Harri T. Luomala

Exploring consumers' product‐specific colour meanings

Purpose – The impact of colour is acknowledged, yet empirical studies on colours with marketing implications are rare. The paper seeks to advance our understanding of the role of package colours in consumers product experiences by studying the relationship between colour meanings and product. It also aims at offering insights into the meanings associated with colours in a product context.Design/methodology/approach – Understanding of package colours was elicited by applying the preference‐consumption difference interview technique. The data were analysed applying means‐end chain. Accordingly, it was possible to detect, not only the multifunction played by package colours, but also meanings that colours conveyed at different abstraction level. As colour research within marketing was fragmented and no such colour theory exists, the paper developed a theoretical framework for the paper.Findings – Based on the evidence, the proposed framework is further elaborated so that it could better capture the connecti...

Food choice motives and bread liking of consumers embracing hedonistic and traditional values

This study addresses the effect of personal values on consumers food choice motives and on the liking of bread. A total of 224 consumers participated in the study in three groups: traditional and hedonistic consumers, who presented opposite value types according to the Schwartz value theory, and a control group. Three different rye breads were evaluated for liking and their sensory profiles were determined. The consumer groups values, food choice motives measured with the Food Choice Questionnaire and a Concern scale, and liking of the breads differed significantly according to the analysis of variance and a partial least squares regression analysis. For hedonistic consumers, rye bread characterized by a soft and porous texture influenced liking positively, and food choice motives mood and price correlated positively with their values. Traditional consumers were more positive toward different types of rye bread, and food choice motives natural content, familiarity and health concern were more important to them than to hedonists. Overall, this study demonstrated that values are connected to food choice motives and, to some extent liking and, thus, values can be utilized both in product development and in advertising.

A qualitative exploration of mood-regulatory self-gift behaviors

Abstract This article addresses mood-regulatory self-gift behaviors empirically. Nine theoretically deduced themes, which are related to mood-regulatory self-gift behaviors, are explored qualitatively in this article. The article begins with a presentation of the themes. Three themes are linked to the antecedents, four to the process and two to the consequences of mood-regulatory self-gift behaviors. The method, sample, data collection and data treatment procedures are then described. The largest section of the paper is devoted to the narrative-based interpretive analysis and presentation of the findings. Finally, the concluding discussion revolves around delineating theoretical and managerial implications and outlining suggestions for future research. PsycINFO classification: 2360; 3900

Dear Mr Chocolate: Constructing a typology of contextualized chocolate consumption experiences through qualitative diary research

Purpose – This paper aims to advance theory‐building in the area of food consumption research, by exploring how consumers experience chocolate consumption in different contexts and by viewing these inductive findings in the light of the relevant existing body of knowledge.Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative study is conducted on a non‐student sample of Italian consumers. The qualitative diary research technique is used as it is particularly suitable to capturing sensations, feelings, thoughts, and behaviours related to various chocolate consumption contexts. Content analytical and interpretive principles are followed in the production of the study findings.Findings – Chocolate generates rich and complex consumption experiences as a function of various contextual forces. Seven main contextual chocolate consumption categories are identified: context of physiological need, context of sensorial gratification, context of memories and nostalgia, context of escapism, context of materialism, context of ch...

A qualitative exploration of a consumer's value‐based e‐trust building process

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a value‐based framework for the consumer e‐trust building process.Design/methodology/approach – The data collection procedure consisted of two steps. The first was a brief questionnaire measuring potential informants personal values. From this pool of potential informants, 30 were recruited for the interviews: five security‐ and five excitement‐minded consumers from three fields of electronic commerce; electronic newspapers, electronic grocery shopping, and electronic healthcare services.Findings – The findings of the study reveal two value‐based external factors in e‐trust building that consumers perceive as risks in e‐commerce, and three value‐based behavioral patterns in e‐trust building that informants adopt to reduce perceived risks and build trust in e‐commerce. Furthermore, findings of the current study suggest that e‐trust building process is different based on individuals personal values.Research limitations/implications – This study takes into ...

