CHAPTER NINE

Learning,
Memory,
and
Product
Positioning
Learning, Memory, and Product Positioning
McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Copyright 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserv

The Role of Learning

CHAPTER

Learning Theories and Involvement

CHAPTER

Learning through Conditioning

Conditioning refers to learning based on

association of a stimulus and response.
Classical (low involvement): using an
established relationship between a
stimulus and response (Pavlov Dog)
Operant (high involvement): molding
or shaping behavior by using a
reinforcement (Skinners pigeon)

CHAPTER

Classical Conditioning

CHAPTER

Affective Influence in Trial

CHAPTER

Operant Conditioning

CHAPTER

The Process of Shaping

CHAPTER

Cognitive Learning

CHAPTER

Cognitive learning encompasses all the mental

activities of humans as they work to solve
problems or cope with situations.
Iconic Rote (low involvement): the
association between two or more concepts in
the absence of conditioning
Vicarious/Modeling (low or high
involvement): Observing the outcomes of
others behaviors and adjusting their own
accordingly
Reasoning (high involvement): Individuals
engage in creative thinking to restructure and
recombine existing information as well as new
information to form new associations and
concepts.

Summary of Learning Theories and Involvement

10

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Linking Learning to Memory...

11

Characteristics of Learning
Strength of Learning
Extinction
Stimulus Generalization and Stimulus
Discrimination

Response Environment

CHAPTER

The Impact of Repetition

12

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Repetition Timing on Advertising Recall

13

CHAPTER

Forgetting Over Time

14

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Memory

15

Total accumulation of prior learning experiences

Explicit memory (Remembering)
Conscious recollection of an exposure event

Implicit memory (Knowing)

Non-conscious retrieval of previously encountered
stimuli
A sense of familiarity, a feeling or a set of beliefs about
an item without conscious awareness of when & how
they were acquired

CHAPTER

Short-term Memory

16

Portion of total memory that is currently

CHAPTER

activated or in use
Often refereed to as working memory
Analogous to thinking
Has limited capacity
An active, dynamic process, not a static
structure

Short-term Memory

17

Information processing activities

Elaborative activities
Use of previously stored experiences, values, attitudes,
beliefs & feelings to interpret & evaluate information in
working memory as well as to add relevant previously
stored information
Serve to redefine/add new elements to memory

Maintenance rehearsal
Continual repetition of information to hold it in current
memory for use in problem solving or transferal to longterm

CHAPTER

Short-term Memory

18

Short-term memory activities involve

Concept
Abstraction of reality that capture the meaning of an item
in terms of other concepts
Similar to dictionary definition of a word

Imagery
Involves concrete sensory representations of ideas,
feelings & objects
Permits direct recovery of aspects of past experiences
Involves recall & manipulation of sensory images

Marketers want to obtain imagery responses

than / in addition to verbal ones
CHAPTER

Long-term Memory

19

Unlimited, permanent storage

Semantic memory
Basic knowledge/feelings about a concept
Understanding of an object / event at its
simplest level

Episodic memory
Memory of sequence of events in which a
person participated
Often elicit imagery & feelings

Recalling long-term memory is not

CHAPTER

completely objective
Memory is sometimes shaped &
changed as it is accessed

Long-term Memory

20

Schema / Schematic memory /knowledge

structure
Complex web of associations
Pattern of association of concepts & episodes
with other concepts & episodes around a
particular concept
It is what the consumer thinks & feels when the
brand name is mentioned
Similar to brand image
Source is personal experience as well as
marketing activities
CHAPTER

Long-term Memory

21

Schema / Schematic memory /knowledge

structure
Can contain product characteristics, usage
situations, episodes & affective reactions
Concepts, events & feelings are
Stored within nodes within memory
Connected with associative links
Links vary how strongly & directly they are associated with a
node

Some aspects are relatively permanent

CHAPTER

Long-term Memory

22

United Colors of
Benetton
Formal
Expensive
Informal
Work Place
Posh
Fashionable

CHAPTER

Sleek

Parties
Young Executives
Festive People

Long-term Memory

23

Scripts
Memory of how an action sequence should
occur
A special type of schema
Necessary for consumers to shop effectively
Difficulty is to teach the consumers about
appropriate acquisition, use and disposal
behavior

CHAPTER

Brand Image

24

Schematic memory of a brand

Target markets interpretation of product
attributes, benefits, usage situations, users and
manufacturer/marketer characteristics

In essence, it is what consumers have learned

about the brand

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Product Positioning

25

Decision by a marketer to try to achieve a

defined brand image relative to competition
within a market segment

Often used interchangeably with brand image

Marketing mix is manipulated in line with the
desired product position

CHAPTER

Product Positioning

26

Perceptual Mapping
Technique for measuring & developing a
products position

Takes consumers perception of similar

brands & relates these to product attributes

CHAPTER

Product Positioning

27

Trendy, Youthful,
Fast
I1

I 2 UCB

Westecs

Economical,
Common

Expensive,
Prestigious

Traditional,
Conservative
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Product Repositioning

28

Deliberate decision to significantly alter the

way the market views a product

Evolution is natural & inevitable

Can involve performance, evoked feelings,
situations in which to use or even users

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Brand Equity

29

Value customers assign to a brand beyond its

functional characteristics
Implies economic value
Based on product position of the brand
Source of economic value from a positive
brand image comes from
Consumers behaviors toward existing items with
that brand name
Principle of stimulus generalization
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Brand Leverage

30

Often termed family branding, brand

extensions or umbrella branding

Capitalizing on brand equity by using an

existing brand name

Sometimes done to bolster the brand image

To be effective product must be connected
CHAPTER

Brand Leverage

31

Successful brand leverage requires the new

product to fit with the original product on at
least 1 of 4 dimensions:
Complement
Substitute
Transfer
Image

CHAPTER