Abstract This paper provides a literature review outlining the various pros and cons of direct-to-consumer advertising as it reaches first and second generation Chinese immigrants in the United States. It discusses advertising best practices and methods regarding material that speaks to trust, health, literacy and culture. The paper then describes the effect of this type of advertising on this population.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Literature Review: Pros & Cons of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising and Chinese Immigrants
Conclusion
From the Paper "The large Chinese population in the United States indicates that advertising to this population holds both opportunities and risks in the market. As a result, companies should be well prepared on how to play in this market. A review of the literature indicates that in the past decade, the Chinese immigrant consumer population has proven to be a lucrative population, both for the company manufacturing the goods as well as the independent party responsible for advertising. However, proper and efficient direct-to-consumer marketing and advertising plays a significant role in whether the brand or brand name becomes lucrative or not. Research in this area is critical to the continued success of advertising; after the initial research regarding consumer preferences and needs is completed, marketing efforts through sales becomes key. A review of the literature in this area indicates that advertising, promotion and proper use and maintenance of trademarks the most important aspects of market channeling to Chinese immigrants. As long as these aspects are consistently met, the business opportunities of this population appear to be bright. Finally, as stated by the Zhou et al (2007) research, ethnic language media cannot simply be viewed as an ethnic institution isolated from the mainstream host society in which immigrants resettled and that they can facilitate immigrant adaptation."
Tags: marketing, products, culture, literacy, language
Abstract The paper reviews five articles on the topic of Europeans using US-developed advertising techniques for European audiences and American companies developing their own approach to advertise to Europeans. The paper looks at "Counter-attacking the Kremlin" by The Economist, "Marketers Have Eyes on the 'Third Screen' by Pfanner, "Direct-to-Consumer Advertising Debated in the United States and European Union" by Guthrie, "'Culture' and the Limits of Innovation in Marketing" by Ernest Dichter and "Motivation Studies and Psychoanalytic Consumer Research in Great Britain, 1950s--1970s" by Schwarzkopf. The paper highlights the cultural insecurity of the European Union and shows how advertising freedoms in the US can be viewed as threatening in Europe.
Outline:
Introduction
"Counter-attacking the Kremlin"
"Marketers Have Eyes on the 'Third Screen'
"Direct-to-Consumer Advertising Debated in the United States and European Union"
"'Culture' and the Limits of Innovation in Marketing"
"Motivation Studies and Psychoanalytic Consumer Research in Great Britain, 1950s--1970s"
Analysis and Recommendations
From the Paper "We take our advertising freedoms in America for granted. In Russia, the non-governmental media outlets have been shut down one after another. There is only one major private media outlet left as of the time of this Economist article: New Times. The brave editors of this newspaper have persisted despite Kremlin-directed assassinations of journalists, persecution of media editors, and revocation of the licenses of those who are not willing to toe the Kremlin's political line.
"The point of the Economist article is that Europeans have, for the most part, attempted to assuage the Kremlin by turning in the other direction as anti-democratic press suppression is taking place at their doorstep. Appeasement isn't working, says the Economist."
This paper analyzes two radio commercials for prescription medications for their adherence to FDA guidelines, marketing techniques, failings and overall message of the advertisement.
Abstract This paper explains that direct-to-consumer advertising is considered to be a powerful marketing tool and to be a helpful service for patients who wish to be informed about their options and be active in their own treatment; however, direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription medications may hinder effective health care in several ways including reducing doctor-patient communication. The author concludes that the analyzed commercials for Allegra D to treat allergy symptoms and an unnamed cholesterol-fighting drug did adhere to the FDA guidelines. The paper states that these gimmicky commercials are not actually informative to the general public; they are simply a tool used by the medication companies to benefit from the consumerist impulses of the population.
From the Paper "Direct-to-consumer advertising is a phenomenon of the past couple of decades. The FDA has set guidelines for drug companies to follow that are intended to prevent consumers from being taken advantage of by misleading advertisements. All commercials must use words that common people can understand, without using advanced or complicated vocabulary that would require higher education or specialized training to decipher. Most of these commercials have to state a great deal of information about the product, including intended uses and common side-effects, as well as providing means for consumers to get more information about the product that would include all of the labelling that the FDA requires for the drug. However, the commercials that were observed were exempt from these guidelines because they were brief "reminder" or "help-seeking" ads."
