effort not to consume.
*****Use Key Term theory of trying-to-consume Here; Use Table #8-7 Here;
Use Discussion Question #4 Here*****
ATTITUDE-TOWARD-THE-AD MODELS
*****Use Key Term attitude-toward-the-ad model Here; Use Figure #8-6 Here;
Use Exercise #2 and #3 Here*****
ATTITUDE FORMATION
1. How do people, especially young people, form their initial general attitudes toward
“things”?
2. How do family members and friends, admired celebrities, mass media advertisements,
even cultural memberships, influence the formation of their attitudes concerning
consuming or not consuming each of these types of apparel items?
3. Why do some attitudes seem to persist indefinitely, while others change fairly often?
4. The answers to the above are of vital importance to marketers, for without knowing
how attitudes are formed, they are unable to understand or to influence consumer
attitudes or behavior.
1. When we speak of the formation of an attitude, we refer to the shift from having no
attitude toward a given object to having some attitude toward it.
2. Consumers often purchase new products that are associated with a favorably viewed
brand name.
a) Their favorable attitude toward the brand name is frequently the result of repeated
satisfaction with other products produced by the same company.
3. In terms of classical conditioning, an established brand name is an unconditioned
stimulus that through past positive reinforcement resulted in a favorable brand attitude.
a) A new product, yet to be linked to the established brand, would be the conditioned
stimulus.
4. Sometimes attitudes follow the purchase and consumption of a product.
5. In situations in which consumers seek to solve a problem or satisfy a need, they are
likely to form attitudes (either positive or negative) about products on the basis of
information exposure and their own cognition (knowledge and beliefs).
6. In general, the more information consumers have about a product or service, the more
likely they are to form attitudes about it, either positive or negative.
7. Consumers are not always ready or willing to process product-related information.
8. Consumers often use only a limited amount of the information available to them.
9. Research suggests that only two or three important beliefs about a product dominate in
the formation of attitudes and that less important beliefs provide little additional input.
Personality Factors
1. Individuals with a high need for cognition (information) are likely to form positive
attitudes in response to ads or direct mail that are rich in product-related information.
2. Consumers who are relatively low in need for cognition are more likely to form
positive attitudes to ads that feature attractive models or well-known celebrities.
3. Attitudes toward new products and new consumption situations are strongly influenced
by specific personality characteristics of consumers.
1. Attitude changes are learned; they are influenced by personal experience and other
sources of information, and personality affects both the receptivity and the speed with
which attitudes are likely to be altered.
2. Altering attitudes is a key strategy for marketers, especially when taking aim at market
leaders.
3. Marketers have several attitude-change strategies from which to choose:
a) Changing the consumer’s basic motivational function
b) Associating the product with an admired group or event
c) Resolving two conflicting attitudes
d) Altering components of the multi-attribute model
e) Changing consumer beliefs about competitors’ brands
1. Most people want to protect their self-images from inner feelings of doubt – they want
to replace their uncertainty with a sense of security and personal confidence.
2. The ego-defensive function offers reassurance to the consumer’s self-concept
1. Attitudes are an expression or reflection of the consumer’s general values, lifestyle, and
outlook.
a) By knowing target consumers’ attitudes, marketers can better anticipate their
values, lifestyle, or outlook and can reflect these characteristics in their
advertising and direct-marketing efforts.
1. Individuals generally have a strong need to know and understand the people and things
they encounter.
2. The consumer’s “need to know,” a cognitive need, is important to marketers concerned
with product positioning.
3. Many product and brand positionings are attempts to satisfy the need to know and to
improve the consumer’s attitudes toward the brand by emphasizing its advantages over
competitive brands.
1. Combining several functions involves using more than one of the above because
different consumers may like a product for different reasons.
1. The market for many product categories is structured so that different consumer
segments are attracted to brands that offer different features or beliefs.
2. In these market situations, marketers have an opportunity to persuade consumer’s to
“crossover,” or to shift their favorable attitude toward another version of the product.
Adding an Attribute
*****Use Discussion Question #5 Here; Use Figures #8-14 and #8.15 Here*****
1. The elaboration likelihood model (ELM) involves a more global view that two
different persuasive routes change attitudes.
*****Use Key Term elaboration likelihood model (ELM) Here; Use Figure #8.18
Here; Use Discussion Question #6 Here *****
1. There are alternative to the “attitude precedes behavior” perspective that include:
cognitive dissonance theory and attribution theory.
