LAB ASSIGNMENT #1: Identifying key attributes considered by consumers using three
different approaches
For each research approach interview two people
• A. Direct solicitation
Please tell me what factors you usually consider when deciding to attend a sporting
event? [Write down what the consumer tells you]
•
B. Free sort task: One small cards write the name of the following sports – one name
per card –
• Football,
• women’s softball, baseball,
• men’s basketball,
• swimming,
• women’s basketball,
• diving,
• men’s gymnastics,
• cross-country running,
• women’s gymnastics,
• rowing,
• men’s ice hockey,
• men’s soccer,
• women’s ice hockey,
• women’s soccer
• track and field,
• women’s volleyball
• women’s field hockey, wrestling,
• men’s volleyball
Ask:
Here are several sports. Assume that you are thinking about attending a contest. I
want you to sort these sports into groups so that the sports in each pile are alike
in some way important to you and are different from the sports in the other piles
Or
Here are some sports. I want you to sort them into groups using any basis you
wish
Once they have sorted the cards then ask
Now please describe what each pile means to you. Why are these sports together?
How are these sports different from those other sports? [Write down what the
consumer tells you]
• C. Triad task
Select three types of sports – at least one must be woman’s basketball. Say the following:
Here are three types of sports. Assume that you were thinking about attending one
of the contests. In what important ways are two of these similar and different from
the third? Are there any other ways? [Write down what the consumer tells you]
Write up you experiment. Identify the key attributes suggested by your data
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LAB ASSIGNMENT #2: Measuring means-end chains
Find two consumers who you can talk to separately for about 10 minutes each. Try to
find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted. You will be assigned one of the
following sports: men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s hockey, women’s
gymnastics. Use the laddering technique (see example) to probe the means-end chain for
the sport that is assigned to you.
Begin the interview by stating. . .
Assume that you would like to attend a
game. What factors do
you consider when you are deciding whether to
attend?
• Then ask
What two factors are most important for you in
making your decision?
• Then, for each of these two factors, do the
laddering
Why is
important to
you? Or, What does
give
you?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Continue the process for each factor until the
consumer cannot go on
Then, draw out the two means-end chains you
measured for each person
Discuss what you have learned about these
consumers’ product knowledge and what
implications your analysis could have for
developing marketing strategies
Finally, identify any problems that you had
with the measurement procedures.
Was this process easy or hard for the
consumers?
Why do you think so?
Write up your results.
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An example of a laddering interview
Researcher: You said that the lacing pattern in a
running shoe is important to you in
deciding what brand to buy. Why is
that?
Consumer: A staggered lacing pattern makes the
shoe fit more snugly on my foot.
[physical attribute and functional
consequence]
Researcher: Why is it important that the shoe fit
more snugly on your foot?
Consumer: Because it gives me better support
[functional consequence]
Researcher: Why is better support important to you?
Consumer: So I can run without worrying about
injuring my feet [psychosocial
consequence]
Researcher: Why is it important that you not worry
while running?
Consumer: So I can relax and enjoy the run
[psychosocial consequence]
Researcher: Why is it important that you can relax
and enjoy the run?
Consumer: Because it gets rid of tension I have built
up at work. [psychosocial consequence]
Researcher: Why is it important for you to get rid of
tension from work?
Consumer: So when I go back to work in the
afternoon, I can perform better [valuehigh performance]
Researcher: Why is it important that you perform
better?
Consumer: I feel better about myself. [value- selfesteem]
Researcher: Why is it important that you feel better
about yourself?
Consumer: It just is [the end]
LAB ASSIGNMENT #3: Attitude change strategies (to accompany chapter 5)
This project concerns marketing strategies designed to change consumers’ attitudes by
changing their salient beliefs. We have discussed four strategies--add new positive belief,
increase strength of existing positive belief, increase evaluation of strongly held belief, or
increase salience of existing positive belief.
• Do a 10-15 minute interview with someone about women’s basketball. Record and
write it up (see sample interview as an example of what you must do)
• Identify all the beliefs this individual has about women’s basketball
• Hand in a copy of your interview and analysis of beliefs
•
Now, find an ad related to women’s basketball that corresponds to one of these
attitude change strategies - it can be any ad.
•
Identify the target attitude (Is it A0 or Aact?). What is the focal attitude object (the
precise object or act)? What types of consumers are in the target audience for the
attitude change strategy?
•
Describe the attitude change strategy in detail. What are the intended effects of the ad
on the target belief(s) and the related means-end chains? How do these effects
influence the overall attitude?