Abstract The author of this paper examines and compares two major cable TV provider, Comcast and Direct TV, in an attempt to decide which company is preferable. According to the author, both companies appear to have decent packages but after examining both offers, there were some interesting differences and similarities. The writer contends that both companies' plans have positive and negative elements and that consumers, when choosing a cable provider must consider the packages according to their individual preferences.
From the Paper "Overall the rest of the bonuses for Comcast and Direct TV differed greatly. You can't even order bonuses with Comcast which seemed annoying. However you can get movies bonuses with HBO, Showtime, and Starz for $35.00. Secondly, for the first 12 months, you get $23.00 off Direct TV. Furthermore, Direct TV has exclusive sports channels. They have NFL Sunday ticket, Nascar Hot Pass, Mega March Madness, and Setanta Sports. Considering all of the bonuses and everything, my family and I chose to go with Direct TV. The sports bonuses along with the free installations and money off during the first year more than made up for any of the problems it could have. Also Comcast seems to just have too many fees that I just didn't want to deal with.
"Ultimately, after all of the bonuses and promotional offers, customers will have nothing to focus on other than the quality and availability of the shows they like to watch. Seeing beyond the incentive deals and determining which company offers you the most programming at the price you can afford, is really the bottom line."
Abstract Explore the issues surrounding the controversial use of DTC advertising by drug manufacturers. The paper investigates the causes and effects of this new marketing phenomenon in an effort to determine what makes DTC advertising so effective in our society.
From the Paper "The pharmaceutical industry has always relied on marketing and advertising to move drugs from manufacturers? laboratories to consumers? medicine cabinets. From 1938, with passage of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, until the mid 1980s, the industry focused its efforts almost entirely on physicians. Accurately recognizing physicians as their principal customer, drug manufacturers deployed large armies of sales representatives who marched into physicians? offices carrying promotional materials, drug samples, coffee mugs, calendars, "continuing education" dinner invitations and baseball tickets. "
Tags: journalism, magazine, media, television, medicine
This paper uses a case study to examine United Kingdom Consumer Laws and Consumer criminal laws. The laws are meant to protect consumers against defective and unsafe products and services.
Abstract United Kingdom Consumer Laws and Consumer criminal Laws are meant to protect consumers against defective and unsafe products and services. They can be invoked if a consumer feels he was taken for a ride and given product or service, which did not meet his needs or was faulty in any sense. We need to understand that certain conditions apply when these laws are made use of to bring charges against a trader. For example, the nature of product or service doesn't count at all but the length of use; special seller instructions, representation of a product etc. play a dominant role in determining the exact nature of breach of contract between the seller and the consumer.
Proposal-Introduction
Executive Summary
-------Rights and Liabilities-Used car
-------Rights and Liabilities-Seat cover
-------Rights and Liabilities- Cell batteries
-------Rights and Liabilities-Re-roofing
-------Rights and liabilities-Dogs
Conclusions/Recommendations
From the Paper "Eleanor and Nicos needed to purchase a second-hand car and visited Solid Cars for this purpose. There they found a Range Rover, which was being offered for ?2,000. The salesman informed them the original engine of the Rover had been replaced with a reconditioned engine. After initial discussions with the salesman, they agreed to purchase the vehicle through their debit card. The salesman however told them few things, which later proved to be incorrect and caused them several problems during test-drive."
Tags:Consumers, Laws, United, Kingdom, Merchants, Legal, rights
Abstract This study investigates the decision process of consumers purchasing property in Spain. The paper focuses on the underlying reasons for purchasing a property in Spain, the methods used by the purchaser to gather information and the overall satisfaction with the purchase process. The paper links a report about current theories on consumer purchasing behaviour to the purchase of property abroad.
