Terrorism Essays (702 words) - Terrorism, Violence, Crime

Terrorism Terrorism Why do people resort to such violent acts as bombing, assassinations, and hi-jacking? How do individuals and organizations justify these acts of terror. These acts can be described as terrorist actions. Terrorism is an growing international problem. During the last twenty years, new terrorist groups have sprung up al lover the world. Governments have had little success in their attempts to resolve issues in which terrorism is used. A major problem in discussing terrorism is establishing a generally accepted definition. Terrorism can be described as the unlawful use of fear or force to achieve certain political, economical, or social aims. Because it is so hard to define, organizations like the United Nations have had great difficulty drawing up policies against terrorism. Terrorist actions may be committed by a single individual, a certain group, or even governments. Most terrorists, unlike criminals, claim to be dedicated to higher causes, and do not believe in personal gain. The methods used in terrorism include threats, bombings, the destruction of property, kidnapping, the taking of hostages, executions, and assassinations. There are many reasons why political groups attempt to bring about radical change through terrorism. People are often frustrated with their position in society. They may in some way feel persecuted or oppressed because or their race, religion, or they feel exploited by a government. Any group that uses terrorist actions have very complex and powerful reasons to engage in those activities. The use of terror to achieve goals is not a new idea in history. One early terrorist group, the assassins, flourished in the 12th and 13th centuries. The assassins used murder to dispose of their enemies, and their name has come to be used for one who kills for political or religious reasons. Government terrorism dates at least from immediately after the French Revolution, in 1789. During this period, known as the "Reign of Terror," the French Revolutionary executed thousands of its citizens who were considered enemies of its rule. Acts of terrorism have been committed by individuals, or groups who seek national independence. One such act was the assassination of the Arch Duke of France in 1914. The assassination had sought to win Bosnia form Austrian rule, but failed and led to the outbreak of World War I. Kings and government officials are often the targets of terrorism. Czar Alexander of Russia was assassinated in 1881 by members of a terrorist group that wanted to overthrow the government. Other famous people who were assassinated because of their beliefs were Martin Luther King Jr., and Pope John Paul II, who was shot, but survived. While many groups have engaged in terrorism throughout history, the Anarchist political groups in the 19th century are most remembered. These groups were especially strong in Italy, France, Spain, and the United Sates, but their roots lie within the Russian peoples will movement. Anarchists believe that by nature people are good, and that in the right circumstances people can leave in peace. They oppose all centralized state and think it is an oppressive force that prevents people from cooperating with one another. Modern Terrorism retains some elements of terrorism in the past. At the same time it differs because it has a wider extent in many of its methods. Today, terrorism poses a threat to innocent people, and is a serious threat to democratic fomrs of government. One of the characteristics of modern terrorists is their practice of taking hostages in order to force their demands upon a particular government. If demands are not met, the hostages face the threat of death. Hi-jacking commercial airlines and holding their passengers and crews hostage has become a favored method among terrorist today. Many people believe that terrorism became global in its extent in the late 1960's. In 1970 over 300 acts of terrorism were recorded worldwide. By 1979the number of terrorist incidents for one year increased to 3,700. Politically unstable countries offer frequent opportunities for terrorism. Lebanon, which has been torn by years of Civil War, has been the sight of numerous terrorist attacks. In addition to terrorist groups, governments today also engage in terrorism. Countries sometimes use terrorism as a substitute for traditional warfare by providing money, training, and weapons to terrorist groups whose activities serve their national aims. Governments may also plan and carry out terrorist actions themselves, although they usually deny responsibility for them. It is unlikely that we will ever see and end to terrorism. Terrorists are not born, but created as todays issues of today develop into the conflicts of tommorow.

Free Essays on The Man

Free Essays on The Man Thou hast learned to love a manly man, Your love is stronger than the raging wind. You don’t think your love can stand; it can. When troubles come just remember to mend. Your man is strong and devout as can be; He comes from afar and knows the land. He will never ever cease to displease thee, Look in your corner the post is manned. Your think you are number one in his life, Don’t be disappointed because you are. He’ll be with you in trouble and strife, Where ever you are he will not be far. Remember this man was very hard to find, Whatever you do keep him on your mind....

Week 1 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 1 - Coursework Example Most of these eligibility cases rise because of immigration status, citizenship and income. Only the immigrants legally in the country can buy the health insurance through the exchanges, these include the refugees, people on workers and the student’s visas, and the immigrants with green cards (Goodnough, 2014, p.13). The article provides a national perspective as its focus the immigrants in the United States and their failure to provide legal documents. The article states that the issue about eligibility is mainly in Florida and Texas that happen to have the largest number of immigrants. The information in the article affects many people living in the United States as it slows down the process of acquiring the health insurance. The immigrants face a greater problem as according to the administration most of these cases arise from the provision of wrong information by the immigrants. By 5th September, the immigrants should submit their documents failure to which they will lose the health care insurance. The provision of fraudulent information and the carelessness of the administration results to the cases of eligibility, these in turn affects all the citizens of the United States in the process of acquiring the health insurance. The article provides solutions for the immigrants to avoid losing their health insurance; these include the provision of immigration and citizenship documents by the immigrants. All immigrants in the country should provide the required legit information in order to avoid losing their health insurance (Goodnough, 2014,

Gender in Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Gender in Organizations - Essay Example As a result, women remain different from men in that they put in more time and effort at the workplace and do more unpaid housework than their male partners. This is the main point raised by Ilene Philipson (2002) and David Schweingruber (2007), whose papers were selected as the two centerpieces of research for this essay because they capture the essence of the topic we want to discuss: that is, gender equality as it unfolds at work and at home today remains meaningless for the most part because of what both Philipson and Schweingruber call the "second shift," with Phillipson adding another factor called "familism." The first part of the main body discusses the dynamics of these two factors as to how they effectively distort the meaning of gender equality in the workplace. To illustrate the point, the last part of the essay's body looks into an actual case study of a married woman doing second shift work, tying this up to conditions in New Zealand, which is currently headed by a woma n president and where the women's movement is going great guns. ... Second Shift & Familism The dramatic increase in the labor force participation of women gave rise to the perception that we have finally entered an era that puts men and women on equal footing and makes no distinction between their sex and interests (Philipson, 2002). Women now hold jobs previously confined to men, such that there are now women police and soldiers, pilots, miners and even steel mill workers. Research since the 1960s shows that women's time spent on housework has been cut by nearly half while men doubled their time (Mickelson, et al., 2006). However, a closer look reveals that married women continue to suffer from gender inequality in the amount of work they do both at the workplace and at the house. In households with two wage earners, the women who enter the labor force continue to do more housework than men (Schweingruber, 2007). Women suffer from the same disadvantage at their paid job outside the home largely because of the mothering instinct that they bring to the workplace and creates special problems for their claim to gender equality (Fletcher, 2002). Even as a wage gap between working women and men persists, there is also a "leisure gap" between them at home (Bartley, et al., 2005). This crack in the otherwise greatly improved gender relations is traced to the "second shift" phenomenon, which is described by Philipson (2002) as the two work shifts of women: their unpaid job at home and paid job outside. Schweingruber (2007) defines the condition in more or less the same terms, relating it to the load of housework that married women perform on top of their shift of work outside the home. An important aspect of the second shift phenomenon is the way women develop an emotional attachment to their jobs and

Quality of Care in a Rural Population Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Quality of Care in a Rural Population - Essay Example Rural adults, according to research, state five times more often than urban adults to feel fair or poor about their health status. Most of these rural residents prefer to get their care locally and may not get specialty care because of their reluctance to go elsewhere (Pierce, Foley, Clark, 2006). There are also many other cited barriers to care. Those include lack of financial resources, distance to care, lack of transportation, and a shortage of healthcare professionals that varies by profession, region, and state (Merwin, et.al. 2006). Rates of those healthcare professionals continue to decline in rural areas. There is also difficulty getting appropriate supplies and provides problems for services like home health care and meals on wheels. There are many strategies that have been contemplated for use in improving this rural healthcare problem. It is much more studied now than in the past, with the information given in the Healthy People 2010 study. In the rural communities in Oregon, there is an effort to solve this problem. There are several very rural hospitals in Oregon which are Critical Access Hospitals.

