Positioning Mapping of Red Wines Positioning Mapping of Red Wines

Abstract Positioning is the way a firm designs and presents its image to potential customers such that the target audiences understand what the firm offers relative to other firms in the same marketplace. Constructing a map that reflects the positioning of a commercial entity allows managers to be able to find "open" spaces in the competitive environment and can enhance the ability of managers to improve their business and attract and retain customers. We implemented factor analyses to wine characteristics scores derived by blind tasting of four generic wines to constract the positioning map based on the factor scores. The next step was identifying an ideal vector that represents the relative effect of the two factors on the desired positioning of an ideal wine. This was done by regressing the factor scores against the preferences of consumers for the four different wines. We conducted these analyses for both the aggregate and disaggregate levlels. Segmentation show different positioning map for male and female. Our results indicate that there is heterogeneity in consumers' perceptions with respect to four different red wines. There is, however, homogeneity in consumers' ideal combination of the wine characterisitcs as reflected by the position of the ideal vector in the various maps. Several marketing implications regarding the different positioning of the different wine among different consumers segments are dicussed

AN OSTRICH OR A LEOPARD - COMMUNICATION RESPONSE STRATEGIES TO POST-EXPOSURE ON NEGATIVE INFORMATION ABOUT HEALTH HAZARDS IN FOODS

The effect of negative information on consumer product evaluations has been studied heavily in the context purchase intentions and other preference-related measures. In this study, we examine the context (negative health hazard information on meat commodities), direction (positive and negative), and intensity (low and high) of information on consumer choice processes. We draw from the literature on Bayesian updating, choice processes and heuristics, as well as cognitive and information processing to propose a set of hypotheses and empirically test them using survey data. Our results indicate that under low intensity, information consumers tend to employ a non-compensatory type choice process with the health aspects of the product being nonsalient. In the case of high-intensity negative information, consumers employ a compensatory choice process and consider the health dimension of the product. These results are mainly attributed to variations in the allocation of consumer cognitive resources in the decision-making process as a result of the different types of information, changing it from peripheral to central, and affecting the decision strategy and choices. The results may provide insight into how to design better marketing and media strategies in response to unfavorable information about health hazards

AN OSTRICH OR A LEOPARD - COMMUNICATION RESPONSE STRATEGIES TO POST-EXPOSURE ON NEGATIVE INFORMATION ABOUT HEALTH HAZARDS IN FOODS

The effect of negative information on consumer product evaluations has been studied heavily in the context purchase intentions and other preference-related measures. In this study, we examine the context (negative health hazard information on meat commodities), direction (positive and negative), and intensity (low and high) of information on consumer choice processes. We draw from the literature on Bayesian updating, choice processes and heuristics, as well as cognitive and information processing to propose a set of hypotheses and empirically test them using survey data. Our results indicate that under low intensity, information consumers tend to employ a non-compensatory type choice process with the health aspects of the product being nonsalient. In the case of high-intensity negative information, consumers employ a compensatory choice process and consider the health dimension of the product. These results are mainly attributed to variations in the allocation of consumer cognitive resources in the decision-making process as a result of the different types of information, changing it from peripheral to central, and affecting the decision strategy and choices. The results may provide insight into how to design better marketing and media strategies in response to unfavorable information about health hazards.negative information, choice process, health hazards, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

The Calorie Dilemma: Leaner and Larger, or Tastier yet Smaller Meals? Calorie Consumption and Willingness to Trade Food Quantity for Food Taste

This paper aims to provide an explanation for the counterintuitive response of some consumers to calorie information, which is described in the literature. While most consumers do not change their food choices post calorie information, some do reduce their calorie consumption, while others increase their calorie consumption by shifting to foods with higher calorie content. Overestimation of calorie content of calorie-dense food has been widely employed to explain the counterintuitive choice of the higher-calorie dish. This paper suggests that since calories are associated with better taste, and there is a distribution of willingness to trade physical appeal for taste, then the odds of a consumer who assigns high importance to taste will shift to the highest calorie entrée are greater than those of a consumer who assigns high importance to her or his looks. Consumers who shift their choices of entrée to that with higher calorie content may reduce the number of side orders, and thus consume fewer calories than previously; while the segment more concerned with calorie consumption may choose to consume more dishes, yet each with lower calorie content. Our empirical study, which is based on market experiments, supports this assertion. The importance of looks and fashion, income, and age characterize the two types of consumers — calorie lovers versus calorie avoiders — while gender affects response to calorie information only

The Effect of Calorie Information on Consumers’ Food Choices: Sources of Observed Gender Heterogeneity

A lower proportion of females are overweight than is males. Females’ food choices in comparison to those of males reflect the higher importance they attribute to health and physical appearance, more complex attitude toward risk, greater esteem for home-cooked food, and sociological factors. This paper explores the variables that affect consumers’ final food choices, shedding light specifically on the choice process and analyzing whether gender affects predispositions toward foods, perceptions, choice processes, or both. Perceptions and choice processes based on memory judgments serve only as a benchmark used to compare choices made with calorie information. In two experiments wherein subjects were exposed to two forms of calorie information on three fast food items, we show that that differences in perceptions of healthfulness and tastiness of foods account for gender differences in memory-based choices; while calorie information affected both perceptions and choice processes for females, it changed only the perceptions of food for males. We show that differing calorie presentations affected males and females differentl

The effects of information about health hazards in food on consumers' choice process

This study examines the effects of context (health hazard), direction (positive versus negative) and intensity of information about health hazards on consumers' choice processes. We propose that choice of frequently purchased food commodities, ceteris paribus, is based on a single dimension--taste. We develop a set of hypotheses regarding the type of choice process to be employed in various information types and empirically test them in a field experiment design. Our results indicate that a single-dimension choice process is employed under a nonsevere message and a multidimensional process under high-intensity negative information.D81-Criterion for decision making under uncertainty Negative information Choice process Health hazards

wengart & skyTractinLo: Differential Effects of Product Categoty on Shoppers ' Selection... DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS OF PRODUCT CATEGORY ON SHOPPERS’ SELECTION OF WEB-BASED STORES: A PROBABILISTIC MODELING APPROACH

This study analyzes the probability of buying products from a particular online store given a set of alternative vendors. We use a multinomial logit choice model to analyze experimental data of consumer choice in two product categories- books and computers, each of which represents goods that differ along the risk dimension. Books represent search-quality, cheaper products, while computers represent experience-quality, more expensive products. Our modeling approach enabled us to capture the competitive environment of Internet shopping and at the same time obtain diagnostic information about the salient factors in the choice process. The results indicate the existence of differences in terms of the dimensions considered by consumers when buying high- vs. low-risk goods. Most notably, we found that when purchasing computers online, aspects of uncertainty and risk were more salient than when purchasing books online. We discuss the implications of these findings and areas for future research. 1