While envy-based marketing is a popular tactic among brands seen as st

Question

While envy-based marketing is a popular tactic among brands seen as status symbols, new research suggests that its results may be mixed depending on the psychology of the customer. Among potential customers who have high levels of self esteem, envy-based marketing serves to motivate them to attain the brand in order to prove that they are as good as or better than their neighbor. Among customers with lower levels of self-esteem, however, envy-based marketing can backfire and lead users to identify less with the brand. Researchers believe that seeing others who potential customers view as more successful can further lower the customers’ self esteem. Rejecting the brand when they believe it is out of their reach can then be seen as an act of ego preservation: if the item wasn’t worth pursuing in the first place, then the customer’s self image is preserved if they are unable to gain the product.

Based on this research, scientists suggest that luxury brands that know that their average potential customer has high self-esteem can effectively utilize pure envy-based marketing, but that brands that either don’t have the market research to understand the psychology of their potential customers or that have a mixed market may need to try a different tactic. Instead of only using envy-based marketing, researchers recommend a mixed approach. Marketing materials should first work as an ego boost for potential customers before concluding with an envy-based message.   1 
 1. Which of the following, if true, would most call into question the validity of the researchers’ recommendation?

A. Envy-based marketing only works when dealing with luxury brands; for brands that are not associated with status, it is ineffective.
B. While envy-based marketing does alienate some potential customers, overall it is successful with more customers than is any other strategy.
C. Luxury brands with mixed markets that use envy-based marketing strategies have consumer bases that are relatively stable.
D. The need for ego preservation decreases as individuals get older, indicating that envy-based marketing could increase in effectiveness as consumers age.
E. Boosting potential customers’ ego before utilizing an envy-based marketing strategy tends to increase self-image.

2 
 2. What is the purpose of the last sentence of the first paragraph in the context of the paragraph as a whole?

A. It explains why most low self esteem individuals reject luxury brands.
B. It gives support for a suggested course of action outlined within the passage.
C. It refutes a claim made by the author elsewhere in the passage.
D. It provides an explanation for a behavior mentioned in the paragraph.
E. It serves to criticize a particular marketing choice discussed in the paragraph.

3 
 3. Which of the following, if true, would most support the researchers’ claim about ego preservation in the last sentence of the first paragraph?

A. Individuals with low self esteem responded more positively to a mixed approach to marketing than they did to envy-based marketing alone.
B. Envy-based marketing does not lead to a decrease in self esteem in individuals with already low self esteem if those individuals reject the product.
C. Marketing specialists who do extensive research into the average self esteem of a brand's potential customers tend to have fewer individuals reject the brand than those who do not.
D. Individuals with low self esteem tend to frequently reject luxury brands following exposure to envy-based marketing techniques.
E. Brands that use a mixed approach tend to experience an increase in sales if the majority of potential customers are individuals with lower-than-average self esteem

4 
 4. The author uses the words “luxury” and “status symbols” in order to

A. clarify that the conclusions of the research are only about specific types of brands.
B. emphasize that these brands are out of reach for many participants.
C. remind readers why potential customers’ self esteem may have been lower.
D. explain the implications of the research within the marketing industry.
E. make an argument for why customers might reject these brands.

globaldesi · Answer

OE for Question No. 2
Whenever a question asks you for the purpose or function of a particular statement within the passage, you should first consider the meaning of the statement in question and then look in the context of the passage - why is it important for the author to have added that piece of information to the passage?

The sentence in question tells the reader information as to why a consumer might reject a brand after being exposed to envy-based marketing. It's a defense mechanism to protect their ego. The only reason that the author would introduce this information is if that behavior occurred within the passage. And indeed, two sentences before, the author states that some users' identification with the brand goes down after being exposed to envy-based marketing. The sentence in question then explains why. The only answer that matches this is (D).

Among the other answers, (A) is the most difficult to eliminate, but can be eliminated because the author doesn't give you any information as to what percent of low self esteem individuals reject brands after envy-based marketing, so the word "most" is not valid. Choice (B) can be eliminated because the author is simply explaining an action, not suggesting one. Choice (C) can also be eliminated on the grounds that the passage doesn't contradict itself at any point. And choice (E) can be eliminated because the sentence isn't about the marketers. It's about the potential customers.

globaldesi · Answer

Whenever a question asks you to pick a choice that would "most support" a statement given in the passage, you should first look to understand the statement or idea that should be supported and then look for an answer choice that adds information in support of the statement in question.