The investigation reveals a clear link between the level of satisfaction of the purchase process and the level of information and advice sought. The paper includes flow charts, tables, and graphs. It also appends the questionnaire used in the research and data analysis pages.
Outline:
Abstract
Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
List of Appendices
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction
1.1 Aspects and Foundation of the Research
1.2 Aim of the Research
1.3 Objectives of the Research
1.4 Hypothesis
2. Literature Review
2.1 Consumer Behaviour
2.2 The Consumer Decision Process
2.3 Problem Recognition
2.4 Information Search
2.4.1 Do Consumers Always Search Rationally?
2.4.2 Determinants of Information Search
2.4.3 Type of search
2.4.4 Evaluation of Alternatives
2.5 The Decision
2.5.1 Affect Referral Rules
2.5.2 Non Compensatory Decision Rules
2.5.3The Lexicographic Rule
2.5.4 Compensatory Decision Rules
2.5.5 Modified Rules for Research
3. Methodology
3.1 Methodology in Similar Research
3.2 Research Approach
3.3 Research Strategy
3.4 Method
3.4.1 Channels of Distribution
3.4.2 Ethics
3.4.3 Data Collection and Analysis
3.4.4 CHI-Square Test
3.4.5 Elements of Bias
3.4.6 Sampling
3.4.7 Pilot Study
3.4.8 Research Constraints
3.4.9 Response Rate
3.4.10 Variables
3.5 Null Hypothesis
4. Results
4.1 CHI Square Test
4.2 Data Interpretation
4.3 Summary of Key Findings
5. Discussion
5.1 Pre Purchase Process
5.1.1 Information Search
5.2 Purchase Process
5.3 Post Purchase Process
5.3.1 Consumer Behaviour Models
5.4 Consumer Profile
6. Conclusion
7. Recommendations and Further Research
8. References
9. Appendices
10. Glossary
From the Paper "Nicosia proposed a model that concentrated on the buying decision for a new product (illustrated in figure 2). The first stage of the model concentrated on the marketers' attempts to communicate with the consumer and the consumer's predisposition to act in a certain way. The scope of this research did not allow for the exploration of marketers' communication methods. However, the second stage of the model involved the consumer in a search evaluation process, which is influenced by attitudes. This follows a similar process to the Andreason model but it allowed the consumer to evaluate the process."
Abstract Marketers and business researchers are becoming increasingly aware of the way that emotional factors affect and influence consumer behavior. The paper's author contends that the term 'emotion" brings with it a great degree of ambiguity and misunderstanding that often confuses the way that this aspect is seen to relate to consumer behavior. The writer discusses some of the aspects of the interaction between emotion and consumer behavior in both a practical and theoretical sense.
Outline:
Introduction and Overview
Theoretical Perspectives
Practical Aspects
Conclusion
Works Cited
From the Paper "The theories of emotional behavior posited by Zajonc and others have very real practical implications for contemporary marketers and for the general understanding of consumer behavior. In essence, the significance of emotions or affective patterns of behavior, according to theorists like Zajonc, are that these feelings or emotional aspects of decision-making are the first and most primary component of consumer behavior. Another essential aspect is that in theory affective behavior takes place before reasoning and cognitive aspects. This has obvious repercussions in terms of understanding and determining consumer behavior patterns."
Abstract In this paper, the writer considers twelve articles focusing on consumer behavior, primarily in South Africa. The writer discusses factors that affect consumer behavior (such as, family values, peer pressure, cultural mores and economic trends).
From the Paper "There are many different factors that affect consumer behavior, family values, peer pressure, cultural mores, economic trends among others. Understanding how various factors affect consumer behavior is critical if companies are to be successful in their marketing efforts. These factors become both more complicated and more critical when international marketing is taken into account. This research considers the issues of need and motives values and attitudes and how these factors are both influenced and how they influence consumer behavior particularly with ..."
An essay on the rising health care costs associated with moral hazard and why, despite some skepticism, consumer driven health plans (CDHP) can provide a solution.
