Myths and Rituals

Consumer Behavior MKTG 6150Chloé Agniel & Charlotte CartierSeptember 26th, 2013

Introduction

• Importance of culture on consumer behavior

• Myths and Rituals are cultural elements

• How myths and rituals influence postmodern consumer behavior and how the brands use them in their business strategy?

What is a myth ?• Story with symbolic elements that represent the shared

emotions and ideals of a culture

• All cultures have their myths : legends, religions, creation of world, Greek and Roman mythology…

• Passed by oral communication (Word of Mouth)

Sources : http://k3hamilton.com/cb/cb16.html

What is a myth ?• Good VS Evil• Teach a moral lesson: showing people how to behave• Enable people to understand their world

• The functions are:

The metaphysical (religious) Sociological (maintenance of the established order) Cosmological (image of the universe) Psychological (key points in our lives).

Sources : http://www.folkstory.com/campbell/scholars_life.html

What modern myths do you know ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqgs1T6GUjs

Myths and consumer behaviour

• Myths influence consumer behavior (in movies, advertising…)

Part of culture and identity

• Consumers look for stories, they need experiences and some magic in their life

Storytelling article in Adweek. Story more important that contenthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_eRxYHCvPg

Sources : Blog http://raphaellelaubie.com Branding Strategy : How to create a word of mouthhttp://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/why-agencies-and-brands-need-embrace-true-storytelling-152534

• Brands use myths and symbols in advertising campaigns (Adam and Eve, Remus and Romulus…)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FezVhVz_xI Doritos

• Brands use mythical characters (gods, angels…)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPkyPdubqDs Nike Just Do It

How brands use myths

Example : End of the world 2012

Example : End of the world 2012

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_hnZgEjJD4

End of the World Noah’s Ark

Brands create myths to share experiences with their consumers and to make their product sacred.

• Apple and Steve Jobs became a myth

• Coca Cola and the secret recipe

Article in Branding Magazinehttp://www.brandingmagazine.com/2011/12/09/coca-cola-secret-recipe-revealed/

How brands create myths

• Risk of disappointmentExample of the eternal youth

• Sometimes, a gap between myth and realityExample of Nike

Limits to the use of myths

What is a ritual ?

• “The term ritual refers to a type of expressive, symbolic activity constructed of multiple behaviors that occur in a fixed, episodic sequence and that tend to be repeated over time “

Source : The Ritual Dimension of Consumer Behavior D.W Rook

What is a ritual ?• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABj8G5FuxSQ

Source : http://raphaellelaubie.com/2011/05/17/branding-strategy-how-to-create-word-of-mouth-25/

Typology of ritual experience

Source : The Ritual Dimension of Consumer Behavior D.W Rook

Primary behaviorsource

Ritual type Examples

CosmologyReligious

MagicAesthetic

Baptism, meditation, mass « Healing », gambling

Performing arts

Cultural valuesRites of passageCultural

Graduation, marriage

Festivals, Valentine’s Day, Super Bowl, Ground Hog Day

Group learning

CivicSmall group

Family

Memorial Day parade, elections, trialsPanacake Day, fraternity initiation, business

negotiations, office luncheonsMealtime, bedtime, birthday and holiday

celebrations

Individual aims and emotions Personal Grooming, household rituals

Biology Animal Greeting, mating

What rituals do you have ?

Different types of rituals

• Gift-giving rituals

• Grooming rituals

• Holiday rituals

• Rites of passage

Source : Interpretive Consumer Research, McCracken 1988

Gift-giving rituals• The ritual of exchange is characterized by the choice and the

offering of an object (present) by an individual and its acceptance by another one.

• 3 different phases : • Gestation • Presentation • Reformulation

• Gift giving is a form of:• Economic exchange• Symbolic exchange• Social expression

• Every culture prescribes certain occasions and ceremonies for giving gifts

Source : Contemporary Consumption Rituals, Sherry 1983

Grooming rituals

• All consumers have private grooming rituals

• Sequences of behaviors whose aim is to transition from private to public self (or back again)

• Work/leisure personal rituals

• Beauty rituals reflect transformation from natural state to social world

Before and after phenomenon

Holiday rituals• Most holidays are based on a

myth with a character at center of story

• Ritual artifacts and scripts

• Businesses invent new occasions to capitalize on need for cards/ritual artifacts

• Retailers elevate minor holidays to major ones to provide merchandising opportunities

Rites of passage

• Special times marked by a change in social status

• Three phases:• Separation • Liminality • Aggregation

• Practices vary across cultures but are rich in symbolic value

What brands do you associate with this particular ritual ?

Rituals Brands

Having a shower ?

Morning coffee ?

Brushing your teeth ?

Valentine’s day ?

Easter ?

Drinking beers with friends ?

Family time ?

Brands Rituals

?

?

?

Rituals and brands

• Ritual artifacts

• Expand the way the public receives their product

• Attachment to the brand

Examples

• McDonald’s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivxP-UujQak

• Shumenskohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYc6EdN51HI

Sacred and profane consumption

• Sacred consumption: involves objects and events that are set apart from normal activities and are treated with respect.

• Profane consumption :describes objects and events that are ordinary and everyday. They are not special like the sacred objects.

Eg : wedding dress VS dress for work

Source : http://k3hamilton.com/cb/cb16.html

Domains of sacred consumption• Sacred places:

• Religious/mystical and country heritage • Theme parks • Home

• Sacred people• Celebrities• Royalty

• Sacred events• Public events • Sports • Tourism

• Souvenirs • Local products, postcards, representations of the site

Desacralization• Desacralization: when a sacred

item/symbol is removed from its special place or is duplicated in mass quantities.• Souvenir reproductions

• Religion has somewhat become desacralized• Fashion jewelry• Christmas as secular, materialistic

occasions

Limits to the use of rituals• Rituals have life cycle, they decline and gain in popularity :

need for companies to adapt to new trends

• Difficulty for new entrants

• Important to take into account the notion of culture• Nutella• Pastis Ricard

Conclusion

• Myths and rituals : good opportunity for marketers

• The understanding of the cultural dimension of myths and rituals is crucial

• Creating a bond with brands using myths and rituals results in brand loyalty

Questions ?

• Joseph Campbell, the four functions of mythhttp://www.folkstory.com/campbell/scholars_life.html • Branding strategy : How to create a word of mouth ?http://raphaellelaubie.com/2011/05/17/branding-strategy-how-to-create-word-of-mouth-25/ • Why Agencies and Brands Need to Embrace True Storytellinghttp://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/why-agencies-and-brands-need-embrace-true-storytelling-152534

• Coca-Cola secret recipe revealed ? http://www.brandingmagazine.com/2011/12/09/coca-cola-secret-recipe-revealed/

Sources

Sources• The Ritual Dimension of Consumer Behavior, D W Rook :https://www2.bc.edu/~woodsiar/CB%20Chap%201%20Rook%20Ritual%20Dimensions%20.pdf

• Cultural influences on consumer behavior : http://k3hamilton.com/cb/cb16.html

• An integrative framework for cross-cultural behavior : http://iba8010kelly.alliant.wikispaces.net/file/view/Culture+and+Innovation+-+An+integrative+framework+for+cross-cultural+consumer+behavior.pdf