Effects of Colour Packaging on Consumer Behaviour

Effects of Colour Packaging on Consumer Behaviour Abstract: When determining possible colour options for a new product, packaging professionals must keep the consumer in mind. First, they determine what type of message the product should give. Based on the message, a colour scheme that represents this message is chosen. This is why basic research is necessary, whether its from previous case studies of similar products or from focus groups. Finally, packaging professionals must create an â€Å"attention† to the product, making it easily noticeable to the consumer. By following these basic steps, the package could be considerably successful. It may also instil a certain image or message into the consumers mind that keeps them loyal for many years This paper aims at investigating the effect of packaging design of the soft drinks industry, specifically colour, on consumer behaviour. Most buyers make the decision of purchasing because of the packaging, which is often considered as the  «silent salesman ». Now that more and more businesses understand the role of packaging to act upon consumers, it is crucial for packaging to be studied as an influence on consumer behaviour. In todays consumption society, consumers are faced with a large choice of product choices and in this way, the packaging plays important roles as it is a source of information. Primary and Secondary data that has been collected for this research signals that consumers are affected by colours in their purchases From our research, we concluded that Blue and Red packaging were much more popular than the other colours. Moreover, yellow packaging was the least popular. Results show that the colours of packaging have a large impact on consumers and therefore on sales and profits. Chapter One: Introduction 1) Background The central point in todays marketing is to fully please consumers needs and prosperity. The major point in marketing planning is always consumer. The firms and markets have massively developed and the competitive environment is becoming more and more concentrated The market today is packed with so many different brands, which make it difficult for consumers to arrive at the final buying choice. At the same time companies also face complications in attracting consumers A brand visual appearance is very crucial to consumers especially in todays visual-obsessed society, where consumers have more choice and less time than ever before. This is why, it has never been more important for marketers to invest in the design and look of their product or logo. When shopping, consumers are confronted with too much choice and the packaging and colour play an important role into this choice. Colour plays a crucial part of business and marketing at both strategic and tactical level and organisations will pay colossal amounts of money to build and improve, so that colours thought of appropriate will be associated with both the company and its variety of products. It can be so successful that in some cases a colour will be immediately related to the organisation on question. Every major organisation will are developing and designing corporate colours that reproduce the values and products of the organisation in consumers minds. In this way it will be hoped that the use of colours will help the customer instantaneously recognise the organisation and perceive it as being competent, contemporary and truthful. Packaging is very important and a colossal amount of time and money is spent on consumer packaging colour design, trying to get colour combinations that exceed expectations. â€Å"Computer technology has helped a great deal in all areas of product research as 3D images can be portrayed and colours and shapes manipulated on the screen to ascertain a respondents reactions. Such is power of colour that it would be extremely hard for us to imagine such well-known products in a different colour, such as green Mars bar, a blue Kit-Kat, a yellow Coca-Cola, a pink Heinz baked bean tin and black Kelloggs cornflake packets.†(Ray Wright 2006) It has been estimated that packaging design plays a major role because it is often the only factor that can differentiate between two products (Buxton 2000; Rettie and Brewer 2000). Actually, we can even go further and say that packaging is now being seen a new form of advertising (Furness 2003, The Silent Salesman) 2) Rational for chosen topic: This study is selected to find out the factors which affect consumer decision while purchasing or selecting a certain colour packaged product. This research will explore the Technological, Cultural, Social, Personal and psychological factors have a big role in consumer buying decision and also how a packaging design and colour will affect and impact on buying decisions of consumers. 3) Statement of the nature of the problem Because Colours and shapes express about 80% of all visual communication (LaCroix 1998), consumers are getting used to employing colour as a means of amassing information. Thus, colour plays an important part in marketing and advertising and especially in packaging. Researchers have spent more than four decades studying the attitude of consumers in the marketplace (Petty, Cacioppo and Shuman 1983). This area is now called and known as consumer behaviour. Consumer behaviour involves the thoughts and feelings people experience paired off with the actions performed during the shopping process (Peter and Olson 1999). When a choice has to be made, a consumer may use the information of size, texture, shape, price, or ingredients to make the decision of which product to purchase especially when setting quality. Thus, it is interesting to investigate the effect of colours used in packaging on consumer behaviour. 2.1The Psychology of Consumer behaviour The study of consumers help firms and organisations improve their marketing strategies by understanding their behaviour. One official definition of consumer behaviour is: â€Å"the study of individuals, groups or organisations and the processes they use to select, secure, use, and dispose of products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society†. (Hawkins, Best, and Coney, 2001, p7.) Each organisation provides some products that are used by some consumers, even though we may not always recognise the products or consumers as such. 2.2 Factors taken into account when packaging a product Packaging is used to protect the product from damage during shipping and handling, and to lessen spoilage if the protection is exposed to air or other elements. The design is used to attract customers attention as they are shopping or glancing through a catalogue or website. This is particularly important for customers who are not familiar with the product and in situations where a product must stand out among thousands of other products. Packaging designs that standout are more likely to be remembered on future shipping trips. Packaging design and structure can also add value to a product. For instance, benefits can be obtained from package structures that make the product easier to use while stylistic designs can make the product more fascinating to display in the customers home. Decisions made about packaging must not only be accepted by the final customer, they may also have to be accepted by distributors who sell the product for the supplier. For example, a retailer may not accept packages unless they conform to requirements they have for storing products on their shelves. Companies usually create a package for a lifetime. As a matter of fact , changing a products packaging too frequently can have negative effects since customers become conditioned to locate the product based on its package and may be confused if the design is modified. Marketers have long used the colour and design of their product packaging to produce brand awareness. Traditionally, changes to a products look have been undertaken as little as possible as to preserve that hard won brand recognition. Today, rather than sticking with one colour scheme, companies must constantly update their image to keep them as fresh and exciting as the competitions. Packaging decisions must also include an assessment of its environmental impact especially for products with packages that are frequently thrown away. Packages that are not easily bio-degradable could evoke customer and possibly governmental concern. Also, caution must be exercised in order to create packages that do not break on intellectual property, such as copyrights, trademarks or patents, held by others. (Richardson 1994). Recent research by the Henley Centre (Frontiers, 1996) estimates that 73 percent of purchase decisions are made in the store; the design of packaging must play a key role at point of sale. â€Å"The pack design is the salesman on the shelf (Pilditch, 1972)†, â€Å" it should ensure that a brand stands out, is recognised, and is included in the products under consideration† (Connolly and Davison, 1996). Good business is often about finding out consumer trends and forming a strategy that targets growth in key technologies and market segments to capitalize on these trends. As packagers and package printers, they need to be in tune with trends and changes in shopping habits in order to remain successful. 