Sample Answers
Blog
Guest book

1. According to Why We Buy, what happened when Burger King tried to add a salad bar to its restaurants, and how is this explained by the notion of the transition zone?

2. A manufacturer of pink lemonade is concerned that some males are secretly embarrassed to drink their products since they fear that others will consider them too “sissy” for favoring this color drink.  Which research method would you recommend to assess this question?  Why?

3. According to the Why We Buy, what is “chevroning,” how does it work, why would a store want to consider it, and what is the main tradeoff? 

4. Please discuss the diffusion of hybrid corn among American farmers, emphasizing the issue of “trialability.”

5. According to Why We Buy, how have women and men been found to differ in their use of technology?  What are some marketing implications? 

6.   Please discuss the relevance of the distinction between habit and brand loyalty for Maxwell House coffee.

7. The increase in demand for U.C. Rappour’s records after her recent induction into the Rap 'n' Roll Hall of Fame has left U.C. scrambling to fill her marketing staffing needs, with the shortage only expected to get worse as U.C.’s recording empire grows even further.  U.C. is therefore petitioning the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management to add a minor in rap marketing to the curriculum.  However, the Dean, a country music enthusiast, has been overheard on the CB radio (while driving his pickup truck) saying that rap music “lacks artistic merit” since it fails to address important cultural issues such as motherhood, drinking, pickup trucks, trains, and marital infidelity.  Further, the Dean believes that few rap singers have an adequate Southern accent.  U.C.’s research staff has uncovered strong evidence of the following facts:

   1.         Many rap singers in fact do address the issues in question.

   2.         Most consumers do not appear to be interested in the above themes anyway.

   3.         Rap music is extremely profitable.

   4.         Redneck R sings with a strong Southern accent.

   Since U.C. will only have a few moments  to speak at the upcoming Alumni Advisory Board meeting, she will only have time to cover one of the above points.  Given your knowledge of attitudes, which one would you recommend?  Please discuss, within the context of attitude concepts, what the plan behind that strategy should be.  (Although other people will be present, it is widely understood that the Dean will make the final decision and will not take much input from other members of the board into consideration).

8. What is the “open sell” concept of cosmetics, and what are its implications?

9. What was done to the $3 T-shirt manufactured in Sri Lanka?

10. The Grand Ole Opry, a world renowned entertainment site for country music, would like to use classical conditioning to get people to feel more positively toward country music.  Please discuss how this can be done.