Environmental and Consumer Influence Essay Example for Free

Environmental and Consumer Influence Essay External factors such as political, legal, social, ecological, cultural, technological and business ethics will be discussed. MAC Cosmetics slogan reads, â€Å"Professional makeup artist quality cosmetics† (MAC Cosmetics). This slogan allows the consumer to know that MAC makeup is so good makeup artist use it. It allows the consumer to connect the dots between makeup artists to celebrities to the consumer and the consumer using celebrity worthy products. With so many other makeup brands MAC Cosmetics is known for being bold and colorful; from their products to the celebrities they use to advertise and market their products. For example, Nicki Minaj, a well-known music rapper known not only for her controversial lyrics but her unique form of dress. She is the flashy and different exactly what MAC Cosmetics attempts to portray their products to be. Before Nicki Minaj there was Lady Gaga, another example of an over-the-top music artist. When describing the psychological and social factors involved in consumer purchase of this product; MAC Cosmetics much like every product marketer have researched and studied these factors under a microscope, figuratively speaking. It is important to understand every aspect of a consumer’s behavior factor to receive a clearer picture on how to market the product. When speaking of consumer psychological and social factors we are speaking of the consumer’s motives, perception, and attitudes. When analyzing a consumer’s motives, a motive is defined as a reason for doing something (Merriam-Webster). When comparing one consumer to another the motives may not be all the same. Motives can range from simply needing a makeup refill to wanting to use a highly advertised product. Wanting to use a popular product such as MAC can then be a psychological factor. When speaking of a psychological factor we then have to take into consideration the needs of this particular consumer. Perhaps this product is used by everyone he or she knows and they merely would like to fit in. But this example is most likely take place in a younger consumer, maybe a high school or college student. Another motive that can be introduced is the consumer may feel good wearing this product. Not only because this product does what it advertises but because the consumer likes how they look wearing it. As discussed above, how the consumer feels when wearing the product may allow them to give the perception of flawless skin. The perception goal given by the models and celebrities used to market the MAC Cosmetics products, they want consumers to feel like they can look just like them. To be realistic everyone has some flaw they would like to cover or camouflage and when told by a celebrity who is admired and continuously looks flawless, that will affect the decision of the consumer’s perception of that particular product. It may also play an important role in which influences the consumer to purchase this product. The perception given by the advertisement then becomes a motive for the consumer to purchase a product they may have had no intention in purchasing. Attitude also plays an important role in purchasing a product like MAC Cosmetics. Attitude is defined as a feeling or emotion toward a fact or state (Merriam-Webster). A consumer’s attitude may have several factors. A consumer’s personality, family, and simply a dislike of someone or something may influence a consumer’s attitude. The perception MAC marketers attempt to portray in MAC Cosmetics is that their product is used by celebrities and models. And for example, Nicki Minaj, as previously stated above she is a music rapper who seems to have a strong opinion about everything and everyone. Using her as the spokesperson could be safe to say that her attitude describes MAC Cosmetics. Consumers then may translate that and assume that by using this product they too can feel strong and outspoken. Social class also has a lot to do with the purchase of MAC Cosmetics. Unlike some well-known makeup brands, for example Cover Girl or Maybelline, MAC is not found in grocery stores or drug stores. MAC Cosmetics is found in higher end department stores such as Nordstrom and Macys and some cities have the MAC Cosmetic stores. The price of the cosmetics is a bit higher than the examples listed above. Which means someone on a budget may not be willing to fork up the extra cash to purchase MAC products. Not saying that you will have to mortgage off your home to purchase MAC Cosmetics but it is definitely a social class factor. Consumers who are or consider themselves in this social class will purchase MAC Cosmetics because like previously discussed, it is not utterly available and is more expensive than others. The psychological and social factors all play and important influential role in a consumer. The factors of motives, perception, attitudes, personality, family, social class, and reference group all play important roles and each tie into each other in one or many forms. Marketers are fully aware of these factors and ensure their products are able to trigger a consumer’s sensation in order to have them purchase the product. But along with psychological and social factors there are also external factors to consider. For example there are political, legal, social, ecological, technological, and business ethic external factors that affect a consumer’s behavior. Some external factors that may influence consumers to purchase the MAC Cosmetic products are social, ecological, and business ethical. As previously discussed a social factor can be influenced by simply allowing the purchaser to seem as if they are a part of an unspoken club. MAC Cosmetics allows their consumers to feel that they are receiving only the best money can buy. By MAC only selling their products at high end departments stores it allows the consumer of only those stores to have access to the product. For example because MAC Cosmetics is not found just any where consumers who shop at Wal-Mart would not have access to MAC Cosmetics. This allows consumers in this social bracket to purchase MAC products. Another external factor that maym influence MAC Cosmetics purchases is the ecological factor. These days, many beauty companies are setting an eco-friendly example and MAC Cosmetics is one of them. MAC Cosmetics is offering refillable packaging and compacts, with refills often old for slightly less money (Pollack Boyer). MAC Cosmetics also rewards for being environmentally thrifty by handing out free lipsticks to customers who return five or six empty product containers (Pollack Boyer). Consumers may be incline to support and purchase products from MAC Cosmetics because they are supporting the environment through earth-sustaining and earth-fri endly practices. Another external factor that may influence a consumer behavior to purchase MAC Cosmetics is business ethics. For MAC Cosmetics business ethics and ecological factors play hand-in-hand. Along with their ecological practices MAC Cosmetics contribute to the fair trade and community. Fair trade means paying a fair price for outsourced labor, while community trade creates long-term economic initiatives to ensure sustainability within the communities in which ingredients are extracted (Pollack Boyer). MAC Cosmetics and other companies are not only transforming their own products, but also supporting others who are helping the environment (Pollack Boyer). As discussed above the analysis of consumers behaviors have many different factors and each consumer situation is different. MAC Cosmetics may not be for everyone but they try hard to be for everyone. Marketers ensure to stimulate all aspects of consumers psychological and social factors and their external factors. Some examples were given for each factor in order to better understand a consumer and their reasons for purchasing the MAC Cosmetics products. MAC Cosmetics advertises to have â€Å"more than 100 shades for eyes, lips, and face, everything a makeup addict cannot live without†, you be the judge. REFERENCES Bagozzi, R. P. , Gurhan-Canli, Z. , Priester, J. R. (2002). The Social Psychology of Consumer Behaviour. Philadelphia, PA: Pearson. MAC Cosmetics. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. maccosmetics. com/index. tmpl Merriam-Webster. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://east. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/attitude? show=0t=1369245814 Merriam-Webster. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://east. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/motive? show=0t=1369886515 Pollack, J. and Boyer, D. (n. d. ), Green Cosmetics Companies we love: Yves Rocher, MAC, The Body Shop and Aveda. (n. d. , Fall). Canadain Living . Retrieved from http://www. canadianliving. com/life/green_living/green_cosmetics_companies_we_love_yves_rocher_mac_the_body_shop_and_aveda. php