Understanding Schema’s Influence On Marketing
Did you know that thanks to a wide range of schema’s that the exact same visual ad can be interpreted in different ways? That is why it is imperative that a marketer must be aware of schema’s and the influence that they have on consumers. It is also important to note that schema’s just don’t exist in the realm of marketing. The influence of schema’s on human behavior has roots in other areas of study such as Gestalt Psychology, cultural anthropology and sociology.
What are schemas? They are an organized collection of beliefs and feelings that a person has. They are formed as people experience life and then group those life experiences together to form opinions. An example would be the “trust no one over 30” schema that was widely held by baby boomers prior to they themselves turning 30.
Why are understanding schema’s important in marketing? It is a persons schema that makes it possible for two people to look at the exact same ad and respond to it in different ways. Just as schema’s can differ between individuals they can also be shared especially if those people were born in the same time period like our baby boomer example.
How can marketers better understand schema’s? Marketers can better understand schemas by studying generations. This is the case because many of the life experiences people have are a result of the major events that have happened to everyone in a society. For example think about life in the United States before September 11th and life now. That one pivotal event forever changed the way people thought and behaved.
When do marketers consider the influence of schema’s on their work? If they are any good, marketers will incorporate their knowledge of schema’s in all that they do. Knowledge of a target market’s schema will influence everything from the language used in the marketing message to the method used to distribute the product. For example a savvy marketer would understand that referencing the phrase “blind pig” in their marketing message would mean one thing to an 89 year old and quite another thing to a 21 year old. They would also understand that children of the 1990’s would be much more comfortable ordering a product online than a child of the 1940’s.
In conclusion, understanding schemas and their influence is pivotal to marketers as well as a whole host of other disciplines. Schemas are an important variable in marketing because they affect everything from how consumers will react to your ad to whether or not they would even be interested in your product or service in the first place. For more information on this topic or other business related issues consult your local marketing professional.