*****Use Key Term cognitive dissonance theory Here; Use Discussion Question
#8 Here; Use Exercise #5 Here*****
Attribution Theory
1. Attribution theory attempts to explain how people assign causality to events on the
basis of either their own behavior or the behavior of others.
Self-Perception Theory
*****Use Key Terms self-perception theory, internal and external attributions, and
defensive attribution Here; Use Discussion Question #7 Here*****
*****Use Key Terms foot-in-the-door technique and door-in-the face technique Here
*****
1. Every time a person asks “Why?” about a statement or action of another or “others”—a
family member, a friend, a salesperson, a direct marketer, a shipping company—
attributions toward others theory is relevant.
1. It is in the area of judging product performance that consumers are most likely to form
product attributions toward things.
2. Specifically, they want to find out why a product meets or fails to meet their
expectations.
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.
205
a) In this regard, they could attribute the product’s successful performance (or
failure) to the product itself, to themselves, to other people or situations, or to
some combination of these factors.
*****Use Key Terms attributions toward others and attributions toward things. Use
Table #8-8 Here*****
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Explain how situational factors are likely to influence the degree of consistency
between attitudes and behavior.
Although attitudes may be relatively consistent with behavior, they are influenced by
situational factors, such as time, place, and social environment. A person’s attitudes
may lead to one kind of behavior in one situation and a different behavior in a different
time and place. For example, a person may have a strong preference for one brand but
purchase a brand that is on “special” because of having to economize.
2. Because attitudes are learned predispositions to respond, why don’t marketers and
consumer researchers just measure purchase behavior and forget attitudes?
4. How can the marketer of a “nicotine patch” (a device which assists individuals to
quit smoking) use the theory of trying to segment its market? Using this theory,
identify two segments that the marketer should target and propose product
positioning approaches to be directed at each of the two segments.
The theory of trying is designed to account for the many cases (including
consumption situations) where the action or outcome is not certain, but instead reflects
the consumer’s attempts to consume. According to this theory, a person who attempts
to quit smoking combines personal impediments (i.e., liking the act of smoking) and
environmental impediments (i.e., situations where others smoke) that might prevent the
desired action or outcome from occurring. The model also proposes that the frequency
of past trying, that is, the consumer’s prior experience with trying to quit smoking,
impacts on both intention-to-try and on actually trying the nicotine patch. One segment
for the nicotine patch are individuals who would adopt the product in order to
overcome personal and/or environmental impediments to quitting smoking. To these
consumers, the product should be positioned as a mechanism to overcome these
impediments. Another segment are smokers who have tried to quit and failed. To them,
the product should be positioned as a mechanism that is likely to succeed where many
other methods had failed.
5. Explain how the product manager of a breakfast cereal might change consumer
attitudes toward the company’s brand by: (a) changing beliefs about the brand;
(b) changing beliefs about competing brands; (c) changing the relative evaluation
of attributes; and (d) adding an attribute.
(a) Changing brand beliefs is the most common advertising appeal. If this approach is
used, the cereal ads should tell consumers that the product has more vitamins and fiber
and/or less sugar than competing brands. (b) The use of comparative advertising,
illustrating the brand’s superiority over other brands, along key product attributes, will
effectively convey this message to consumers. (c) The marketer may also stress the
importance of fiber in one’s diet (i.e., change the relative evaluation of an attribute)
and, simultaneously, stress the cereal brand’s high fiber content, thus appealing to
consumers whose primary concerns are health and nutrition. (d) Also, the marketer can
add an attribute by stressing the previously ignored fiber content and by putting more
fiber (or even creating a new “extra fiber” version) in the cereal.
(a) The functional approach will entail changing beliefs regarding mass transit along
one or more of the basic motivational functions of attitudes; appealing to the
knowledge function by showing how one might get to work faster by using mass transit
rather than a private car. (b) According to the assimilation contrast theory, the
Department of Transportation must be careful to avoid overkill or overselling their
case. The users of private cars will assimilate (accept) only moderate changes between
the mode of transportation they presently use and the mode they are encouraged to use
(i.e., mass transit). If the change suggested by the mass transit ads is too extreme, the
contrast will result in the rejection of mass transit as a transportation alternative. (c)
The Department of Transportation can show the positive environmental outcomes of
using mass transit, and position it as an ecologically sound transportation mode.
