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PRODUCT MARKETING
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024
Research finds that ‘anatomical depictions’ can help companies build customer confidence more efficiently during the product adoption phase.
Researchers from Singapore Management University and two US universities – New Hampshire and Buffalo – have published a study that examines how anatomical depiction in advertisements can boost consumer confidence in product performance and increase perceptions of product worth.
Anatomical depiction can boost buyer confidence. Illustration: Pixabay
The study, soon to be published in the American Marketing Association’s peer-reviewed Journal of Marketing, is titled ‘Anatomical Depiction: How Showing a Product’s Inner Structure Shapes Product Valuations’ and is authored by Seo Yoon Kang, Junghan Kim, and Arun Lakshmanan.
Ever since Leonardo da Vinci pioneered the drawing technique that shows the interior of machines, the method has been used for visual displays of consumer products such as DIY furniture, vehicle repair manuals, toys (e.g., Lego), and in advertising various consumer gadgets.
In this new study, the researchers call this form of depicting a product ‘anatomical depiction’ – a technique that unveils the focal product’s anatomy, which is normally not visible to the consumer.
In the wake of several high-profile product failures, anatomical depiction in advertisements can boost consumer confidence in product performance and increase the perception of product worth.
“Our research suggests that anatomical depictions can help companies build customer confidence more efficiently during the product adoption phase,” says Kang. “Marketers can simply add anatomical depictions to product pages or use them as thumbnails for new products.”
Adds Kim: “Our research also provides information about which customers are most receptive to anatomical depiction. For example, this mode of advertising works well for tech-savvy consumers by increasing their purchase intentions, but it can sometimes reduce the confidence of those anxious about technology.”
The effectiveness of anatomical depiction depends on what consumers are looking for. When shoppers focus on high performance, such as the sound quality of wireless speakers, seeing the internal components can increase their willingness to pay. However, if they are looking for aesthetic aspects such as visual design, it may not make a difference.
“Anatomical depictions should be used for products marketed for their practical benefits rather than purely aesthetic ones,” Lakshmanan advises.
Lessons for chief marketing officers
The study suggests that helping customers better appreciate the manufacturer’s point-of-view can deliver positive outcomes. For instance, the successful 2009 launch of the unibody Mac can be attributed to how Apple highlighted the novel design and manufacturing process in its advertising campaign.
By helping consumers visualise this process, the brand was able to successfully differentiate its new line of laptops using the inner structure as a unique selling proposition. Anatomical depiction offers a similarly subtle and effective ‘visual language’ for persuasion.
Compared to other strategies such as warranties and money-back guarantees, anatomical depiction also offers a broader and relatively more cost-effective avenue to boost consumer confidence in product performance.
Managers should exercise caution, however, when employing anatomical depictions if their products are positioned to provide primarily hedonic benefits (e.g., a fashionable suitcase or a stylish speaker).
You can find out more about the study here.
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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.