Svetlana Bogomolova

Positive and negative brand beliefs and brand defection/uptake

Purpose – The paper seeks to conduct an exploratory study into how positive and negative brand belief levels differ before, and change after, consumers defect from a brand or take up a new brand.Design/methodology/approach – Two longitudinal studies in banking and insurance were used. These included repeat interviews with the same consumers. Brand buying behaviour and positive and negative brand beliefs were measured and then compared across those who defected from a brand and those who took up a new brand.Findings – Prior to defection, differences in both positive and negative perceptions were apparent in those who subsequently defected. There was also evidence of a readjustment after defection to match the new user status. There was evidence that this readjustment did not just occur in the behaviour change period, but continued to occur afterwards, with differences over time much greater for the longer time frame interview than evident for the shorter time frame. Negative beliefs were more discriminatin...

Brand Image and Brand Usage: Is a Forty-Year-Old Empirical Generalization Still Useful?

ABSTRACT In this paper the authors provide evidence of the breadth and longevity of Andrew Ehrenbergs work—a testimony to the quality of his research approach. To demonstrate this vitality, the authors drew on 45 new data sets to test findings about the relative brand image response patterns from customer usage groups (Bird, Channon, and Ehrenberg, 1970). The data cover different categories (among them, services, durables, and retailers), countries (including emerging markets), and newer data collection methods (i.e., online). The authors found the generalization that brand association responses are strongly and systematically linked to past brand usage still holds—both qualitatively and, to a large extent, quantitatively. This has implications for researchers and practitioners.

A Mediterranean-style dietary intervention supplemented with fish oil improves diet quality and mental health in people with depression: A randomized controlled trial (HELFIMED)

Objectives: We investigated whether a Mediterranean-style diet (MedDiet) supplemented with fish oil can improve mental health in adults suffering depression. Methods: Adults with self-reported depression were randomized to receive fortnightly food hampers and MedDiet cooking workshops for 3 months and fish oil supplements for 6 months, or attend social groups fortnightly for 3 months. Assessments at baseline, 3 and 6 months included mental health, quality of life (QoL) and dietary questionnaires, and blood samples for erythrocyte fatty acid analysis. Results: n = 152 eligible adults aged 18–65 were recruited (n = 95 completed 3-month and n = 85 completed 6-month assessments). At 3 months, the MedDiet group had a higher MedDiet score (t = 3.95, P < 0.01), consumed more vegetables (t = 3.95, P < 0.01), fruit (t = 2.10, P = 0.04), nuts (t = 2.29, P = 0.02), legumes (t = 2.41, P = 0.02) wholegrains (t = 2.63, P = 0.01), and vegetable diversity (t = 3.27, P < 0.01); less unhealthy snacks (t = −2.10, P = 0.04) and red meat/chicken (t = −2.13, P = 0.04). The MedDiet group had greater reduction in depression (t = −2.24, P = 0.03) and improved mental health QoL scores (t = 2.10, P = 0.04) at 3 months. Improved diet and mental health were sustained at 6 months. Reduced depression was correlated with an increased MedDiet score (r = −0.298, P = 0.01), nuts (r = −0.264, P = 0.01), and vegetable diversity (r = −0.303, P = 0.01). Other mental health improvements had similar correlations, most notably for increased vegetable diversity and legumes. There were some correlations between increased omega-3, decreased omega-6 and improved mental health. Discussion: This is one of the first randomized controlled trials to show that healthy dietary changes are achievable and, supplemented with fish oil, can improve mental health in people with depression.

People with schizophrenia and depression have a low omega-3 index

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is higher in people with mental illness and is associated with a 30 year higher mortality rate in this population. Erythrocyte docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) plus eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (omega-3 index)≤4% is a marker for increased mortality risk from CVD while >8% is protective. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are also important for brain function and may ameliorate symptoms of mental illness. We investigated the erythrocyte omega-3 index in people with mental illness. One hundred and thirty adults aged 18-65 years (32.6% male) with schizophrenia (n=14) and depression (n=116) provided blood samples and completed physiological assessments and questionnaires. Both populations had risk factors for metabolic syndrome and CVD. The average omega-3 index was 3.95% (SD=1.06), compared to an estimated 5% in the Australian population. These data indicate an unfavourable omega-3 profile in people with mental illness that could contribute to higher CVD risk.

Lack of efficacy of a salience nudge for substituting selection of lower-calorie for higher-calorie milk in the work place.

Obesity is a major burden on healthcare systems. Simple, cost effective interventions that encourage healthier behaviours are required. The present study evaluated the efficacy of a salience nudge for promoting a change in milk selection from full-cream to low-fat (lower-calorie) in the kitchen of a university-based research institute that provided full-cream and low-fat milk free of charge. Milk selection was recorded for 12 weeks (baseline). A sign with the message “Pick me! I am low calorie” was then placed on the low-fat milk and selection was recorded for a further 12 weeks. During baseline, selection of low-fat milk was greater than selection of full-cream milk (p = 0.001) with no significant milk-type × time interaction (p = 0.12). During the intervention period overall milk selection was not different from baseline (p = 0.22), with low-fat milk selection remaining greater than full-cream milk selection (p < 0.001) and no significant milk-type × time interaction (p = 0.41). However, sub-analysis of the first two weeks of the intervention period indicated an increase in selection of both milk types (p = 0.03), but with a greater increase in low-fat milk selection (p = 0.01, milk-type × time interaction). However, milk selection then returned towards baseline during the rest of the intervention period. Thus, in the present setting, salience nudging promoted a transient increase in low-fat milk selection, but also increased selection of full-cream milk, indicating that nudging was not effective in promoting healthier milk choices.