According to self-perception theory, many people are likely to make inferences from
the behavior portrayed in the ads (i.e., using mass transit helps the environment) and
begin to like the object advertised. Also, many consumers may begin to view using
mass transit as a chance to personally contribute toward improving the environment
(i.e., internal attribution). (d) According to cognitive dissonance theory, the
Department of Transportation should first induce behavior because a favorable attitude
toward mass transit will follow. Thus, the ads for mass transit should be designed to
induce behavior and encourage people to try mass transit by, for example, offering
them free rides over a period of time. The department should reinforce this initial
experience by providing good, dependable service as well as follow-up contacts (e.g.,
mail and phone) which include asking first-time riders for comments, thus making
them feel important, involved, and comfortable about the experience. Cognitive
dissonance theory predicts that an initial, effectively reinforced experience with mass
transit will result in a favorable attitude toward this service and continued use of mass
transit.
Internal and external attribution indicates whether consumers assign the cause for
successful or unsuccessful experiences with a product, to themselves, or to the product.
For example, if consumers use external attribution to explain a good experience with
a computer program, they “explain” the success as a result of the software package
itself. Likewise, a poor experience would be blamed on the product. Although it seems
that marketers would like to see their products given credit for consumers’ satisfaction,
it is actually a greater benefit if consumers use internal attributions to explain a
successful experience with a product. If consumers see themselves as skillful users of
the computer graphics program rather than the users of an idiot-proof product, their
self-image improves with respect to that behavior and they are more likely to repeat it.
Consider the benefits—greater enjoyment of the product and greater self-esteem leads
to greater product usage and greater engagement in positive word-of-mouth.
8. A college student has just purchased a new personal computer. What factors
might cause the student to experience postpurchase dissonance? How might the
student try to overcome it? How can the retailer who sold the computer help
reduce the student’s dissonance? How can the computer’s manufacturer help?
Although attitudes may be relatively consistent with behavior, they are influenced by
situational factors, such as time, place, and social environment. A person’s attitudes
may lead to one kind of behavior in one situation and a different behavior in a different
time and place. For example, a person may have a strong preference for one brand but
purchase a brand that is on “special” because of having to economize. Postpurchase
dissonance is likely to occur here because a personal computer is an expensive product
where many brands and models are available, and many of the brands that were not
selected by the student have some unique features. After the purchase, the student may
be exposed to ads depicting other brands with more features and more extensive
software than the computer he or she selected. In order to reduce postpurchase
dissonance, the student might seek out advertisements that support his or her choice
(i.e., ads for the brand purchased), talk with satisfied brand owners and users and,
maybe even join a club or a users group of that computer brand. The manufacturer
should help reduce postpurchase dissonance by using advertising which includes
messages reassuring purchasers that they made the “right” choice, offering strong,
comprehensive warranties, and providing a toll-free user-information hotline. The
retailer can help by backing the manufacturer’s warranty with a service contract and by
mailing buyer’s information about new software packages for the computer when such
products become available.
EXERCISES
1. Find two print ads, one illustrating the use of the affective component and the
other illustrating the cognitive component. Discuss each ad in the context of the
tricomponent model. In your view, why has each marketer taken the approach it
did in each of these ads?
Instructor’s Discussion
2. What sources influenced your attitudes about this course before classes started?
Has your initial attitude changed since the course started? If so, how?
Instructor’s Discussion
The sources of influence in attitude formation are: (a) personal experience with the
product or service; (b) advertisements for various brands; (c) group influences (e.g.,
family, friends, word-of-mouth); (d) data from objective sources (e.g., Consumer
Reports); (e) publicity in the media; and (f) information/advice provided by
salespersons.
In the case of a college course, students are likely to cite word-of-mouth and course
evaluations by former students (if such scores are available and published) as the
primary sources in attitude formation. More interesting discussion will develop when
students talk about changes in their initial attitudes toward the course and the reasons
for such changes.
Instructor’s Discussion
Students’ answers will vary. Their response regarding advertising influence should
include several elements: (a) the advertising medium involved; (b) an indication of
whether the attitude was positive or negative; (c) whether the advertisement was
noticed as a result of passive (e.g., TV) or active (e.g., magazine) learning; or (d)
whether the exposure led to the actual purchase of the item or to further information
search.
The answer regarding attitude formation through personal influence should include: (a)
the degree of personal involvement with the purchase; (b) the type of the personal
source and its importance to the receiver; (c) the perceived credibility of the personal
source (e.g., a friend) versus that of impersonal sources (e.g., ads in the media); (d)
whether the attitude was positive or negative; and (e) whether the exposure led to
actual purchase of the item or to search for more information about the new product.
