
Competition watchdog in the UK warns of negative AI consequences
An increase in fake reviews and false information, as well as flouting of consumer protection laws, are all possible results of the AI boom.
BRAND STRATEGY
By our News Team | 2023
As the problem of loneliness increases around the world, marketers and brand strategists must find ways to portray their brand as ‘warm’.
In a study that gives new meaning to retail therapy, marketing researchers at the University of Alberta in Canada have found that consumers who feel lonely will often turn to brands that exude warmth.
“We found that excluded or lonely people tend to choose warmer brands, because they think these brands will be better relationship partners,” explains study co-author, Professor Kyle Murray.
Photo by Marina Shatskikh from Pexels
“The compensation they get from a brand is powerful,” he adds, providing a degree of comfort and “making up for missing human relationships”.
In the study, published in the academic journal Psychology and Marketing, Murray and co-authors Soyoung Kim and Sarah Moore note that 40% of respondents to a 2018 US survey reported feeling isolated some, or all, of the time and that their relationships were not meaningful.
That same year, the British government created a so-called ‘ministry of loneliness’ (under the Minister for Civil Society) to tackle a growing social epidemic with harmful health consequences – estimated to be equal to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
A better brand partner?
To examine the relationship between social exclusion and branding, researchers began by having 130 undergraduate students play a ball-toss video game called Cyberball, which is often used to study ostracism and exclusion. Participants believed they were playing with two or three team members; in fact, those teammates were controlled by the programmer.
One group of participants were never thrown the ball, a condition meant to elicit feelings of exclusion. A second group received passes and therefore were more likely to feel included in the game.
As they left, all participants were offered a choice between two gift bags of appreciation: one with a Tide laundry detergent logo, the other labelled with the cuddly bear of Snuggle detergent.
“The people who were excluded in the game tended to choose the bag with the Snuggle bear,” explains Murray. “They felt the Snuggle bear would be a better laundry detergent partner.”
The research team continued with four other experiments involving hundreds of participants in varying scenarios. Some wrote about their life experiences with social exclusion and consumer behaviour; others responded to their impressions of fictitious ‘warm’ and ‘cold’ clothing brands.
“Across five studies, our findings suggest that socially excluded consumers prefer warm over less-warm brands,” says Murray.
The Snuggle is real
The authors also found self-acceptance played a role in brand preference.
Among those who felt included, the choice between Tide and Snuggle brands depended on how comfortable they felt about themselves. Those who reported high self-acceptance opted more often for Tide, whereas those with low self-acceptance went for Snuggle.
Among the excluded group, self-acceptance made little difference to their choice. Nor did they change their minds when told Snuggle may not clean as well as Tide. Rather, they continued to prefer the warmer, fuzzier brand.
According to Murray, the study’s results offer important lessons for companies designing brands.
“If you can be a warmer, more caring brand, you can actually make people feel better, and that will make them better customers,” he explains. “They’re more likely to be loyal and more likely to choose you.”
“If you’re a colder brand and this trend in increased loneliness continues, you’re going to struggle.”
You can read more about the study ‘Some like it warm: How warm brands mitigate the negative effects of social exclusion’ here.
An increase in fake reviews and false information, as well as flouting of consumer protection laws, are all possible results of the AI boom.
As tougher times bite, only 10% of CMOs believe their marketing investments will enable them to emerge better off than their competitors.
On-the-Go stores will extend the brand and be located on TotalEnergies service station forecourts to cater to motorists and busy consumers.
The social media platform’s ad revenue is up 25.8% year-on-year and is forecast to total US$71-billion for 2024.
Alliance offers a simple, fast and convenient experience for consumers to buy groceries online, with orders being delivered within an hour.
Consumer must feel that buying the product will somehow elevate them so that they sit more squarely alongside the influencer they follow.
What are the key things that people consider before buying online? Researchers find that the computer mouse holds important clues.
Bon Marché has typically confined itself to the affluent suburbs of Zimbabwe’s capital. Now it has opened in Marondera in Mashonaland East,
As rugby fans liken the SA national team’s alternative kit to the Checkers Sixty60 e-commerce platform, the brand seizes the opportunity.
Sports apparel company renews an old partnership with Newcastle United as it further cements its presence in top soccer competitions.
Interactive Advertising Bureau study finds internet advertising has reached a new high of 34% of the overall SA advertising market.
Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.
Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.
Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.