In this case, the last statement explains why individuals with low self esteem might reject brands following exposure to envy-based marketing. According to the author, the rejection is a way to preserve their self image. Since the product wasn't worth getting anyway, not being able to afford the product isn't a blow to their self esteem. The correct answer to this question will give evidence that backs up the conclusion that rejecting the product is an act of "ego preservation." Only choice (B) does this. If individuals with low self esteem who reject the brand do not experience a dip in self esteem if they reject a product, that means that the act of "ego preservation" has worked.
OE for Q /no 1
Among the other answers, choice (A) can be eliminated because the conclusion in paragraph 1 is about users' reactions to envy-based marketing techniques and does not require a comparison between different marketing techniques. Choices (C) and (E) can be eliminated because of the scope of the paragraph. This paragraph is about the behavior of consumers, not ways to mitigate these behaviors, so the discussion as to which type of marketing is most effective does not lend any additional support to the passage at this point. While (D) does focus on the behavior of consumers, the key to the sentence in question is not just the behavior itself, but justifying why that behavior might occur.

AdityaHongunti · Answer

Time taken : 9 mins 15 seconds ( 2 mins 30 seconds reading)

Topic : Envy based marketing - examining the effectiveness   
passage summary :
para 1- "while " - this one word itself gives an idea that the author is concerned with critiquing or qualifying something ...
while envy is good a good TACTIC , it may have different results...illustrates his point by comapring results of 2 groups... last sentece of para 1 tries to explain the finding of group 2.
para summary : author makes a claim about a practice and then illustrates his point.

para 2: "suggestions" ... X should do this and Y should do that...

passage summary : author qualifies the effectiveness of a practice with illustrations and then suggests a better plan .

Which of the following, if true, would most call into question the validity of the researchers’ recommendation?
- we have to weaken the suggestions made in 2nd para.. First understand what the author is suggesting... The 1st suggestion is towards envy based marketing so we dont need to weaken that ( why?? because the author is making suggestion which in a way limit the usefulness of Envy .. now what would go against the author ? something that would say no envy is still effective and good , regardless of the drawbacks) .. so we have to weaken the 2nd suggestion... suggestion by author - use mixed approach.. first boost confidence and then when the customers feel that their self esteem has risen , use ENVY.
what would weaken this??? - something that will say no i still wanna use envy all the way through the lifetime and not a mixed approach.. you either weaken mixed approach or strengthen envy.

A. Envy-based marketing only works when dealing with luxury brands; for brands that are not associated with status, it is ineffective.-
The passage makes it clear that we are only focused on brands with status.. other brands are not discussed .. OUT OF SCOPE

B. While envy-based marketing does alienate some potential customers, overall it is successful with more customers than is any other strategy.-
CORRECT 
" some " ...this is good.. the author acknowledges the drawback of envy but that drawback is only for some people and not for most people. So using a mixed approach would do more harm than good as it would send a negative status remark to MOST customers of the brand's high status...

C. Luxury brands with mixed markets that use envy-based marketing strategies have consumer bases that are relatively stable.-
"consumer bases that are relatively stable" - The author suggests that we first boost the confidence and then make the consumers high priced purchasers. What this answer choice tells us that the consumer base is relatively stable.. now this may imply several things, viz., a stable supply of customers ! , a stable demands of the customers, or stable preferences of the customers... if we take " stable preferences of customers " then we would have a weakener but there are still too may gaps in this answer choice (nwe have to twist this answer choice to make a good weakener)

D. The need for ego preservation decreases as individuals get older, indicating that envy-based marketing could increase in effectiveness as consumers age.-
STRENGTHEN .. suggestion - first boost confidence and later use envy.. so we are using envy at a later stage and hence in a way we are strengthening the suggestion.

E. Boosting potential customers’ ego before utilizing an envy-based marketing strategy tends to increase self-image.-
- STRENGTHEN .. In line with suggestion

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

3. Which of the following, if true, would most support the researchers’ claim about ego preservation in the last sentence of the first paragraph?

