MKTG 6060-Buyer Behavior. Week VIII Assignment Cultural and Group Influences on Consumption Rituals. Anthony Garver

Transcription

1 MKTG 6060-Buyer Behavior Week VIII Assignment Cultural and Group Influences on Consumption Rituals Anthony Garver

2 Section I & II. To understand consumption rituals for St. Patrick s Day we have to start at the very beginning with Saint Patrick himself. Saint Patrick is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. Born in Britain, he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave at the age of 16. He later escaped, but returned to Ireland and was credited with bringing Christianity to its people. In the centuries following Patrick's death (believed to have been on March 17, 461), the mythology surrounding his life became ever more ingrained in the Irish culture: Perhaps the most well-known legend is that he explained the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) using the three leaves of a native Irish clover, the shamrock. i Wearing of the Green - Wearing green is a staple of St. Patrick's Day, but the holiday was originally associated with the color blue. During the Irish Rebellion of 1798, an uprising against British rule in Ireland, Irish soldiers wore full green uniforms on March 17 to make a political statement. Legend has it that wearing green makes a person invisible to leprechauns that will pinch someone if they see them. ii The Parade - For about a thousand years, people in Ireland have been observing the Roman Catholic feast day of St. Patrick on March 17. The first parade held to honor St. Patrick's Day took place not in Ireland but in the United States. On March 17, 1762, Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as with fellow Irishmen serving in the English army. iii Page 2 of 10

3 Whisky - The custom of drinking alcohol on St. Patrick's Day known as Pota Phadraig or Patrick's Pot comes from an old Irish legend. As the story goes, St. Patrick was served a shot of whiskey that was very small. St. Patrick decided to teach a lesson of generosity to the innkeeper. He told the innkeeper that a devil who fed on the innkeeper's dishonesty was in his cellar. In order to banish the devil, the man must change his ways. When St. Patrick returned to the inn some time later, he found the owner generously filling the glasses. He returned to the cellar with the innkeeper and the devil was so emaciated from the landlord's generosity, that St. Patrick promptly banished it. The custom may also be called "drowning the shamrock" because it is customary to float a clover leaf in the whiskey or beer before drinking it." iv Understanding the history of St. Patrick s Day helps us identify several consumption rituals. The two most recognizable consumption behaviors are the participation in the annual parade, wearing green, and drinking alcohol. We will examine the consumption of alcohol for the purposes of this report. According to the National Retail Federation St. Patrick s Day Spending Survey conducted by BIGinsight, the average person will spend $35.27 on green attire, décor for their home and office, and festive food and drinks. Total spending is expected to grow to $4.7 billion. The survey found eight in 10 will celebrate by wearing green, hoping to avoid the traditional pinches that come to those who neglect to dress the part. An additional 23.3 percent will decorate their home or office, and 34.6 percent will make a special dinner. According to the survey 19.5 percent of consumers who plan to celebrate this year will attend a private party, and 27.4 percent will attend a party at a bar or restaurant. Young adults ages may be the age group planning the most celebrations (77.3%), but year olds will be the ones spending the most at an average of $41.68; close behind are adults who will spend an average of $ v According to a report by CNBC, St. Patrick s Day will bring in about $245 million beer sales. The Boston Beer Company, brewer of Samuel Adams, expects to see a 13 percent increase in beer sales the week of St. Patrick s Day. vi The data from above shows that there is significant consumer spending on items related to the holiday. Apparel, decorations, food, and alcohol are all among the items consumers purchase in celebrating St. Patrick s Day. Page 3 of 10

4 Section III. Observational Research Field Research Date: 3/16/ St. Patrick s Day Location: Fado Irish Pub Irish Snug Target King Soopers Ritual: St. Patrick s Day Celebration The rituals associated with celebrating St. Patrick s Day were observed in three locations between March 14 th and March 16 th, Observations were conducted at two local bars (Fado Irish Pub & Irish Snug) and the local grocery chain store (King Soopers). The purpose of the observation at the bars was to gain insight into the types of alcohol and food those customers consumed, the festivities (bands, games, etc.) that took place, and the individual dress of the patrons where they wearing green. The purpose of the observation at the grocery store was to identify the holiday specific food being purchased, i.e. corned beef and cabbage, candy and treats, etc. Participation & Behavior Fado Irish Pub - The observation took place at approximately 6pm and the patrons were in festive spirits. The vast majority of the bar customers were wearing green apparel. Some were wearing beads and hats that represented the holiday theme. There was a party atmosphere similar to a New Year s Eve celebration. There was live music by an Irish band, but no dancing. The venue was extremely loud and very crowded not an ideal choice for me personally. The primary behavior of the patrons was consumption of alcohol. Green beer was observed to be the primary drink of choice. Guinness or dark stout beer was also being consumed by many patrons. Customers consumed very little food during the observation. Many of the patrons had St. Patrick s Day themed party favors indicating purchasing with intent for this specific event. Page 4 of 10