2.3 Role of colour in marketing Research supports the importance of a brands visual appearance to consumers. One study by the Institute for Colour Research revealed that people make a subconscious judgement about an item within 90 seconds of first viewing, and that up to 90% of that assessment is based on colour. Another of their study study reveals that colour increases brand recognition by up to 80%. Colour clearly plays an important part in catching the modern-day consumers eye. According to the Henley Centre, 73% of purchasing decisions are now made in store. Consequently, catching the shoppers eye and delivering information efficiently are critical to successful sales. In todays world of infinite choices no brand can afford to ignore the impact of colour. More importantly, why would anyone want to give that potential advantage away to competitors? Colours send a variety of signals about the person, place or thing they adorn. Using this link between human emotion and colour to sell a product is certainly nothing new. 3) Objectives The objective of this research is to investigate if the colours that are used in packaging do influence our (consumers) behaviour. Understanding the effect packaging colour has on consumer decision- making would be as an introductory mean of investigating packaging design as the new advertising. The study also examines how different colours influence consumer decision making, and ultimately, the consumers intent to purchase. It focuses on packaging design from a communication aspect, not an engineering one. We examine how packaging influences buying decisions for packaged soft drinks products. As we know, the package impacts the consumer. This is because of conflicting trends in consumer decision-making. On one hand, some consumers are paying more attracted to label information (Coulson, 2000). These consumers are more concerned in the product decision and use package information more extensively. On the other hand, modern consumers are often looking for ways to reduce time spent on soft drinks shopping. This can influence decision processes, too, as time pressure reduces detailed consideration of package elements ( Warde, 1999). While these are important issues, and becoming even more critical in the increasing competitive environment, there is little comprehensive study on how packaging elements influence brand choice under involvement and time pressure. This paper aims at forming a better understanding of the link between colours used in packaging and consumer purchase behaviour within the soft drinks industry. 4) Relevance and significance of the subject Until recently, the importance of colour as a brand identity wasnt as recognised. It is nowadays clear that colour can play a very large part of any organizations success. This pushes us into asking ourselves the following questions: Ø How does colour affect us? Ø Which colours have an impact on us? Ø Do organisations carefully choose what colours to use when packaging a product? 5) Structure and content The next chapter will be a literature review that will study: 1) A review of consumer behaviour and especially what mostly affects consumer decisions 2) The effect of packaging design and especially colour on consumer decision making and consumer purchase intent. 3) A review of the literature regarding colour, colour association and colour practices. The third chapter will examine the soft drinks industry nowadays in the UK and worldwide. The fourth chapter will be an explanation of the different methods used to practice a research. It will also outline the method used into this particular research question The fifth chapter, Research questions and methodology, outlines the research questions and the methodology of this study. This chapter presents an in-depth look at the research questions. It explains the survey questions used for qualitative data findings. It provides the results and a discussion of the results. The sixth chapter will be a conclusion which restates the goal of this research and provides a summary of the research. This chapter contains limitations of the study, suggestions for future research and reflection on the study for future replication, and how this study adds to the body of knowledge regarding the influence of packagings colour on the consumer decision making process. Chapter 2: Review of the Literature. 1) Consumer behaviour Shoppers in the United States spend about $6.5 billion on consumer goods (Peter and Olson 1999). A companys continued success is associated with a successful relationship with the consumer. Finding out as much information as possible on consumer shopping choices and behaviour provides companies the tools to produce goods and services to strengthen their relationship with the consumer. In other words, companies have discovered that information obtained from customer databases and in-store observations have proved worthy in regard to earning consumers repeat purchases or business. 1.1) What is consumer behaviour? The phrase â€Å"consumer behaviour â€Å"refers to the feelings and thoughts people experience, and the actions they take while engaging in the consumption process† (Peter and Olson 1999). Consumer behaviour also includes the things in the environment (product appearance, price information, advertisements, packaging, consumer comments, shelf positioning, etc.) that can impact the feelings and actions of the consumer. In addition, consumer behaviour includes a process of exchange between buyers and sellers: people exchange money to obtain products or services. Moreover, consumer behaviour involves the study of what influences the feelings and actions of people while shopping. 1.2) Main factors that lead to customer satisfaction 1.2.1 Price fairness Recent research efforts have isolated several factors that influence consumers price unfairness perceptions as well as potential consequences of these perceptions (Bolton et al. , 2003; Campbell, 1999; Xia et al. , 2004). Previous research has proved the distinction between distributive fairness and procedural fairness. Another concept of price fairness perceptions, the principle of dual entitlement, suggests that one party should not benefit by causing a loss to another party. When a firm uses the high consumer demand to its own advantage by increasing prices, consumers will feel being misused and in this way understand the prices as unfair. For example, a study showed that â€Å"82 percent of the respondents judged a price increase for snow shovels the morning after a snowstorm to be unfair, while only 21 percent of respondents viewed an increase in grocery prices following an increase in wholesale prices as being unfair† ( Kahneman et al. , 1986). While the dual entitlement principle arise from buyers reactions toward sellers obvious exploitation based on supply and demand changes, it is possible that consumers may create perceptions of unfairness based on their own demand situations even without explicit exploitation actions from the seller. For example, when buyers feel that they have to buy a product and must accept whatever the price is, they could be concerned that potentially they could be exploited by the seller regardless even if the seller doesnt actually performs such actions. 