Instructor’s Discussion
The ad for the utilitarian function should stress the product’s usage-related benefits
(e.g., durable shoes). The ego defensive function should reinforce the consumer’s self-
concept and protect it from feelings of doubt (e.g., personal care products which offer
the consumer reassurance and the likelihood of approval by others). The value-
expression function shows how the product is consistent with the person’s values and
lifestyles (e.g., advertising a fine, expensive fountain pen as an instrument of self
expression). An ad using the knowledge function should indicate the brand’s
advantages over competitive brands (e.g., a bar graph showing the comparative levels
of saturated fat in several brands of butter).
5. Think back to the time when you were selecting a college. Did you experience
dissonance immediately after you made a decision? Why or why not? If you did
experience dissonance, how did you resolve it?
Instructor’s Discussion
S.T.A.R. PROJECTS
S.T.A.R. Project #1
Instructor’s Discussion
The Tellus Institute is an interesting story. After students acquaint themselves with the
historical data, discussion about areas of environmental stewardship and the attitudes
necessary to move in this direction should be possible. Discussion can also focus on how
organizations such as this aid the fostering and advancement of consumer and business
ethics. Of particular interest will be the Tellus Business and Sustainability Group. Students
from diverse backgrounds should find this information interesting and pertinent to the
study of attitudes.
S.T.A.R. Project #2
Got Milk? This famous advertising campaign by the Milk Producers organization is betting
that you do. With the growing number of drink alternatives (especially for youth),
however, milk has had a tough time maintaining market share. Are you supportive of
people drinking milk? Whether you do or not says something about your attitude toward
this product. Pursue the following exercises to learn more about how attitudes toward milk
and milk drinking can be an excellent way to learn about consumer attitudes and attitude
formulation (for information on the Got Milk? campaign see [www.gotmilk.com]).
a. Attitudes have four properties. How could the Got Milk? campaign use these
properties to influence attitudes toward the product?
b. What ethical issues must the Got Milk? campaign be aware of when attempting to
influence consumption of milk? Would these issues be different for other drink
producers? If so, how?
c. After examining Table 8-1, how might situations affect attitudes toward drinking
milk?
d. Using the attitude-toward-the-ad model, describe how the Got Milk? campaign
attempts to influence attitudes. Is the approach ethical? Explain.
Instructor’s Discussion
The Got Milk? campaign is an excellent way for students to discuss the pros and cons of
milk drinking and the attitudes associated with each. Milk is a product that everyone
knows about and has experienced. The exercise also hopes to assist students in
understanding the ethical responsibilities of products such as milk. The exercise will also
give students the opportunity to utilize Table 8-1 and review the attitude-toward-the-ad
model. Encourage students to bring Got Milk? ads to class to assist with visualizing the
exercise.
S.T.A.R. Project #3
The DVD movie format is rapidly replacing the VHS movie format as the format of choice
in the United States. Notice the changes with respect to inventory mix the next time you
are in your favorite movie rental store. Capitalizing on this trend, Netflix
(www.netflix.com) has created a business model wherein the movie-watching consumer
can order DVD movies via their computer, receive the movies in the mail (with no
shipping charges), and return them through the mail after viewing. Sound simple? Netflix
is betting that you will say “yes.” With over 13,500 titles (classic to new releases),
shipping within 1–3 days, no late fees, no driving, no lines, and no hassles Netflix offers a
viable alternative to today’s time constrained consumer. Why doesn’t everyone use this
new form of movie rental service? Have your group investigate this very issue.
a. Using the tricomponent attitude model shown in Figure 8-2, have your group
examine the attitudes that may be affecting the movie rental consumer.
b. Have part of your group write a position paper supporting the traditional movie
rental business model and include suggestions for influencing consumer attitudes in
the future. Have another part of your group write a position paper supporting the
Netflix business model and include suggestions for influencing consumer attitudes in
the future.
c. As a group, evaluate the two papers and reach consensus on which is the superior
approach.
Instructor’s Discussion
This exercise gives students the opportunity to work in an area that is a student favorite—
movies. The two business models are easy to understand. The attitudes behind usage are
not, however. Students can use themselves as test subjects. The three questions in the
exercise should provide ample opportunity to explore the issue. The Web site can be
brought up in class to enhance discussion.
