globaldesi wrote:
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
close
Updated on: 04 Apr 2020, 10:23
62%
(03:15) wrong 
35%
(medium)