1.2.2 Relationship of fairness perceptions to satisfaction Recent research in marketing and psychology has shown that satisfaction is positively correlated with fairness perceptions (Bowman and Narayandas, 2001; Huffman and Cain, 2001; Kim and Mauborgne, 1996; Ordià ±ez et al. , 2000; Smith et al. , 1999). , Oliver and Swan (1989a, b) found that customers fairness perceptions depended on a suppliers commitment and the quality of the goods and services comparing to the price paid. 1.2.3 The concept of tolerance Given many different ideas within the literature, however, it is generally agreed that customer satisfaction involves the comparison of standards whether they be in the form of expectations, desires, wants, ideal or equitable performances. To explain the diverse issues surrounding expectations and standards with regarding customer satisfaction, Zeithaml et al. (1993) first proposed the notion of the â€Å"zone of tolerance†, which they describe as the extent to which customers recognize and are willing to accept heterogeneity (Zeithaml et al., 1993, p. 6). It is on this basis they proved that an individuals zone of tolerance is the difference between what they desire and what they consider satisfactory, in terms of performance, and this zone can differ and contrast across situations and individuals. This may explain why some customers are consistently easy to please and others are interminably difficult (Mooradian and Olver, 1997, p.389). It can be that those customers who are easily pleased have a large zone of tolerance, in terms of their product expectations, whereas those who are quite difficult have a very narrow zone of tolerance. This would explain differences in expressed satisfaction ratings of consumers who have essentially had very similar product experiences. This notion was alluded to by Mittal and Kamakura (2001 ) with regards to satisfaction and repurchase intentions. They suggested that consumers may have different thresholds or tolerance levels towards repurchase (p. 132) and that consumers with the same satisfaction rating may have different levels of repurchase behaviour because of these differences. On this basis, it could be concluded that some individuals are simply inclined to product satisfaction and repeat purchases, whereas others are not (Grace, 2005). 2) Packaging 2.1) What is packaging? What is packaging? In general terms, packaging is the container that is in direct contact with a product, which â€Å"holds, protects, preserves and identifies the product as well as facilitating handling and commercialisation† (Vidales Giovannetti, 1995). More specifically, and following Vidales Giovannetti (1995), there are three types of packaging: Primary packaging which is in direct contact with the product, such as soft drinks bottles, Secondary packaging which contains one or more primary packages and serves to protect and identify them and to communicate the qualities of the product ( it is normally disposed of when the product is used or consumed). Finally, tertiary packaging which contains the two previous ones and its function is usually to distribute, integrate and protect products throughout the commercial chain. This could be the cardboard box that contains several bottles. Packaging is also considered to form part of the product and the brand. For Evans and Berman (1992) packaging is a product image or characteristic. For Olson and Jacoby (1972) packaging is an important element of the product, that is to say, it is attribute that is related to the product but that does not form part of the physical product itself. Price and brand are also crucial elements of the brand and according to Underwood et al. (2001); these are the most important values when it comes to deciding what products to buy. Keller (1998) also considers packaging to be an attribute that is not associated to the product. For him it is one of the five elements of the brand which include the name, the logo and/or graphic symbol, the personality and the slogans. Packaging is presented as part of the buying and consuming process, but often it is not as important as to the ingredients that are essential for the product to function (Underwood, 2003). 2.2) Packaging functions and elements Different people respond to different packages in different ways, depending on their personnality ( Vakratsas and Ambler, 1999). Since an evaluation of attributes is less important in low involvement decision making, a highly noticeable factor such as graphics and colour becomes more important in choice of a low involvement product (Grossman and Wisenblit, 1999). On the other hand, the behaviour of consumers towards high involvement products is less influenced by image issues. For low involvement, there is a strong impact on consumer decision making from the development of the market through marketing communications, including image building (Kupiec and Revell, 2001). The significance of graphics is explained by the images created on the package, whether these images are purposely developed by the marketer, or unintended and unanticipated. Graphics includes image layout, colour combinations, typography, and product photography, and the total presentation communicates an image. For consumers, the package is the product, particularly for low involvement products where initial impressions formed during initial contact can have lasting impact. According to Nancarrow et al. , 1998, the design characteristics of the package need to stand out in a display as it is one of the most important attribute in order to target consumers Many consumers today shop under higher levels of perceived time pressure, and tend to purchase fewer products than intended (Herrington and Capella, 1995; Silayoi and Speece, 2004). Products purchased during shopping excursions often appear to be chosen without prior planning and represent an impulse buying event (Hausman, 2000). A package that attracts consumers at the point of sale will help them decide quickly on what to buy in-store. As the customers eye movement tracks across a display of packages, different new packages can be noticed against the competitors. When scanning packages in the supermarket, the differential perception and the positioning of the graphics elements on a package may make the difference between identifying and missing the item (Herrington and Capella, 1995). 2.3 The marketing side of packaging Packaging seems to be one of the most important factors in purchase decisions made at the point of sale (Prendergast and Pitt, 1996), where it becomes an essential part of the selling process (Rettie and Brewer, 2000).Packaging is now recognised as the salesman† of the shelf at the point of sale. The importance of packaging design is increasing in such competitive market conditions, as package becomes an important vehicle for communication and branding (Rettie and Brewer, 2000). Prendergast and Pitt (1996) review the basic operations of packaging, and delimitate them by their role in either logistics or marketing. The main function of packaging is primarily to protect the product when moving through distribution channels. In marketing, packaging provides a successful method of communication about product attributes to consumers at the point of sale. The package sells the product by drawing in attention and communicating, and also allows the product to be contained, portioned and protected. Packaging is one key product attribute perceived by consumers. It is always fulfilling the marketing function, even if a company does not openly recognize the marketing aspects of packaging. The package is an important factor in the decision-making process because it transmits a specific message to consumers. Intention to purchase depends on the degree to which consumers expect the product to satisfy them when they consume it (Kupiec and Reveil, 2001). How they comprehend it depends on communication elements and this is the key to success for many marketing strategies. The packages overall features can emphasise the uniqueness and originality of the product. In addition, product characteristics influence the perception of quality transmitted by packaging. If it conveys high quality, consumers assume that the product is of high quality. If the package communicates low quality, consumers transfer this low quality perception to the product itself. The package communications can be favourable or unfavourable. Underwood et al. (2001) suggest that consumers are more likely to imagine aspects of how a product looks tastes, feels, smells, or sounds while they are watching a product picture on the package. 