Mechanical Observation Research in Social Marketing and Beyond

Observation is a unique method of collecting factual information about consumer behaviours and behaviour change in the real world. The objective and unobtrusive nature of observation makes it perfect for a social marketing enquiry because it overcomes problems common to other techniques, such as memory lapse and social desirability bias in self-reports. Observations can play a part at a formative stage or be the core outcome measure in an evaluation with pre- and post-data collections. Observation data can be collected, coded, and analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Both traditions have been successfully used in social marketing studies and other disciplines. This chapter focuses on mechanical observations, which tend to produce quantitative data, offering researchers the ability to develop numerical benchmarks and observe trends in consumer behaviour and changes over time. In mechanical observations, data collection takes advantage of technological innovations in audio, video, biometric, item, and digital signature recording, allowing for even more objective, precise, and potentially less labour intensive and costly observations. These advancements should help to increase popularity of mechanical observation techniques among social marketers. This chapter summarises the main types of mechanical observation techniques and offers illustrations from prior studies in social marketing, commercial marketing, and allied disciplines, including nutrition, human movement, urban design, and transportation. Innovations in mechanical observations across these contexts are a useful source of research techniques for social marketing and cross-disciplinary studies aimed at improving the wellbeing of individual consumers and society as a whole.

How the Layout of a Price Label Influences Unit Price Visual Attention and Choice During Grocery Shopping

Unit pricing (i.e., displaying prices per unit of volume or weight) is deemed helpful for grocery shoppers. Many countries mandate that supermarkets provide unit prices. However, consumers only make limited use of unit pricing. Consumer advocates attribute this to the poor and inconsistent presentation of the unit price information. Using eye-tracking, the present research tests how unit price label design factors (position, font size, signposting and color highlighting on the price label) affect consumers’ eye-movements during the product decision process. Additionally, the study assesses how the effects of the design factors depend on the consumer’s price consciousness. The research also tests how the consistency of the label presentation affects eye-movements and choice. Findings from an experimentally designed shopping task using natural stimuli reveal that an enhanced label design leads to an increase in the number of eye fixations, in particular when the unit price is color highlighted and especially for consumers who are less price conscious. These increased fixations, however, do not result in changes in product choice.

The Real Estate Value Of Supermarket Endcaps: Why Location In-Store Matters

ABSTRACT Manufacturers pay premiums for endcap real estate because shoppers navigate the perimeter of stores, avoiding the aisles. Research has not established how the physical and visual reach of endcaps—product displays strategically placed at the end of a shopping aisle—might vary across locations in a store. This study explores how foot traffic and visual reach of endcaps differ by location. The most prominent endcaps, in terms of both foot traffic and visual reach, were at the back of the store. These had 24 percent more foot traffic and 30 percent more visual reach than front endcaps. Evidence from this study will help marketers reach more shoppers in different endcap locations in the supermarket.

Effects of a Mediterranean-style diet on mental health and quality of life in people with depression

Background/Aims: Poor diets are an independent risk factor for depression while healthy diets are protective. Traditional Mediterranean diets (MedDiet) are associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk which overlaps with depression. We investigated whether MedDiet can improve mental health. Methods: A total of 163 adults aged 18-65 with self-reported depression participated in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) providing nutrition education and fortnightly food hampers and cooking workshops for 3 months with 6 months follow-up. The control group attended fortnightly social groups. Participants completed mental health, quality of life (QoL) and dietary questionnaires. Data were analysed using linear mixed modelling and Pearson correlations. Results: In comparison to the control group at 3 months the treatment group had a higher MedDiet score (t = 4.27, p < 0.001), consumed more vegetables (t = 3.95, p < 0.001), fruit (t = 2.11, p = 0.037), nuts (t = 2.43, p = 0.016), wholegrains (t = 2.39, p = 0.018) and legumes (t = 2.45, p = 0.016), greater diversity of vegetables (t = 3.46, p = 0.001) and fruit (t = 2.08, p = 0.040) and less unhealthy snacks (t = -2.20, p = 0.030) and red meat/chicken (t = -2.25, p = 0.026). The treatment group had reduced depression scores (t = -2.02, p = 0.045), and higher mental health QoL scores (t = 2.17, p = 0.032). Reduced depression scores were correlated with increased MedDiet (r = -0.275, p = 0.006), consumption of nuts (r = -0.251, p = 0.011), legumes (r = -0.233, p = 0.018), and greater diversity of vegetables (r = -0.284, p = 0.004). Similar correlations were seen with other mental health and QoL improvements, particularly for legumes and diversity of vegetables and fruit. All changes were sustained at 6 months. Conclusions: This is one of the first RCTs to show a benefit of diet for mental health.;

A descriptive analysis of consumer’s price promotion literacy skills

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to provide a descriptive analysis of consumers’ ability to comprehend and use common price promotion information when they choose to do so (e.g. to find the least expensive price or to understand the savings amount); second, to identify which consumer groups (in terms of demographic characteristics) find price promotion comprehension particularly challenging. Design/methodology/approach An online questionnaire with 14 measures (four literacy, ten numeracy) was administered in the study. Data from 607 Australian consumers were analysed using descriptive, cross-tabulation, and multiple regression analysis via IBM SPSS analytics software. Findings On average, 20 per cent of the consumers surveyed were unable to comprehend the price promotion signage. On average, 13 per cent of the consumers were unable to carry out arithmetic tasks using the information on price promotion signage. Multiple regression models showed that income level was the main driving factor for the consumers’ price promotion literacy and numeracy levels. Research limitations/implications The present study is the first exploratory examination of consumers’ levels of comprehension (literacy) and effective use (numeracy) regarding common types of price promotion communication. The use of online samples and data collection method overestimates the results effect. Originality/value This is a pilot field study to investigate whether levels of consumers’ price promotion literacy and numeracy are adequate for everyday decision making. The information can be used as evidence and justification for further research.