Name: Aditya Sethia

Roll no: 1901124

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT TIRUCHIRAPPALLI

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Term IV, 2020

Mid-Term Examination

Instructions

1. This is an open book examination. All rules pertinent to open book exams apply. You
can refer to your textbook, course pack, lecture slides and material uploaded on Google
Classroom. Referring to any other material including material on the internet will
constitute use of unfair means.
2. The duration of the examination is 90 minutes.
3. The question paper document (this document) will be emailed to reach you by 10.55 am.
4. Check that the question paper has nine questions and totals to 30 marks.
5. The pictures/exhibits accompanying the question paper are also attached.
6. Download the document onto your machine, fill up the answers and save the document
as “YOUR ROLL NO_YOUR NAME.” Submit this document in the Google Classroom
assignment titled “Mid-Term Exam.”
7. Submit the document latest by 12.35 pm. After this period, the system might not accept
your submission.
8. Please try to confine your answers only within the space provided below the question.
9. Marks for questions are mentioned next to the questions.
10. Insert your name and roll number in the box above. It helps in identifying your paper.

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Consumer Behavior, Term IV, 2020
Mid-Term Examination
1. UTV is a motion picture company (it produces movies). For purposes of this question,
assume that UTV does not have a logo, and wants to choose one. (4 marks)
a. Which of the logos would be better: UTV_logo A or UTV_logo B?
b. Why do you say so?
Ans)
a) UTV logo B.
b) The reasons for selecting logo B are:
 Curved edges instead of boxy edges resembling approachability which is a
good representation of UTV.
 The logo is in a flow and not in disciplined symmetrical form, giving an
impression that it is a fun company and not old school.
 The logo B is made of white font with colored stripes in it and uses the color
black in the background to highlight the already existing colors, unlike Logo
A which uses black as the primary font color which is perceived as
unpleasant by many people.
 Although Logo A is a descriptive logo, but UTV is not a company that
produces products for the end consumers, and hence brand recall through
description is not a first priority.

2. Government regulations mandate that cigarette brands in India should show graphic
pictures of body parts injured due to smoking. (4 marks)
a. What is your view of this measure?
b. Are there behavioral issues that can reduce the effectiveness of this measure?

Ans)
a. This measure was taken to make the customer who purchases cigarettes aware of
the risks visually and then create an unpleasant image in his/her mind about the
product so that he/she does not purchase it. The concept of initiating “fear” in the
minds of the consumers through pictorial representations to develop a negative
association with the brand is what they were going for.
b. The defense mechanism of repression comes into picture here, as the customer
refrains to look at the picture in order to fulfill his need to smoke. Also, according to
Festinger’s cognitive dissonance theory, once a smoker develops a habit of
smoking and is in harmony and in his/her comfort zone in that area, he does not
want to disturb that harmony in which he/she resides.

3. Look at the Surf Excel “daag ache hain” (stains are good) ad. Can you draw two
hypothetical means-end chains that can lead to this particular advertising
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Consumer Behavior, Term IV, 2020
Mid-Term Examination
 idea/campaign? The chains can be hypothetical, and need not be based on actual data.
Following the format mentioned in class will be appreciated. The chains need not look
“beautiful” but should be clear and easy to read. (4 marks).

FUNCTIONAL PSYCHOLOGICAL
ATTRIBUTES VALUES
CONSEQUENCES CONSEQUENCES

Harmless Quality of
Clothes safe, Confidence
chemicals clothes not
and clean in the brand
used deteriorated

Freedom to
washing clothes wear bright
Affordable and
Cheap pricing not considered clothes and not
convenient
a difficult task wrry about
their dirtyness

4. Read the following questions and answer them: (2 marks)

a. A consumer files Income Tax returns on time to avoid a fine. What is the type of
reinforcement being used?

Ans) Negative reinforcement – the motivation for action is to avoid suffering.

b. A student misses too many classes and gets a grade drop in a course. The next time
she is careful not to miss classes. What is the type of reinforcement being used?

Ans) Punishment – the motivation of action is to not face the difficulty which was faced
before.

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Consumer Behavior, Term IV, 2020
Mid-Term Examination
 5. When the Indian cricket team wins a match, an average Indian viewer celebrates. What
is the consumer behavior explanation for this? What are the marketing implications? (2
marks)
Ans) The concept of “Involvement” through “passion” comes into picture here driven
by the sense of belonging of the viewer to his country and his pride in the triumph of the
cricket match.
The marketing stimuli is to use this high involvement to reach a large number of
customers.

6. Rahul is a real estate salesman in Mumbai. Before attempting to sell a flat to a

prospective buyer, Rahul usually shows her another run-down, not so good flat. In
consumer behavior terms, what is Rahul doing? (2 marks)
Ans) By doing this Rahul evokes the situational context in the laddering process, as he
shows a inferior alternative to lower the customer’s expectations and to set a threshold
and then shows them the actual alternative that he wants to sell in order to convince
them that this is better.

7. Provide examples of each of the following: (4 marks)

a. An almost completely utilitarian product

Ans) Sugar – does not require thought.

b. An almost completely hedonic product

Ans) Ice cream – satisfies sensory needs.

c. A product where the marketer attempts to transform utilitarian to hedonic

Ans) Volkswagen has the tagline of “das auto” which means “the car”, but with its high end
model “Tiguan” – it shifted to “The new king of the concrete jungle”.

d. A product that spans multiple levels in Maslow’s hierarchy

Ans) Expensive clothing (Van huesen, Allen soly) – Belongingness & Ego Needs .

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Consumer Behavior, Term IV, 2020
Mid-Term Examination
 8. Brill is a brand of dishwashing liquid. It wants to advertise in India, as well as Sweden.
Will the ads be different? Thinking in CB terms, what will be the critical differences? (4
marks)
Ans) Yes the ads will be very different, which is stated by the Hofstede’s cultural
dimensions, and their findings on the following attributes:

Attribute India Value Sweden Value Criticality of

difference
Power distance 77 31 High
Individualism 48 71 High
Masculinity 56 5 High
Uncertainity avoidance 40 20 Low
Long term orientation 51 53 Low
Indulgence 26 78 Jihj

Based on these dimensions the most critical differences can be evaluated from the last column

9. Plot the “sponsorship” vs “placement” grid you learned in the BMW Films Case.
Mention one example for a campaign in each quadrant of the grid. You can use generic
or imaginary examples if you can’t think of actual examples. (4 marks).

Ans)

Transparent Sponsorship

Ambuja Cement One plus Nord on Instagram

– Billboards & and Twitter.
Traditional advertisements Non-Traditional
Placement Placement

Nokie Lumia When basketball superstars

phones in in the NBA wear basketball
“Chennai shoes which are not
Express” movie. sponsored by the company.

Concealed Sponsorship

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Consumer Behavior, Term IV, 2020
Mid-Term Examination
END OF PAPER.

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Consumer Behavior, Term IV, 2020
Mid-Term Examination