S.T.A.R. Project #4
Opinions are formed from attitudes and beliefs. Part of the opinion process is the
comparison of something. Have your group go to Epinions.com (www.epinions.com) to
explore how comparisons are made in a variety of product fields. Divide the group into
smaller groups and examine the rankings for the products and services found on the
Epinions Web site (your group is free to pick subject evaluation areas). After this is done,
relate how attitudes influence such ranking and comparison processes. Which attitude
model(s) would be useful in making comparisons and formulating rankings such as those
shown on this Web site? How might attitudes (opinions) change once a viewer has
examined the rankings and comparisons? What bias might be present in this evaluation
system? Have your group prepare a summary report that summarizes your group’s
findings.
Instructor’s Discussion
Epinions.com has a wealth of information. This group exercise is a good one to see how
comparison and evaluation processes work and how these processes might impact
attitudes. For example, let us say that a student did not know much about DVD players. He
or she reads that a particular RCA player is ranked number one by 60 percent of
respondents to the Epinions.com site. The student then has a positive attitude toward this
player. What might be wrong with this evaluation method? First, how many evaluations
were done, under what circumstances, were purchases made, how authentic were the
evaluators, etc.? Several of the attitude models can be used.
S.T.A.R. Project #5
Some marketing firms work toward forming attitudes in the minds of their consumers.
Others work toward changing those attitudes. Strategies for attitude change is an extremely
interesting subject, especially, if you consider how many attitudes might need to be
changed to persuade a brand loyal consumer to switch brands. A perfect example of this is
the ongoing struggle between Campbell’s Soup (www.campbellsoup.com) and industry
rival Progresso Soup (www.progressosoup.com). Your assignment is to visit both Web
sites and make a list of attitude change strategies being employed by both companies.
Evaluate the success of each. Which competitor seems to be most adept with respect to
change? Comment.
Instructor’s Discussion
The rivalry between Campbell’s and Progresso is well known. Progresso has labeled
Campbell’s as watery and consisting of small portions. Campbell’s has labeled Progresso
as too spicy and too expensive. Both claims are built on fact and fiction. Students should
review the section in the text on Strategies of Attitude Change before attempting this
exercise. The Web sites will provide several examples that match well with these
strategies. Who is winning the war? This is not clear, however, Campbell’s has developed
a new bigger-portion line that mimics the Progresso products.
S.T.A.R. Project #6
One of the multiattribute attitude models described in the chapter is the attitude-toward-
object model. To learn more about how to apply this model, undertake the following
interactive Web-based exercise. Go to the Nike Web site at www.nike.com and create your
own tennis shoe. To do this use the “usa homepage,” then “customize” then follow the
directions for creating your own tennis shoe (and, yes, if you create it, they will build it).
Once you have accomplished this feat, write a short analysis paper that compares attitudes
you have formed through this experience (attitude-toward-object) versus attitudes you
already had toward Nike and Nike products. Comment on the differences you observe
between your attitudes (before and after) toward Nike. Lastly, comment on how allowing
consumers to customize products might influence attitudes.
Instructor’s Discussion
The interactive Nike project is an excellent way to not only have fun and be creative but to
illustrate how attitudes toward objects (especially through identification and potential
ownership) can change through involvement. Even those students that do not particularly
like Nike or Nike products often have an attitude change after the shoe creation process is
complete. Additionally, one can readily observe the ease of navigation and observation
associated with the Nike Web site as opposed to a rival like Reebok (www.reebok.com).
Does this affect attitudes? Probably so.
CASE COMMENTS
The questions for this case are designed to illustrate the two models of attitude formations:
Theory of Reasoned Action and Attitude-Toward-the-Ad Model.
1. Students’ discussion should be building around the two elements of the model that
lead to intention: a) attitude toward the behavior, and b) subjective norm.
a) With better education (both from schools and marketers), Men have become
more conscious about their appearance and personal hygiene.
b) Personal appearance and hygiene are important elements on impression
management, the subjective norm become important because this is how the men
would assess how the important others would comment and accept on their
appearance.
2. In class discussion, instructor may shows any brand of the local TV commercials or
print advertisements of Men’s skin-care products to let students discuss the four
elements of the model that lead to attitude formation toward the brand: a) Judgments
about the Ad (Cognition), b) Feelings from the Ad (Affect), c) Beliefs about the
Brands, and d) Attitude toward the Ad.
The questions for this case are designed to illustrate the model of Attitude-Toward-Object
and discuss how marketers make influence on customer attitudes.
2. This question is opened for discussion, instructor are expected to lead students to
consolidate different attitude formation models (including those not yet discussed in
the above case studies) in order to let students understand the consumer attitude
formation and change process.