2.4 Packaging: biggest medium of communication Behaeghel (1991) and Peters (1994) consider that packaging could be the most important communication medium for the following reasons: It reaches almost all buyers in the category; It is present at the crucial moment when the decision to buy is made; and Buyers are actively involved with packaging as they examine it to obtain the information they need. This is why it is essential to communicate the right brand and product values present on packaging and to achieve a suitable esthetical and visual level ( Nancarrow et al. , 1998). Similarly, McNeal and Ji (2003) underline that the belonging of packaging as a marketing element resides in the fact that it often accompanies the use or consumption of products and, therefore, the possibility of conveying brand values and product characteristics increases. Wit Deasy (2000) points out that the characteristics of a product its positioning are permanently transmitted over seven stages: 1) Point of sale; 2) Transporting the product home; 3) Home storage; 4) Opening; 5) Serving the product for consumption; 6) Reclosing or putting away; and 7) Disposal. Underwood (2003) points out that, unlike the transmission of positioning through advertising, packaging allows positioning to be transferred live. As it accompanies products, packaging lives in the home and potentially becomes an intimate part of the consumers life constituting a type of life experience between the consumer and the brand (Lindsay, 1997). 2.5 ) Packaging: the silent salesman From the consumer perspective, packaging also plays a major role when products are purchased: packaging is crucial, given that it is the first thing that the public sees before making the final decision to buy (Vidales Giovannetti, 1995). This has increased with the popularisation of self-service sales systems which have caused packaging to move to the task of attracting attention and causing a purchase. In the past, it had remained behind the counter and only the sales attendant were the link between the consumer and the product (Cervera Fantoni, 2003). According to Sonsino (1990), self-service has taken the role of communicating and selling to the customer from the sales assistant to advertising and to packaging. This is why packaging has been called the silent salesman, as it communicates us of the qualities and benefits that we are going to obtain if we were to consume certain products (Vidales Giovannetti, 1995). Nowadays, packaging provides manufacturers with the last opportuni ty to influence possible buyers before brand selection (McDaniel and Baker, 1977). In this way we can say that all the packaging elements, including texts, colours, structure, images and people/personalities have to be combined to provide the consumer with visual sales negotiation when purchasing the product (McNeal and Ji, 2003). According toClive Nancarrow et al. (1998) : nine out of ten purchasers, at least occasionally, buy on impulse and unplanned shopping articles can account for up to 51 per cent of purchases ( Phillips and Bradshaw, 1993). 2.6 Packaging as an advertising tool Consumers are bombarded with about 3600 selling messages a day (Rumbo 2002). Yet, because of technology allowing TV watchers to omit commercials and declining advertising budgets, there has been an emphasis on influencing the consumer at the store shelf (Furness 2003). For many products, such as seasonal items, packaging design has acquired the responsibility of advertising ( often being the only advertising the product will receive) and has evolved into the â€Å" silent salesman† (Furness 2003; Rettie and Brewer 2000) It is estimated that between 73% and 85%of purchase decisions are made at this point and the packaging design must play a key role because it is often the only factor that differentiates two products on a shelf ( Sutton and Whelan 2004; Wallace 2001; Buxton 2000; Rettie and Brewer 2000). With a new reliance on packaging design to persuade consumers at the shelf, it is important for packaging design to be studied academically as an influence on consumer behaviour. Research in this area of consumer response to packaging design is being encouraged to assist with increased product sales and increased benefits to the integrated marketing communications (IMC) mix (Tobolski 1994). IMC refers to the channels (advertising, packaging, personal selling, sales promotion, public relations and direct marketing) used by companies/manufacturers to communicate product information to the target audience or intended users of the product ( BNET 2004). Packaging is expected to protect and preserve its contents, differentiate from its competitors, grab the attention of the consumer, and persuade the consumer to purchase (Packaging: good shelf image 2003; Product packaging: empty promises 2000). The vast consumer packaged goods industry continually relies upon colour as a method of differentiation. Research has shown colour (especially non-traditional colour) attracts the attention of the consumer. 3) Colour in packaging This research investigates the use of surface graphics colour as a cue by consumers for finding out 1) Perceived product quality 2) Perceived product performance 3) Which colours influence consumer-decision making, on the consumers intent to purchase? 3.1) What is colour? Colour in its basic nature refers to what the human eye sees when light passes through a prism and produces what is commonly referred to as violet, blue, green, yellow, orange and red and is collectively referred to as the spectrum ( Cheskin 1954). In actuality, when people characterised colour, it is perceived colour or reflected colour. Because colour memory changes some individuals perceive colours differently ( Sharpe 1974). For example one person may see a pure red and another person may see that same red as having a hint of blue or yellow. 3.2) The psychology of colour One marketing cue that global managers can use regardless of location is colour (Kirmani 1997; Schmitt and Pan 1994). Colour is one of t Effects of Colour Packaging on Consumer Behaviour Effects of Colour Packaging on Consumer Behaviour Abstract: When determining possible colour options for a new product, packaging professionals must keep the consumer in mind. First, they determine what type of message the product should give. Based on the message, a colour scheme that represents this message is chosen. This is why basic research is necessary, whether its from previous case studies of similar products or from focus groups. Finally, packaging professionals must create an â€Å"attention† to the product, making it easily noticeable to the consumer. By following these basic steps, the package could be considerably successful. It may also instil a certain image or message into the consumers mind that keeps them loyal for many years This paper aims at investigating the effect of packaging design of the soft drinks industry, specifically colour, on consumer behaviour. Most buyers make the decision of purchasing because of the packaging, which is often considered as the  «silent salesman ». Now that more and more businesses understand the role of packaging to act upon consumers, it is crucial for packaging to be studied as an influence on consumer behaviour. In todays consumption society, consumers are faced with a large choice of product choices and in this way, the packaging plays important roles as it is a source of information. Primary and Secondary data that has been collected for this research signals that consumers are affected by colours in their purchases From our research, we concluded that Blue and Red packaging were much more popular than the other colours. Moreover, yellow packaging was the least popular. Results show that the colours of packaging have a large impact on consumers and therefore on sales and profits. Chapter One: Introduction 1) Background The central point in todays marketing is to fully please consumers needs and prosperity. The major point in marketing planning is always consumer. The firms and markets have massively developed and the competitive environment is becoming more and more concentrated The market today is packed with so many different brands, which make it difficult for consumers to arrive at the final buying choice. At the same time companies also face complications in attracting consumers A brand visual appearance is very crucial to consumers especially in todays visual-obsessed society, where consumers have more choice and less time than ever before. This is why, it has never been more important for marketers to invest in the design and look of their product or logo. When shopping, consumers are