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Marketing Individual Assignment Notes A market researcher who works within the fashion industry conducted a series of focus groups with teenagers to find out more about their clothing consumption. One of the main findings was that reference group influence had an important role to play in clothing consumption. Explain why reference groups exert a strong influence on consumer behaviour in this industry drawing upon key literature (minimum of 5 x journal articles) and industry examples to enhance your answer.

Types of Reference Groups: 1. ⁃ ⁃ 2. ⁃ ⁃ 3. ⁃ ⁃ 4. ⁃

Primary Reference Groups Family Friends Secondary Reference Groups Work colleagues Clubs & society members Aspirational Reference Groups Celebrities Athletes Disassociative Reference Groups Opposites

Primary Reference Groups: 1. 2. 3. 4. ⁃ ⁃ ⁃

Regular interaction Opinions highly regarded Influence beliefs and social norms Small in size Parents dress children Parents pay for clothing in adolescence Desire to conform at a young age (Friends)

Secondary Reference Groups: 1. 2.

Less interaction Opinion not regarded as important

Aspirational Reference Groups: 1. 2. ⁃

Brand sponsorship deals with sports & television personalities Social media increases this field Easier to understand how they consume

Dissociative Reference Groups: 1. 2.

Groups of people in the public eye w/ a poor reputation Personal relationships which have broken down

The Fashion Industry: 1. ⁃ 2.

Ability to send a message about yourself w/out speaking Allows for a large following A product the entire world consumes

⁃ 3. ⁃

Allows for long, or short, thought process before consumption Industry which feeds off of fast-paced change Use of reference groups to achieve this

Essay Plan ⁃ ⁃ (150 words) ⁃ ⁃ ⁃ ⁃ ⁃ ⁃

Introduction (150 words) Overview of fashion industry & its importance w/ link to reference groups Conformity & Norms (150 words) Informational (250 words) Utilitarian (250 words) Value-expressive (250 words) Types of power (200 words) Conclusion (150 words)

Quotes ⁃ “Reference groups expose a person to new behaviours and lifestyles, influence the person’s attitudes and self-concept, and create pressures to conform that may affect the person’s product and brand choices.” (P148) ⁃ “One can sustain a valued sense of social identity by dressing in accordance with fashion norms and standards relevant to a phenomenologically defined reference group that may be far removed from one’s face-to-face peer group.” (Thompson, 1997) ⁃

Normative Social Influence 1. 2.

Satisfying expectations Acceptance from the group

Informational Social Influence 1. 2.

Model behaviour on others Behaviour of other’s perceived as ‘correct’

Informational Reference Groups: 1. Association of professionals 2. Independent group of experts 3. Works with product as part of profession 4. Brand-related knowledge or experience from personal relations who have reliable information 5. Seal of approval by individual testing agency (Magazines) 6. Experts own products (Police officers choice of car) 7. Friends, family, experts & professionals 8. Influenced by observing the behaviour of others 9. Endorsement by expert 10. ‘Purchase pals’

Utilitarian Reference Groups:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Impress work associates, influenced by their preferences Preferences of those w/ whom they have a social interaction Family member preferences Desire to satisfy the expectation of others Conform w/ behaviours & norms of a group they wish to identify w/ Fulfil others expectations to gain direct reward To avoid sanctions

Value-Expressive Reference Groups: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Enhance their image Other’s possess the characteristics they want Want to assimilate with the characters in advertisements Particular brand customers are respected by others Help make clear, their hopes in life Think will enhance image amongst others in group Desire for psychological association or social affiliation w/ others Desire to be like someone they respect of admire

Types of Power w/in Reference Groups: 1. ⁃ 2. ⁃ 3. ⁃ 4. ⁃ 5. ⁃ 6. ⁃

Referent power Admires the qualities of a group or person Information power Perceives as possessing knowledge on the issue Legitimate power Recognising authority Expert power Expert knowledge on a topic or area Reward power Positive reinforcement (Tangible or otherwise) Coercive power Opposite of reward power (Fear appeals)

Reference Group Influences on the Consumption Process: 1. ⁃ ⁃ 2. ⁃ ⁃ ⁃

Conformity Groups are influential Tendency to want to be like ‘relevant or significant others’ Norms General expectations about behaviours Deemed as acceptable or appropriate Often non-verbal...