Marketing and Priming

As a marketing specialist I would use priming as a way to promote the company’s products. For example, if I wanted to promote game day items at a grocery store. I would put the many of the store brand items in a central location. I would have like nachos, dips, buns, and even set up an area for the cold items. As I know before a major game, customers especially men don’t want to run to the back to pick up items for the game. Another tactic I would use is salience, where I would have easy listening music played over the store radio. Then after every third or fourth song, I would have either a commercial or someone come over the intercom and advertise the store specials for that day.

The ethical principles that I’m going against in just highlighting the store brands, is that I’m taking away a customer’s right to choose, by just displaying the store’s products. The competitor’s may have different varieties than we do and it’s unfair to the customers as well as the other brands. In constantly interrupting what they listening to I’m not only being rude and annoying, but I’m being disrespectful and unfair as maybe they knew what they were coming in for, but because I bombarded them with the constant music break-ins, they purchased something really didn’t want or need.

When I go shopping, I specifically know what I’m going in there for. I will avoid the manager’s specials unless it was something I was planning on purchasing. I will, unless it’s late at night, go to the grocery store by myself as I will end up with ten or more items I didn’t want. As both my mom and fiancé if they hear or see a special deal they will pick it up, and expect me to pay for it. Even if I don’t like the item, it finds its way into my cart or basket. I also bring my mp3 and listen to it while I shop, as I have noise reducing headphones so I can avoid the ad interruptions. As long as I’m aware of my surroundings, I know I want for their advertising