Difficulty Level:   750

Explanation

Answer choices  A, C and E  are easy eliminations, Only  B  and  D  are competitors.

Now why  D  is wrong? first read the required text from the passage that is:

Rejecting the brand when they believe it is out of their reach can then be seen as an act of ego preservation: if the item wasn’t worth pursuing in the first place, then the customer’s self image is preserved if they are unable to gain the product.

Understand it and convert it into some meaningful knowledge. After reading and understanding we can say that answer  choice D  is an extreme answer choice. It start with something related but then deviate from the point by using extreme words, which type of extreme words it uses?

D.   Individuals with low self esteem tend to   frequently reject luxury brands  following exposure to envy-based marketing techniques.

It unnecessarily says that Individuals FREQUENTLY rejects the luxury items as these items are out of their reach. How and why we assume that Majority of customer with low self-esteem do this?. It assumes something which is not supported by the passage and that is why it is wrong

Answer: B

Hope it helps

Harsh9676 · Answer

Question 4:

I am not an expert. I can give it a try though:

Analysis:

The passage is all about the new findings of the research on Envy Based Marketing and about the new recommendations based on these new findings.

Purpose: To present the new recommendations based on new findings.

4. The author uses the words “luxury” and “status symbols” in order to

a. clarify that the conclusions of the research are only about specific types of brands. -- Best choice among the lot and in-fact the scope of passage is limited to these brands.

b. emphasize that these brands are out of reach for many participants. - No where mentioned about other Participants.

c. remind readers why potential customers’ self esteem may have been lower. - The author made no comments about why the self-esteem of a customer is Low.

d. explain the implications of the research within the marketing industry. - Marketing Industry is too broad - The scope of the research is limited to results of Envy marketing on brands that are considered Status symbols.

e. make an argument for why customers might reject these brands. - Customers rejecting the brands is based on Self esteem , not based on what kind of brand the product is

gloomybison · Answer

VeritasKarishma 
In question 3
IMO Answer A is not totally wrong, in the second paragraph it says "brands...hat have a mixed market may...". Upon reading this sentence ı thought the scope of suggestion includes other non-luxury brands as well...But saying that these suggestions only work with luxury brands than it casts doubt on this "mixed market part"

KarishmaB · Answer

We are not looking for 4 "totally wrong" options. We are looking for the best option, the totally right option out of the 5.

Also, you have to focus on exactly what the question asks.

Question: Which of the following, if true, would most support the researchers’ claim about ego preservation in the last sentence of the first paragraph?

What is the claim? Rejecting the brand when they believe it is out of their reach can then be seen as an act of ego preservation.
The claim tells us why people with low self esteem reject envy based marketing - because it helps them preserve their ego.

Which options supports that if people with low self esteem reject a brand, it is an act of ego preservation?

B. Envy-based marketing does not lead to a decrease in self esteem in individuals with already low self esteem if those individuals reject the product.

Correct. If envy based marketing does not lead to a decrease in self esteem if these individuals reject the product, it makes sense that rejecting the brand they believe is out of their reach is an act of ego preservation.

Look at (A) now:
A. Individuals with low self esteem responded more positively to a mixed approach to marketing than they did to envy-based marketing alone

These people responded more positively to mixed approach. Ok. But how does it support that their rejection of envy based marketing in an act of ego preservation? We already know that these people do not respond well to envy based marketing. So knowing that they respond better to mixed approach will not help us find the reason for their rejection of envy based marketing. 
Hence (A) is not correct.

OneLazyBum · Answer

Can someone please explain ques 3

teneturquos · Answer

Does anyone have an explanation for why in Q3 A is wrong?

teneturquos · Answer

I have the same doubt. A seems like a better option than B in my opinion because the author explicitly talks about how mixed marketing can help in attracting individuals with lower self-esteem. Can someone explain?

OneLazyBum

Can someone please explain ques 3

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hello teneturquos

The explanation is posted  here.

While envy-based marketing is a popular tactic among brands seen as st

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While envy-based marketing is a popular tactic among brands seen as st

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