Modeling Consumer Behavior

I read an article a while back that I have since revisited. The article was published in the August 2007 issue of National Geographic Adventure Magazine and was titled: “Why Smart People Make Dumb Mistakes (and how you can avoid them)”. The article was intended as a survival warning, but as I read the article, I began to see some overlap into marketing and consumer behavior. The overall premise, which psychologists have been researching for many years, is that our brains create mental models that allow us to perceive the world and interpret our surroundings and situations based on previous experiences. We perceive the world by analogy. However, these models can lead us astray despite being otherwise experienced or prepared.

For example, have you ever driven a car while talking on the phone, adjusting your radio, drinking coffee and by the time you reach your destination, you can’t recall actually driving at all? Or, have you ever hung a picture on the wall, and from then on, don’t recall seeing it when you walk in the room? Our brains produce very sophisticated models that allow us to experience the world without having to stop and take the time to think about our surroundings. We are compensating unconsciously in the name of efficiency.

As it relates to us as consumers, we also create mental models for shopping. When I go to the grocery store, for instance, I always start at the same side of the store and work my way to the other. I have created a mental model for how I shop. In addition, I generally purchase the same (or close to the same) types of items on a weekly basis. I can almost work my way through the store without thinking. Now think about a mom shopping in the grocery store, or Wal-Mart or Target, with kids in tow, trying to get in, get her items and get out. She has a very sophisticated mental model for getting what she needs.

With this elaborate model in place, how does a marketer grab the attention of a shopper who has subconsciously programmed herself to ignore the stimulus around her? We go through extensive research and ways to create advertising and promotions to grab her attention, even though she is programmed to ignore these stimuli altogether. My initial sense is that if we, as advertisers, can find a way to deconstruct her mental model, we can start to engage consumers in a place where they are traditionally programmed to ignore advertising messages.

This subject has caught my interest, and I plan to do extensive research on the use of mental models in advertising. Stay tuned.