Although little research has yet been done, knowledge of personality and product image is
indispensable for marketers because customers tend to buy products that will reflect, enhance or even defend their personalities. In this way they attach a certain symbolic meaning to some
products resulting in what is referred to as the product image.
Knowledge of personality is also valuable in designing appropriate advertisements that will
appeal to groups with similar personalities For example, when creating an advertising
campaign, marketers should note that highly dogmatic customers who approach the unfamiliar
defensively and with considerable discomfort and uncertainty may be more willing to accept
new products if the products are presented in an authoritative manner (eg by an admired
celebrity. Inner-directed people (who use their own values and standards in evaluating
products) prefer advertisements that stress product features and personal benefits, while other- directed people (who tend to look to others to give direction to their actions) prefer
advertisements that feature a social environment of social acceptance. So other-directed
customers are easily influenced because of their natural inclination to go beyond the content of an advertisement and think in terms of likely social approval of a potential purchase.
The identification of personality variables that appear to be linked logically to product usage is likely to improve marketers' ability to segment markets and enable them to design specific products that will appeal to certain personality.
Self and Self-Concept Customers all have an image of themselves, known as their self-concept
which refers to the attitude a person holds toward him or herself. self-concept can be regarded
as the totality of the toughts and feelings of an individual about himself or herself. similarly as an individual has an attitude toward a motor vehicle or politics, the self is also a subject of evaluation an overall self-attitude is frequently positive, but not always there are certainly parts of the self that are evaluated more positively than others. For example, a man may feel better about himself as a company director than as a ladies’ man' The self-concept is a very complex structure compared to other attitudes. It is composed of many attributes. some of which are given greater emphasis in determining overall self-attitude.
Attributes of self-concept can be described in terms of their content (eg facial attractiveness
versus mental aptitude, a positive or negative attitude to self (ie selfesteem), intensity, stability over time and accuracy (ie, the degree to which ones self-assessment corresponds to reality).
-Customer'; self-assessments can be quite distorted, especially with regard to their physical
appearance
-One self or multiple selves? Historically individual customers have been thought to have a
single self-and to be interested in products and services that satisfy that single self. As more research is conducted in the field of customer behaviour, it has become apparent that it is more accurate to think of the customer in terms of a multiple self or multiple selves. The change in thinking reflects the understanding that a single customer is likely to act quite differently in different situations or when he is with different people. For example a person will behave differently at a rave club, at church fete, at work or with parents.
The Make-up of the self-image Despite the varying social roles that individuals play out, we
all have an image of ourselves as a certain kind of person with certain traits, habits, possession relationships and ways of behaving.
Each individual’s self-image is unique just as with our personalities, as result of background
and experience we develop our self-image through interactions with other people. These can be
friends, peer groups, colleagues at work and others.
Products and brands have symbolic value for us, and we evaluate them on the basis of their
consistency (ie. congruence) with our personal picture or image of ourselves. Some products
seem to match our self-image others seem totally alien. It is generally held that customers try to preserve or enhance their self image, and avoid products that do not.
A variety of selfimage constructs have been identified in the customer behaviour literature.
Customers have a number of enduring images of themselves, and these images or perceptions
of self are very closely associated with personality. In different contexts (ie in different
situations and/or with respect to different products, customers might select a different self-
image to guide their attitudes or behaviour. For instance with some everyday household
products customers might be guided by their actual self-image, whereas for some socially
enhancing or socially conspicuous products, they might be guided by their social self-image.
when it comes to a so-called fantasy product they might be guided by either their ideal self-
image or ideal social self-image. This is how a person actually perceives him or herself
Actual self This is how a person would like to perceive him or herself
-Ideal self: This is how a person thinks others perceive him or her
-Social self: This is how would like others to perceive him or her a person
-Ideal social self: This is an image of self between the actual and ideal self
-Situational self This is a person’s self-image in a specific situation
-Extended self: This is a person's self-concept that includes the impact of personal possessions on selfimage
-Possible selves: This is what a person would like to become, could become or is afraid of
becoming
-The Extended Self. The relationship between customers self-images and their possessions (ie
the objects they call their own) is an exciting topic for customer research specifically customers possessions can be seen to confirm or extend their self-images, eg acquiring a new sporty vehicle might serve to expand or enrich someone’s image or sense of self. The individual
might see themselves as being trendier, more attractive and more successful, because they have
added the vehicle to their inventory of self-enhancing possessions. Similarly, if the pen or
pocket knife someone has inherited from their grandfather is stolen or lost, they feel
diminished.
Altering the Self Customers constantly try to change themselves. To do this, they use a variety
of product such as clothing grooming aids and a range of accessories (eg. cosmetics, jewelley)
to modify their appearance and so alter their self-image. In using self-altering products
customers are trying to express their individualism or uniqueness by creating a new self,
maintaining the existing self or preventing the loss of self or extending the self (modifying or changing the self To this end, customers often use self-altering products or services to conform to or take on the appearance of a particular type of person such as a stockbroker, lawyer or teacher.
Altering one’s self particularly ones appearance or body parts can be done by cosmetics, hair
restyling or colouring switching from glasses to contact lenses (or the reverse or undergoing
cosmetic surgery. By using these options, it is possible to create a new or improved person
some people also use image consultants to achieve an appropriate and mutually agreed-upon
self-image. Image consultants provide clients with advice on such personal attributes as
clothing, colour presentation, appearance, posture speaking and media skills.
Titany answered the question on November 3, 2021 at 12:45