Cravings are a huge influence when it comes to consumer’s decision making processes, and it’s something that marketers can easily tap into to try influence our purchase (and repurchase) of things we didn’t necessarily need.
Amongst the wide spectrum of consumers, you will often come across those who have a complete addiction to certain products or brands, from the Coke vs Pepsi fiends, to the creatives and their addiction to Apple products. All of these addictions can be a mix of the psychological (Brand loyalty of Tesco supermarkets) and the physical (salty and sugary McDonalds burgers) aspects of addiction .
According to Lindstrom (2012), these shopping ‘addicts’ go through two stages through which addictions to products and brands can form.
- The first is described as a ‘Routine stage’. This is created for the brands we use in a routine, such as soap, toothpaste, washing up liquid etc.
- The second stage is called the ‘Dream stage’, which occurs as a result of the items we buy for ourselves that we don’t necessarily need, such as perfume, ipods, dvds etc.
These ‘addictions’ are driven by consumer’s ‘cravings’, which can often be linked to physical or emotional cues within an environment (Lindstrom, 2012).
One example of a physical cue to induce a craving is often used by drinks companies within their advertising and sales, and it’s something that seems to apply to any drink which should be drunk cold.
Sweat.
This is a term used to describe the condensation that adorns drinks from Coors light bottles to Coke cans to Beer glasses. This ‘Sweat’ in beverage advertising is used to demonstrate that their drink isn’t just cold, it’s beyond freezing.
This sweat is even used in your local pub to influence you to crave that sweet, cold refreshing beer.
Go have a look, any beer denoting that it’s “Extra cold” will have a pump covered in droplets water to increase your craving.
Soft drinks companies have even experimented with the sounds their drinks make, and how this can induce cravings.
Everyone can imagine the sound of their favourite can of drink, as they pull the tag, and the familiar “tssssh” sound as the air escapes. The signal of anticipation for that first sip of that sugary hit.
This sound isn’t due to pure chance, marketers have even manipulated the cans, and even researched the effects of different sounds on the human brain in fMRI scanners, in order to find that perfect fizz to make you crave their product. Lindstrom (2012) even claims that one company would see sales of their drink increase whenever this perfect “fsssttt” sound was played at major sporting events, often with consumers “suddenly choosing” that particular beverage over another.
Sometimes drinks companies can take the term ‘brand addiction’ a little too literally. In Germany, Bell (2009) found traces of cocaine within Red Bull, which led to a series of states to ban the product. Not even these guys have considered it! However, when it comes to Red Bull, it’s more likely the six/seven teaspoons (27g in a 175ml can) of sugar that it contains, is what keeps consumers hooked to their energy drink (Sugarstacks, 2012).
But it’s not just the drinks industry resorting to physical addictions…have you ever considered your use of lip balm?
How many times do you apply the stuff in one day?
5?
7?
10?
Have you ever considered that you might be over using it?
This even exists in the real world: http://www.lipbalmanonymous.com/
It’s been suggested that menthol lip balms can create addictions in the consumers that use them (Ellis-Christensen, 2011). The use of preservatives, colourings and fragrances in the lip balm can even irritate the lips, and the use of carbolic acid and phenol can apparently even dry out lips (Lindstrom, 2012), prompting the use of yet more lip balm.
Lindstrom (2012) also discusses the use of acids with the lip balm brand Carmex during the late 1990’s. The balm actually contained phenol and salicylic acid, which is used on wart and calluses etc in order to exfoliate the skin. In the words of Lindstrom (2012), “Carmex was ‘exfoliating’ the surface of consumer’s lips…effectively eating away at the living tissue”. This obviously made people apply more and more of the balm to moisten their dry lips, ultimately leading to more repurchases, and more and more dry lips.
…which is a little scary.
So next time you buy a product, and somebody asks you why.
If you respond with “I don’t really know”
Chances are the marketers have subtly tapped into your inner cravings.
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE CONSUMER 