The Role of Consumer Behavior in Marketing Decisions

Medina, Jennifer. (2011) Casino Town Puts Its Money On Hispanic Market.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/30/us/30primm.html?_r=1&hp

Notice that targeting this market goes deeper than language. Looking at the background readings for this module, as well as what you learned in Modules 1 and 2, answer these questions:

(1) What has made this strategy successful?

(2) What 3 principles and ideas from the readings can you use to explain this success? For instance, think of segmentation, influence, reference groups … You can use readings from any module.

(3) What lessons about targeting a new market can you take away? (Be very specific in relating each lesson to this case. For instance, do not say, “A company should …” Instead, say, “The companies discussed here demonstrated that …”)

Do not include definitions or summaries from the reading. Do not describe what the casino did. Instead, your response should be analytical and should demonstrate that (a) you understand the principles from the background reading and (b) you can apply them to this particular case. Vague, general answers about targeting will not earn a good grade.

Here are the REQUIRED readings that should be cited in your papers:

Anonymous. Introduction to Consumer Behavior. USC Marshall School of Business.
http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/cb_Introduction.html

These published notes may also be helpful (although a little simplistic):

http://www.udel.edu/alex/chapt6.html

Milkman, Katherine L. (2008) Tap Consumers’ Desire for “Shoulds”.

Harvard Business Review; Jul-Aug2008, Vol. 86 Issue 7/8, p22-23
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=32708749&site=ehost-live

O’Connell, Andrew. Reding The Public Mind.

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=53862128&site=ehost-live

Deshpandé, Rohit (2010) Why You Aren’t Buying Venezuelan Chocolate. Harvard Business Review (Vol. 88, December) 25-27.
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=55456988&site=ehost-live

Schneider, Joan and Julie Hall. (2011). Why Most Product Launches Fail. Harvard Business Review (Vol. 89, April) 21-23

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=59475446&site=ehost-live

Bulik, Beth Snyder. (2010). Mad Ave’s myopia when it comes to Main Street. Advertising Age Oct 11, 2010 Vol. 81, Iss. 36; pg. 34, 1 pgshttp://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-13908178/Mad-Ave-s-myopia-when.html

Edelman, David C. Branding in The Digital Age. (2010). Harvard Business Review. Vol. 88 (December) pp. 62-69.