Abstract The paper discusses Consumer Driven Health Plans (CDHP) and how these plans can reduce medical spending. The paper examines the rising cost of health care and how health insurers have developed new and innovative ways of dealing with the ever pressing issue moral hazard has had on overall medical spending. The paper further analyzes how through consumer driven health plans, health insurers hope to encourage more conservative and responsible consumerism as patients are forced to pay higher out of pocket costs for medical services.
From the Paper "Year after year, as the cost of health care continues to rise and the American public's frustration continues to grow, those with influence over the market have begun to offer new and innovative solutions in the hopes of curbing the ever rising prices a broken system has helped to create. In a flawed design where everyone but the consumer is picking up the tab - the employers, health insurers, and government, it's of no surprise that Americans have been more than indulgent in their consumption of medical services. Unfortunately, this careless consumption, driven by moral hazard, is what continues to drive the overall cost of health care up at a rate of inflation higher than that of other goods and services. Now, in an effort to reduce the most costly of effects attributing to the rising cost of medical services, health insurers have focused on reducing moral hazard through the introduction of consumer driven health plans (CDHP)."
Abstract This paper relates, that the history of big business enterprises in the United States is the sacrificing of consumer safety for profit. The author points out the example of the Corvair automobile of the 1960s. The paper reviews historic events that shaped the consumer protection movement of the American twentieth century.
From the Paper "There are a myriad of reasons why we need consumer protection in our modern world. Chiefly, we need consumer protection because those who profit from mass-consumption - and from cost-cutting measures at all levels of production - cannot be counted upon to put the interests of the consumer first unless compelled to do so. This paper explores why it is that consumer protection is so vitally important for American consumers by high-lighting instances when business avarice superseded concerns about the well-being of ordinary citizens."
Abstract The Consumer Advocacy Model Program (CAM) is a substance abuse program offered by the Substance Abuse Resources and Disabilities Issues program (SARDI) and the University Medical Services Association. It is a consumer-oriented program, with a team approach. This paper is an on-site evaluation and review of CAM. The paper argues that CAM does provide a valuable resource for the disabled population, but the success rate needs improvement before it can be called a viable treatment provider.
From the Paper "The person that I interviewed was Melissa Jones, CCDC-IIIE, clinical director at the program. Ms. Jones has a number of different certifications and professional qualifications, including a Masters of Rehabilitation Counseling (MRC). Program and Services Provided CAM is a consumer-oriented outpatient program that is also community based. According to the website, this program offers a large number of services to its clients, including "advocacy, support, case management, vocational services, and chemical dependency treatment for people with disabilities who are concurrently experiencing alcohol or other drug-use problems" (What is CAM?, 2003, par. 2)."
Abstract This paper examines Georgia Flight's brief article "Companies tap into consumer passion", and reviews what it portends for business customer relations. The paper explains that the article discusses a new type of relationship between the businesses and their customers, with the customer taking control of the innovation process as well as the creative process to produce work uniquely suited for their particular needs and concerns.
From the Paper "There can be little doubt that superior customer service is at the heart of any successful organization. With that in mind, it is increasingly apparent that customer service today entails something radically different than its predecessors. To wit, the effective customer service of the present and certainly the future will be focused upon reversing the flow of information. in short, it will now be the customer directing the creative process and marketers and advertisers who will merely be serving as conduits and receptors; incidentally, this new phenomenon also lies at the heart of the following paper."
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the practices of banks and credit unions regarding different types of consumer loans. An argument is made that the types of products offered by these different institutions is driven by their institutional make-up and their operational goals. Some scenarios are considered to determine what consumers might expect from these product offerings.
From the Paper "When consumers decide to borrow money in today's financial marketplace, they face more choices and must navigate around more dangers than ever before. Not only are there numerous instruments available to people of different financial means, each marketed in various ways and with varying levels of disclosure, there are also many different types of institutions accessible to them. This paper will compare and contrast the two most common institutions that make consumer loans, banks and credit unions, in terms of their structure, general loan policies, and common instruments. After laying the groundwork for each type of institution, several generic scenarios will be presented for typical consumers wishing to obtain a loan, in order to determine what kinds of offers might be made by a typical bank or credit union."