Mood-regulatory self-gifts: Development of a conceptual framework

This study seeks to contribute theoretically to the area of consumer behavior research by offering a mood-regulatory conceptualization of self-gifts. The paper begins with an analysis and a specification of the nature of mood-regulation. Second, self-gift behaviors are viewed from the mood-regulatory perspective and the argument for stressing this perspective on self-gifts is presented. Surprisingly few prior studies have theoretically addressed the connection between mood-regulation and self-gift behaviors. Third, a conceptual framework model for studying the mood-regulatory self-gift behaviors is developed. Finally, the theoretical implications of the mood-regulatory conceptualization of self-gifts are discussed.

Cross-Cultural Differences in Mood-Regulation

Abstract This paper seeks to examine cross-cultural differences in the ways people regulate their mood states with special emphasis put on the role of consumption. This issue is virtually unexplored in the extant literature. After briefly introducing the essence of mood-regulation and culture we integrate these discussions in order to produce six research hypotheses for empirical testing. These hypotheses concern the differences in the nature, perceived ease of initiating, and emotional outcomes of mood-regulatory activities. The empirical evidence suggests that mood-regulatory activities are less consumption-oriented, have more socially based emotional consequences, and are more easily pursued and more effective in collectivistic cultures as opposed to individualistic cultures. The paper concludes by highlighting the theoretical and managerial implications of the results and by spelling out a few future research suggestions.

Understanding how retail environments are perceived: a conceptualization and a pilot study

A conceptual framework for understanding how perceptions of retail environments are formed is developed in this paper. In developing the framework, three main issues receive theoretical attention. First, the problem of conceptualizing retail environments is tackled. Second, the dimensions of environmental perception are discussed from the standpoint of retail arenas. Third, the factors that moderate how different retail environments are perceived are treated producing a few research propositions. The article also reports the findings of a pilot study. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses are conducted and they show that the separate perceptual dimensions manifest themselves in distinct ways in different retail environments. Finally, the theoretical and managerial implications are discussed and future research suggestions are spelled out.

Finnish adolescents' attitudes towards wholegrain bread and healthiness

BACKGROUNDnWholegrain food may have an important role in the prevention of chronic diseases, and therefore its consumption should be increased. However, wholegrain products have a low consumption because of unfamiliar taste and poor understanding about the health benefits. Generally, adolescents unfamiliar with wholegrain bread dislike it. Food use in childhood correlates positively with practices in adult life, and therefore adolescents are an important target group for research. The aim was to study adolescents attitudes towards wholegrain bread in a society where wholegrain products are widely used.nnnRESULTSnA qualitative focus group method (n = 61) and a quantitative procedure (n = 104) with 13-15-year-old secondary school students indicated that Finnish adolescents considered wholegrain breads healthier and more acceptable than refined breads. The motives for wholegrain bread consumption were taste, feeling of fillingness and weight control. Girls were more interested in bread healthfulness than boys (P < 0.01), and participants who showed a more positive attitude towards general health interest reported using more rye and wholegrain breads than participants with negative attitudes.nnnCONCLUSIONnAdolescents familiar with the sensory properties and healthfulness of rye and wholegrain breads consumed them regularly and perceived them as pleasant and very acceptable.

Sweet and sour: music and taste associations

Purpose – This paper aims to extend current understanding concerning the cross-modal correspondences between sounds and tastes by introducing new research tools and experimental data to study associations and their reflections between music and taste. Design/methodology/approach – The experiment design addresses the multidisciplinary approach by using cultural, chemical and statistical analysis methods. Findings – The paper provides further evidence that exposure to the “sweet” or “sour” musical pieces influences people’s food-related thinking processes and behaviors. It also demonstrates that sweet or sour elements in the music may reflect to actual sweetness (as measured by sugar content) and sourness (as measured by organic acid content) of foods developed in association with music carrying similar taste characteristics. Research limitations/implications – The findings should be replicated and expanded using larger consumer samples and wider repertoires of “taste music” and dependent variables. Also, t...