•
For ads that attempt to change the ei of a belief show the means-end chain that would
produce the desired ei
•
Analyze and evaluate the attitude change strategy. Give your opinion as to the likely
effects of the strategy on consumers’ belief structures. Do you think the attitude
change strategy was/would be successful? Why?
•
Show the ad to five different people and write a summary of their reaction to the ad as
it relates to women’s basketball
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LAB ASSIGNMENT #4: Perceived risk in consumer decision making
This project deals with perceived risk--the perception of significant negative
consequences associated with a behavior such as a attending a sports event. This project
requires that you deal with perceived risk in terms of the major concepts such as negative
choice criteria, links to higher consequences via means-end chains, strategies for dealing
with consumers’ perceived risk.
Find someone you can talk to for about 15-20 minutes about their attendance at a
women’s basketball game (see the sample interview in your reading). Here’s a general
outline of the interview that you can follow and/or modify to suit yourself. Your goal is
to understand the negative meanings of perceived risk this person feels when attending a
women’s basketball game.
Elicit Decision Criteria:
“I’d like you to think about the times when you attend a sports event. What are the key
factors that you consider when deciding to attend an event?”
[Try to get a list of 4-10 decision criteria. Probe for more detail if necessary.]
“Sometimes people think about the positive aspects of attending a sports event — the
“good” things that will happen if they attend. In other cases, people think about the
negative aspects of attending — the unpleasant consequences of attending.”
[ Try to identify perceived risk criteria and write them down]
Are there any of these considerations [show person his/her list] that you think of in terms
of avoiding potentially negative consequences? What aspect (or level) of___________are
you trying to avoid?”
Discussion:
In a page or two, describe what you have learned about the risk perceptions of this
consumer. Also, discuss the implications of your research for developing marketing
strategies for women’s basketball.
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LAB ASSIGNMENT #5: Operant or classical conditioning and vicarious learning
(chapter 8)
•
Select a sports marketing strategy that is based on principles of classical or
instrumental conditioning or vicarious learning that is associated with attending a
sports event.
•
Describe the strategy in one or two pages. Also include an analysis of the key factors
that were operating in that situation to affect consumers’ behaviors.
•
Critically evaluate the marketing strategy and make suggestions for improvement.
LAB ASSIGNMENT #6: Promotions (Chapter 9)
http://www.majorleaguebaseball.com/u/baseball/mlbcom/headquarters/fanfest2000.htm
Go to this web site and study this promotion run by the Tigers. Now, find another
promotion for sports.
•
•
Describe the promotion in detail
How can managers judge the effectiveness of this promotion. You should describe
“effectiveness” in behavior terms—and refer to consumers’ affect and cognition
(increases in positive brand attitude, intentions).
•
•
Explain why or why not you would be influenced by this promotion
Find another person and try to determine how and why this promotion would
affect this other person
Write up your findings
•
LAB ASSIGNMENT #7: The marketing environment (Chapter 10)
This project is intended to give you experience in analyzing aspects of the marketing
environment.
• Describe the various components of the marketing environmuent for a sports
stadium or arena of your choice choice.
• Discuss the consumption environment in this overall marketing environment.
• Then, describe and evaluate the marketing strategies that are relevant to this
environment.
• Write up your analysis to be handed in for evaluation, or come to class
prepared to present your analysis to the class for discussion.
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LAB ASSIGNMENT #8: Cultural influences (Chapter 11)
This project is intended to demonstrate the importance of cultural factors for developing
sport marketing strategies.
•
Find examples of a sport marketing strategy that is targeted at important cultural
values in your society. These could be ads, but other marketing strategies (pricing
promotions) could be used too.
• Describe the strategy in detail and critically evaluate it.
•
Did the strategy adapt to the culture (or social class), ignore certain cultural
(or social class) differences, or try to change the culture (or social class). Do
you think the strategy wa effective? Why or why not?
LAB ASSIGNMENT #9: Reference group influences
This project is intended to give you experience in thinking about and analyzing reference
group influences.
• .Find an example of a sport marketing strategy that uses a reference group
appeal.
• Next, identify the target consumer.
• Then, identify the type of reference group influence that is involvedinformational, utilitarian, or value-expressive--and describe that influence in
detail.
• Then, critique and evaluate the strategy as to its likely effectiveness.
Write up your analysis in a page or two and hand it in and come prepared to discuss it in
class.
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