confronted with too much choice and the packaging and colour play an important role into this choice. Colour plays a crucial part of business and marketing at both strategic and tactical level and organisations will pay colossal amounts of money to build and improve, so that colours thought of appropriate will be associated with both the company and its variety of products. It can be so successful that in some cases a colour will be immediately related to the organisation on question. Every major organisation will are developing and designing corporate colours that reproduce the values and products of the organisation in consumers minds. In this way it will be hoped that the use of colours will help the customer instantaneously recognise the organisation and perceive it as being competent, contemporary and truthful. Packaging is very important and a colossal amount of time and money is spent on consumer packaging colour design, trying to get colour combinations that exceed expectations. â€Å"Computer technology has helped a great deal in all areas of product research as 3D images can be portrayed and colours and shapes manipulated on the screen to ascertain a respondents reactions. Such is power of colour that it would be extremely hard for us to imagine such well-known products in a different colour, such as green Mars bar, a blue Kit-Kat, a yellow Coca-Cola, a pink Heinz baked bean tin and black Kelloggs cornflake packets.†(Ray Wright 2006) It has been estimated that packaging design plays a major role because it is often the only factor that can differentiate between two products (Buxton 2000; Rettie and Brewer 2000). Actually, we can even go further and say that packaging is now being seen a new form of advertising (Furness 2003, The Silent Salesman) 2) Rational for chosen topic: This study is selected to find out the factors which affect consumer decision while purchasing or selecting a certain colour packaged product. This research will explore the Technological, Cultural, Social, Personal and psychological factors have a big role in consumer buying decision and also how a packaging design and colour will affect and impact on buying decisions of consumers. 3) Statement of the nature of the problem Because Colours and shapes express about 80% of all visual communication (LaCroix 1998), consumers are getting used to employing colour as a means of amassing information. Thus, colour plays an important part in marketing and advertising and especially in packaging. Researchers have spent more than four decades studying the attitude of consumers in the marketplace (Petty, Cacioppo and Shuman 1983). This area is now called and known as consumer behaviour. Consumer behaviour involves the thoughts and feelings people experience paired off with the actions performed during the shopping process (Peter and Olson 1999). When a choice has to be made, a consumer may use the information of size, texture, shape, price, or ingredients to make the decision of which product to purchase especially when setting quality. Thus, it is interesting to investigate the effect of colours used in packaging on consumer behaviour. 2.1The Psychology of Consumer behaviour The study of consumers help firms and organisations improve their marketing strategies by understanding their behaviour. One official definition of consumer behaviour is: â€Å"the study of individuals, groups or organisations and the processes they use to select, secure, use, and dispose of products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society†. (Hawkins, Best, and Coney, 2001, p7.) Each organisation provides some products that are used by some consumers, even though we may not always recognise the products or consumers as such. 2.2 Factors taken into account when packaging a product Packaging is used to protect the product from damage during shipping and handling, and to lessen spoilage if the protection is exposed to air or other elements. The design is used to attract customers attention as they are shopping or glancing through a catalogue or website. This is particularly important for customers who are not familiar with the product and in situations where a product must stand out among thousands of other products. Packaging designs that standout are more likely to be remembered on future shipping trips. Packaging design and structure can also add value to a product. For instance, benefits can be obtained from package structures that make the product easier to use while stylistic designs can make the product more fascinating to display in the customers home. Decisions made about packaging must not only be accepted by the final customer, they may also have to be accepted by distributors who sell the product for the supplier. For example, a retailer may not accept packages unless they conform to requirements they have for storing products on their shelves. Companies usually create a package for a lifetime. As a matter of fact , changing a products packaging too frequently can have negative effects since customers become conditioned to locate the product based on its package and may be confused if the design is modified. Marketers have long used the colour and design of their product packaging to produce brand awareness. Traditionally, changes to a products look have been undertaken as little as possible as to preserve that hard won brand recognition. Today, rather than sticking with one colour scheme, companies must constantly update their image to keep them as fresh and exciting as the competitions. Packaging decisions must also include an assessment of its environmental impact especially for products with packages that are frequently thrown away. Packages that are not easily bio-degradable could evoke customer and possibly governmental concern. Also, caution must be exercised in order to create packages that do not break on intellectual property, such as copyrights, trademarks or patents, held by others. (Richardson 1994). Recent research by the Henley Centre (Frontiers, 1996) estimates that 73 percent of purchase decisions are made in the store; the design of packaging must play a key role at point of sale. â€Å"The pack design is the salesman on the shelf (Pilditch, 1972)†, â€Å" it should ensure that a brand stands out, is recognised, and is included in the products under consideration† (Connolly and Davison, 1996). Good business is often about finding out consumer trends and forming a strategy that targets growth in key technologies and market segments to capitalize on these trends. As packagers and package printers, they need to be in tune with trends and changes in shopping habits in order to remain successful. 2.3 Role of colour in marketing Research supports the importance of a brands visual appearance to consumers. One study by the Institute for Colour Research revealed that people make a subconscious judgement about an item within 90 seconds of first viewing, and that up to 90% of that assessment is based on colour. Another of their study study reveals that colour increases brand recognition by up to 80%. Colour clearly plays an important part in catching the modern-day consumers eye. According to the Henley Centre, 73% of purchasing decisions are now made in store. Consequently, catching the shoppers eye and delivering information efficiently are critical to successful sales. In todays world of infinite choices no brand can afford to ignore the impact of colour. More importantly, why would anyone want to give that potential advantage away to competitors? Colours send a variety of signals about the person, place or thing they adorn. Using this link between human emotion and colour to sell a product is certainly nothing new. 3) Objectives The objective of this research is to investigate if the colours that are used in packaging do influence our (consumers) behaviour. Understanding the effect packaging colour has on consumer decision- making would be as an introductory mean of investigating packaging design as the new advertising. The study also examines how different colours influence consumer decision making, and ultimately, the consumers intent to purchase. It focuses on packaging design from a communication aspect, not an engineering one. We examine how packaging influences buying decisions for packaged soft drinks products. As we know, the package impacts the consumer. This is because of conflicting trends in consumer decision-making. On one hand, some consumers are paying more attracted to label information (Coulson, 2000). These consumers are more concerned in the product decision and use package information more extensively. On the other hand, modern consumers are often looking for ways to reduce time spent on soft drinks shopping. This can influence decision processes, too, as time pressure reduces detailed consideration of package elements ( Warde, 1999). While these are important issues, and becoming even more critical in the increasing competitive environment, there is little comprehensive study on how packaging elements influence brand choice under involvement and time pressure. This paper aims at forming a better understanding of the link between colours used in packaging and consumer purchase behaviour within the soft drinks industry. 