Chapter 14 Review and Applications

3.1
Why is understanding the target market a crucial aspect of the communication process?

Understanding the target market is a crucial aspect of the communication process because if you do not understand who you are targeting than you may miscommunicate and in turn turn off the customer you are trying to attract.

4.1
Why might a marketing manager choose to promote his or her product using persuasion? Give some current examples of persuasive promotion.

A marketing manager would want to promote his or her product using persuasion in a mature state when more competitors with similar products are coming into the market. Another time would be in the decline stage of a product so as to persuade customers back to use their product. An example of persuasive marketing would be laundry detergents that compare their product with another leading brand and demonstrate the superiority of their product.

5.1
Discuss the AIDA concept. How do these different stages of consumer involvement affect the promotional mix?

The AIDA concept discusses Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. In responding to a marketing message a consumer's attention needs to be drawn to it, they need to be interested in continuing to read or look at the promotional material, create a desire to want to take action and purchase the good or service.

5.2
How does a Web site's ease of use affect its ability to create attention, interest, desire, and action? Visit the kitchedn and bath pages of Kohler's Web site and determine how successful the company is at moving consumers through the AIDA process.

Attention is definitley peaked in looking at the website. The images are interesting and innovative, colorful and somewhat futuristic making the viewer want to browse the through the products and even design their own kitchen or bath. The desire for a new refurbished, modern look is also there as well. The only thing I dont exactly see is a drive to make the consumer want to take action. The online store only sells accessories and does not entirely encourage sales.