5 Irish Snug - The observation took place at approximately 8pm and the patrons were in full party mode by this time. The Irish Snug is one of Denver s more authentic Irish pubs. They specialize in an Irish whisky and they have an exceptionally large selection of whisky behind the bar. The bar was extremely crowded. The patrons of this very Irish bar appeared to be drinking Guinness or stout beer primarily. Many of the patrons were consuming Irish Car Bombs, a combination of Guinness and Bailey s Irish Cream. At the time of the observation, many of the patrons were well on their way to having bad hangovers the next day. The bar was serving food and many of their customers were eating, but not in a traditional sit-down style; rather they were standing and eating. As found at Fado, many of the party goers had party favors and may were wearing green apparel. There was no band playing at the time of this observation. King Soopers - The observation took place on March 14 th, a few days prior to the actual holiday. King Soopers had two main areas dedicated to the St. Patrick s Day holiday: a small section in their seasonal isle that had themed items and candy, and a dedicated end-cap refrigerated cooler in their meat section which contained corned beef. Both sections had accompanying signage in a St. Patrick s Day theme. The observation of both sections occurred over a 30 minute period. During that time, very few people shopped either section. I did not witness anyone purchasing goods from either area, but I did observer approximately 6 individuals stop and inspect the corned beef section. My sense is the sale signage and price was the main driver of interest in the meat. Based on the observation, St. Patrick s Day is simply one more reason for socially inclined people to celebrate in excess. The consumption that takes place around this holiday, based on observation, is drinking related and it takes place primarily in bars as opposed to at home. I was aware of very few home parties, rather most took to their local neighborhood pub or favorite Irish bar. Party favors were extremely popular with those that I observed. Many were wearing green apparel. It appeared that the clothing wasn t new, but rather items from their existing clothing collections that happened to be green. The consumption of Irish food related to the holiday was minimal. The only significant food consumption that was witnessed occurred late-night at the Page 5 of 10

6 bar and my sense is this consumption was driven by convenience rather than by a desire to participate in the ritual surrounding the holiday. Section IV. Subject Interview Date: Interviewee: Location: Topic: 3/16/ St. Patrick s Day Chris Hadsall Fado Irish Pub Consumption Rituals during St. Patrick s Day What types of things do you like to do for St. Patrick s Day (SPD)? Drink beer, lots of beer. What else? Eat Irish food corned beef, hang out with friends, pub crawl, and drink beer. I see you re wearing green, how come? You wear green so you don t get pinched. And because everyone else is wearing it. Do you know why pinching is associated with St. Patrick s Day? I m not sure. Besides corned beef, what else do you eat? Cabbage. Will you stay here at Fado all night? No, we ll move from bar to bar. It s the best part of the day-the pub crawl component. Why is pub crawling so much fun? You get to see new people and drink different drinks. You can see some crazy stuff walking around on St. Patty s! Will you drink beer all night or switch it up [to alcohol]? Beer early, then Jameson s I like Irish whisky, but I can t drink it all night. Are you Irish? No, German and English. Do you think the holiday should only be for Irish people? No, everyone is Irish today! Did you buy your shirt specifically for today? No, I had it. But I did buy beads for today. Page 6 of 10

7 How may strings? I don t know, like a dozen. Why? To hand out Maybe it ll be like Mardi gras! How much did they cost? I think $3 or $4 dollars at Target. How much money will you spend on beer and booze tonight? Don t know, maybe a $100. Is that a lot for you versus normal nights? Laughs yes! But tonight is different, it s a big party! What about food, how much do you think you ll spend on that? Maybe $20 or $30. Is that different than usual? Yeah, because the food is more expensive and I ll be eating more late-night. Late-night? After the bar s close to soak up the alcohol. What else do you purchase in celebrating this holiday? Thinks for a minute. Gatorade for my hangover. Eggs and bacon for tomorrow morning. Do you drive? Tonight? No way! I ll be taking cabs. How much will you spend on cabs do you think? $30 to $50, but it s cheaper than a DUI! What symbols represent St. Patrick s Day to you? Leprechauns, green shirts, shamrocks, the Irish flag, Guinness beer, green beer, corned beef & cabbage, and kiss me I m Irish t-shirts Section V. Consumer Behaviors Consumer behaviors that are part of St. Patrick s Day include the following: Attending parades The history of St. Patrick s Day in the U.S. is based in the parades. First in New York, then Boston, Chicago, Savannah, and so on. Attending the parade begins the celebration of the holiday. Parade goers will typically consume food, trinkets, party favors, and apparel items like t-shirts. Page 7 of 10