4) Relevance and significance of the subject Until recently, the importance of colour as a brand identity wasnt as recognised. It is nowadays clear that colour can play a very large part of any organizations success. This pushes us into asking ourselves the following questions: Ø How does colour affect us? Ø Which colours have an impact on us? Ø Do organisations carefully choose what colours to use when packaging a product? 5) Structure and content The next chapter will be a literature review that will study: 1) A review of consumer behaviour and especially what mostly affects consumer decisions 2) The effect of packaging design and especially colour on consumer decision making and consumer purchase intent. 3) A review of the literature regarding colour, colour association and colour practices. The third chapter will examine the soft drinks industry nowadays in the UK and worldwide. The fourth chapter will be an explanation of the different methods used to practice a research. It will also outline the method used into this particular research question The fifth chapter, Research questions and methodology, outlines the research questions and the methodology of this study. This chapter presents an in-depth look at the research questions. It explains the survey questions used for qualitative data findings. It provides the results and a discussion of the results. The sixth chapter will be a conclusion which restates the goal of this research and provides a summary of the research. This chapter contains limitations of the study, suggestions for future research and reflection on the study for future replication, and how this study adds to the body of knowledge regarding the influence of packagings colour on the consumer decision making process. Chapter 2: Review of the Literature. 1) Consumer behaviour Shoppers in the United States spend about $6.5 billion on consumer goods (Peter and Olson 1999). A companys continued success is associated with a successful relationship with the consumer. Finding out as much information as possible on consumer shopping choices and behaviour provides companies the tools to produce goods and services to strengthen their relationship with the consumer. In other words, companies have discovered that information obtained from customer databases and in-store observations have proved worthy in regard to earning consumers repeat purchases or business. 1.1) What is consumer behaviour? The phrase â€Å"consumer behaviour â€Å"refers to the feelings and thoughts people experience, and the actions they take while engaging in the consumption process† (Peter and Olson 1999). Consumer behaviour also includes the things in the environment (product appearance, price information, advertisements, packaging, consumer comments, shelf positioning, etc.) that can impact the feelings and actions of the consumer. In addition, consumer behaviour includes a process of exchange between buyers and sellers: people exchange money to obtain products or services. Moreover, consumer behaviour involves the study of what influences the feelings and actions of people while shopping. 1.2) Main factors that lead to customer satisfaction 1.2.1 Price fairness Recent research efforts have isolated several factors that influence consumers price unfairness perceptions as well as potential consequences of these perceptions (Bolton et al. , 2003; Campbell, 1999; Xia et al. , 2004). Previous research has proved the distinction between distributive fairness and procedural fairness. Another concept of price fairness perceptions, the principle of dual entitlement, suggests that one party should not benefit by causing a loss to another party. When a firm uses the high consumer demand to its own advantage by increasing prices, consumers will feel being misused and in this way understand the prices as unfair. For example, a study showed that â€Å"82 percent of the respondents judged a price increase for snow shovels the morning after a snowstorm to be unfair, while only 21 percent of respondents viewed an increase in grocery prices following an increase in wholesale prices as being unfair† ( Kahneman et al. , 1986). While the dual entitlement principle arise from buyers reactions toward sellers obvious exploitation based on supply and demand changes, it is possible that consumers may create perceptions of unfairness based on their own demand situations even without explicit exploitation actions from the seller. For example, when buyers feel that they have to buy a product and must accept whatever the price is, they could be concerned that potentially they could be exploited by the seller regardless even if the seller doesnt actually performs such actions. 1.2.2 Relationship of fairness perceptions to satisfaction Recent research in marketing and psychology has shown that satisfaction is positively correlated with fairness perceptions (Bowman and Narayandas, 2001; Huffman and Cain, 2001; Kim and Mauborgne, 1996; Ordià ±ez et al. , 2000; Smith et al. , 1999). , Oliver and Swan (1989a, b) found that customers fairness perceptions depended on a suppliers commitment and the quality of the goods and services comparing to the price paid. 1.2.3 The concept of tolerance Given many different ideas within the literature, however, it is generally agreed that customer satisfaction involves the comparison of standards whether they be in the form of expectations, desires, wants, ideal or equitable performances. To explain the diverse issues surrounding expectations and standards with regarding customer satisfaction, Zeithaml et al. (1993) first proposed the notion of the â€Å"zone of tolerance†, which they describe as the extent to which customers recognize and are willing to accept heterogeneity (Zeithaml et al., 1993, p. 6). It is on this basis they proved that an individuals zone of tolerance is the difference between what they desire and what they consider satisfactory, in terms of performance, and this zone can differ and contrast across situations and individuals. This may explain why some customers are consistently easy to please and others are interminably difficult (Mooradian and Olver, 1997, p.389). It can be that those customers who are easily pleased have a large zone of tolerance, in terms of their product expectations, whereas those who are quite difficult have a very narrow zone of tolerance. This would explain differences in expressed satisfaction ratings of consumers who have essentially had very similar product experiences. This notion was alluded to by Mittal and Kamakura (2001 ) with regards to satisfaction and repurchase intentions. They suggested that consumers may have different thresholds or tolerance levels towards repurchase (p. 132) and that consumers with the same satisfaction rating may have different levels of repurchase behaviour because of these differences. On this basis, it could be concluded that some individuals are simply inclined to product satisfaction and repeat purchases, whereas others are not (Grace, 2005). 