s a role at every stage of the buying-decision process. (Layton, 2000:156)Marketers use classical conditioning as a means of communicating their products through consumers learning. ‘Classical conditioning is the process of using an established relationship between a stimulus and response to bring about the learning of the same response to a different stimulus’ (Neat et al, 2000)McDonalds and Burger King have been using classical conditioning effectively through their use of advertising and promotion. Burger King’s latest attempt to make use of classical conditioning in advertising involves teen phenomenon ‘Backstreet Boys’ (Ebenkamp, 2000:34) In doing this Burger King anticipate that when consumers hear their popular music (unconditioned stimulus) it would elicit a positive emotion (unconditioned response), which would associate Burger King (conditioned stimulus) with them, eventually the brand itself will come to elicit the same positive emotion (conditioned response).5.3External Influences5.3.1Consumer LifestyleLifestyle, a major factor influencing consumer decision-making process, can be defined simply as how the individual lives. Lifestyle is a function of inherent individual characteristics that have been shaped through social interaction as the individual moves through his or her life cycle. (Neal et al, 2000)An understanding of lifestyles is valuable to marketers for the reason that, as consumer lifestyle changes so do their needs for different products and services. Marketers need to monitor both the changes occurring in the lifestyles of the population generally, and the changes in their target markets. ‘Not only will they then be able to identify new product or service opportunities that cater for these changes, but they will also be able to refine their communications strategy in order to focus on the benefits that consumer are looking for to improve their current way of life’ (N...
