Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Decision Making
Types of
Households/Families
Why is it Important for Marketers to know about
Families and Households?
members
Dispo Buy
ser Decision er
Roles
Maintai Influen
ner cer
Us Decisi
er on
Prepar Maker
er
Consumption-related Roles
Initiators: initiate consumption behaviour
Information Gatherers: research alternatives
Gatekeepers: control flow of information to other
members
Influencer(s): provide information about a good or
service to other members
Deciders: have power to make final buying decision
Buyers: member(s) who actually make purchase
Preparers: transform product into useable form
Users: family members who use the good or service
Maintainers: responsible for maintenance of good
Disposers: responsible for disposal of good/service
Marketing Strategy Implications
Marketing communication: advertising message,
media used, person targeted, product positioning
Households can be targeted by advertising by
lifestyle .
Product development: products, e.g. minivans and
cars built specifically for families; vacations; services,
e.g. insurance, hotel
Pricing decisions: e.g. discounts for bulk purchases
Distribution: changes in family lifestyle means
changes in distribution, e.g. longer retail hours
Public policy regulations re marketing to children
If a car is being purchased by a family for a teenager
to drive to school, how will this influence:
The type of product
Method of financing
Price
Appropriate promotion message
The media
As opposed to the family purchasing a car that the
adult head of the household will use to commute to
work?
Marketing to the Family
When marketing to the family children must be a consideration.
How would you reach families with your marketing message?
Magazines
childrens magazines are good avenues for
reaching the youth and mom markets.
also family-oriented magazines aimed more at
parents. Eg. Family Circle, Sesame Street Parents
(5.4 million readers) Family Fun, Child, Parents,
or Parenting magazine.
Direct Mail
For many households, a car purchase is a family event. It can
be a pleasant one or a story that is retold with embarrassment
and horror. If you were the owner of a car dealership how
would you make the purchase of a car a pleasant family event.
Provide a good play area. Construction play, a table for drawing,
good books, creative activities like train sets, Lego tables, mazes
and puzzles. Stay away from videos. Children who sit too long just
build up their energy and compensate with over-active play.
make eye contact with the youngsters.
Lead kids to play area or explain where the toys are so parents
dont have to apologize for their children's behavior.
Make sure that the vending machine has packaged, healthy
treats available, including fruit juice or water in bottles.
The bathroom should have a change table.
stop periodically to make sure the kids are engaged and happy.
Include them if old enough, in some of the discussions.