8 Dressing in green As indicated earlier, the original color associated with the holiday was blue. But it is believed that shortly after the Irish revolution the color switched to green. It is also believed that green is taken from Ireland s flag. Either way, it is tradition in the U.S. to show your spirit during the holiday by wearing green. Lastly, if you don t wear green, you ll get a pinch. So to avoid the pinch, one wears green on St. Patty s Day. This ritual can drive apparel sales. Drinking As detailed above, the consumption of whisky is associated with Saint Patrick and the inn keeper. The tradition in the U.S. is more of a celebration based in drinking than the observance of the religious deity St. Patrick. The holiday in Ireland is more of a religious celebration. This ritual drives alcohol sales. Eating Irish fare Corned beef and cabbage, Irish stew, Irish soda bread, and cheesy scalloped potatoes are all considered foods associated with the holiday. Much like turkey at Thanksgiving, many celebrate the Irish holiday by eating the food of the founding country. This ritual drives the sale of Irish food items. The primary sub-cultural influence related to St. Patrick s Day is religion. Religion is the primary influence, although not in the U.S., but rather in Ireland. As referenced previously, the holiday in Ireland is primarily a religious holiday in observance of Saint Patrick. Saint Patrick is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. He is credited with using a three-leafed shamrock in explaining the holy trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) the basis of the Christian religion. Section VI. Ch. 2&3 Comparison Much like the Christmas holiday and the Thanksgiving holiday, celebration and consumption rituals have remained fairly constants over the years. The shifts in cultural values related to the St. Patrick s Day holiday have essentially remained constant in the U.S. over the 250 years since the first parade in New York City. The traditions of celebrating the holiday with a parade and with the consumption of alcohol (except during prohibition) have remained constant indicating that the environment-oriented values of Tradition/Change favor Tradition values as opposed to Change values. Tradition values can be defined as a desire to have little or no change, while a change orientation sees change or progress as good. People still wear green, they attend parades, and they consume alcohol in observance of the holiday. This hasn t materially changed in centuries. Page 8 of 10

9 The second set of values relate to the Self-Oriented Values of sensual gratification or abstinence. Sensual gratification is defined, in this context, as the acceptability to pamper oneself, to satisfy one's desires for food, drink, or sex beyond the minimum requirement. Abstinence implies the opposite. As these values relate to St. Patrick s Day, the excessive consumption of alcohol indicates for sensual gratification. Although not everyone imbibes to excess, the social acceptance of the activity has endured for hundreds of years which proves the acceptance for the excessive behavior. Section VII. Relevance of Nonverbal Communications Although the color green is associated with St. Patrick s Day, the originally color was blue. It is believed that shortly after the Irish revolution in 1798 the color switched to green. Green is also believed to represent the Emerald Isle and the lush green color of Ireland s landscape. Some speculate that in the Irish flag, orange represents King William the Orange and the Protestants while green represents St. Patrick and the Catholics. The juxtaposition of orange and green in the Irish flag represent the clash between the Catholics and Protestants. vii Shamrocks are also associated with the holiday. The three leafed clover was used by Saint Patrick to explain the Holy Trinity to the Irish people and consequently the shamrock has been associated with the holiday and its Christian roots. Lastly, what s a discussion of the Irish holiday without a mention of Leprechauns? According to St. Patrick's Day: Parades, Shamrocks, and Leprechauns by Elaine Landau, the legend is that the fairies pay the leprechauns for their work with golden coins, which the "little people" collect in large pots--the famous "pot of gold" often associated with leprechauns. If you listen closely for the sound of their hammer you might be able to capture one. If you do you can force him to reveal where he's hidden his treasure. viii Section VIII. How this Helps Marketers The above research will be helpful to marketers in identifying several areas of opportunity to merchandise goods that related to the holiday, i.e. anything green, apparel, food, alcohol, tourism, and restaurants & bars. Marketers will further benefit from the knowledge or insights into why consumers behave in certain ways; why they were green or why they flock to the local Page 9 of 10

10 pub on this holiday. Marketers benefit from knowing that the traditions associated with this holiday have remained, basically, constant or unchanged for a very long time. People celebrate this holiday, in the U.S., by attending parades, going to bars, and by consuming Irish food. The primary influencers on the ritual of celebrating St. Patrick s Day, based on my observation, are social acceptance in joining the crowd by drinking, eating Irish food and wearing green. The age old association between green and St. Patrick s Day plays a huge part in celebrating the holiday - avoiding the pinch drives sales of green colored apparel. When evaluating behavior in relation to Rokeach values, social recognition, happiness, and pleasure are revealed from our interview of Chris Hadsall and in observation of the holiday events. If we examine the Consumer Decision Process as it relates to St. Patrick s Day, we could build the following diagram to explain consumer behavior: Problem Recognition Information Search Alternative Evaluation Purchase Decision Post Purchase Evaluation I'm not Irish, but I want to enjoy St. Patrick's Day What is it that will help me fit it? What are others doing? Do I need to be Irish? Wearing something green vs. something normal Going to a local Irish pub vs. any bar Drinking green beer vs. normal beer I'll buy a green t- shirt I'll go to Fado Irish Pub I'll drink green beer and eat corned beef at the bar I had fun celebrating with the crowd My head hurts today! Marketers can find the Leprechaun s gold by focusing on the consumers desire to fit the norm of the holiday they want to wear green, drink green beer and be Irish for a day. Marketers should target the consumer s need to be accepted and need to feel Irish for a day by bringing products to market that satisfy these latent desires. i ii iii ibid iv v vi vii viii Page 10 of 10