2) Packaging 2.1) What is packaging? What is packaging? In general terms, packaging is the container that is in direct contact with a product, which â€Å"holds, protects, preserves and identifies the product as well as facilitating handling and commercialisation† (Vidales Giovannetti, 1995). More specifically, and following Vidales Giovannetti (1995), there are three types of packaging: Primary packaging which is in direct contact with the product, such as soft drinks bottles, Secondary packaging which contains one or more primary packages and serves to protect and identify them and to communicate the qualities of the product ( it is normally disposed of when the product is used or consumed). Finally, tertiary packaging which contains the two previous ones and its function is usually to distribute, integrate and protect products throughout the commercial chain. This could be the cardboard box that contains several bottles. Packaging is also considered to form part of the product and the brand. For Evans and Berman (1992) packaging is a product image or characteristic. For Olson and Jacoby (1972) packaging is an important element of the product, that is to say, it is attribute that is related to the product but that does not form part of the physical product itself. Price and brand are also crucial elements of the brand and according to Underwood et al. (2001); these are the most important values when it comes to deciding what products to buy. Keller (1998) also considers packaging to be an attribute that is not associated to the product. For him it is one of the five elements of the brand which include the name, the logo and/or graphic symbol, the personality and the slogans. Packaging is presented as part of the buying and consuming process, but often it is not as important as to the ingredients that are essential for the product to function (Underwood, 2003). 2.2) Packaging functions and elements Different people respond to different packages in different ways, depending on their personnality ( Vakratsas and Ambler, 1999). Since an evaluation of attributes is less important in low involvement decision making, a highly noticeable factor such as graphics and colour becomes more important in choice of a low involvement product (Grossman and Wisenblit, 1999). On the other hand, the behaviour of consumers towards high involvement products is less influenced by image issues. For low involvement, there is a strong impact on consumer decision making from the development of the market through marketing communications, including image building (Kupiec and Revell, 2001). The significance of graphics is explained by the images created on the package, whether these images are purposely developed by the marketer, or unintended and unanticipated. Graphics includes image layout, colour combinations, typography, and product photography, and the total presentation communicates an image. For consumers, the package is the product, particularly for low involvement products where initial impressions formed during initial contact can have lasting impact. According to Nancarrow et al. , 1998, the design characteristics of the package need to stand out in a display as it is one of the most important attribute in order to target consumers Many consumers today shop under higher levels of perceived time pressure, and tend to purchase fewer products than intended (Herrington and Capella, 1995; Silayoi and Speece, 2004). Products purchased during shopping excursions often appear to be chosen without prior planning and represent an impulse buying event (Hausman, 2000). A package that attracts consumers at the point of sale will help them decide quickly on what to buy in-store. As the customers eye movement tracks across a display of packages, different new packages can be noticed against the competitors. When scanning packages in the supermarket, the differential perception and the positioning of the graphics elements on a package may make the difference between identifying and missing the item (Herrington and Capella, 1995). 2.3 The marketing side of packaging Packaging seems to be one of the most important factors in purchase decisions made at the point of sale (Prendergast and Pitt, 1996), where it becomes an essential part of the selling process (Rettie and Brewer, 2000).Packaging is now recognised as the salesman† of the shelf at the point of sale. The importance of packaging design is increasing in such competitive market conditions, as package becomes an important vehicle for communication and branding (Rettie and Brewer, 2000). Prendergast and Pitt (1996) review the basic operations of packaging, and delimitate them by their role in either logistics or marketing. The main function of packaging is primarily to protect the product when moving through distribution channels. In marketing, packaging provides a successful method of communication about product attributes to consumers at the point of sale. The package sells the product by drawing in attention and communicating, and also allows the product to be contained, portioned and protected. Packaging is one key product attribute perceived by consumers. It is always fulfilling the marketing function, even if a company does not openly recognize the marketing aspects of packaging. The package is an important factor in the decision-making process because it transmits a specific message to consumers. Intention to purchase depends on the degree to which consumers expect the product to satisfy them when they consume it (Kupiec and Reveil, 2001). How they comprehend it depends on communication elements and this is the key to success for many marketing strategies. The packages overall features can emphasise the uniqueness and originality of the product. In addition, product characteristics influence the perception of quality transmitted by packaging. If it conveys high quality, consumers assume that the product is of high quality. If the package communicates low quality, consumers transfer this low quality perception to the product itself. The package communications can be favourable or unfavourable. Underwood et al. (2001) suggest that consumers are more likely to imagine aspects of how a product looks tastes, feels, smells, or sounds while they are watching a product picture on the package. 2.4 Packaging: biggest medium of communication Behaeghel (1991) and Peters (1994) consider that packaging could be the most important communication medium for the following reasons: It reaches almost all buyers in the category; It is present at the crucial moment when the decision to buy is made; and Buyers are actively involved with packaging as they examine it to obtain the information they need. This is why it is essential to communicate the right brand and product values present on packaging and to achieve a suitable esthetical and visual level ( Nancarrow et al. , 1998). Similarly, McNeal and Ji (2003) underline that the belonging of packaging as a marketing element resides in the fact that it often accompanies the use or consumption of products and, therefore, the possibility of conveying brand values and product characteristics increases. Wit Deasy (2000) points out that the characteristics of a product its positioning are permanently transmitted over seven stages: 1) Point of sale; 2) Transporting the product home; 3) Home storage; 4) Opening; 5) Serving the product for consumption; 6) Reclosing or putting away; and 7) Disposal. Underwood (2003) points out that, unlike the transmission of positioning through advertising, packaging allows positioning to be transferred live. As it accompanies products, packaging lives in the home and potentially becomes an intimate part of the consumers life constituting a type of life experience between the consumer and the brand (Lindsay, 1997). 2.5 ) Packaging: the silent salesman From the consumer perspective, packaging also plays a major role when products are purchased: packaging is crucial, given that it is the first thing that the public sees before making the final decision to buy (Vidales Giovannetti, 1995). This has increased with the popularisation of self-service sales systems which have caused packaging to move to the task of attracting attention and causing a purchase. In the past, it had remained behind the counter and only the sales attendant were the link between the consumer and the product (Cervera Fantoni, 2003). According to Sonsino (1990), self-service has taken the role of communicating and selling to the customer from the sales assistant to advertising and to packaging. This is why packaging has been called the silent salesman, as it communicates us of the qualities and benefits that we are going to obtain if we were to consume certain products (Vidales Giovannetti, 1995). Nowadays, packaging provides manufacturers with the last opportuni ty to influence possible buyers before brand selection (McDaniel and Baker, 1977). In this way we can say that all the packaging elements, including texts, colours, structure, images and people/personalities have to be combined to provide the consumer with visual sales negotiation when purchasing the product (McNeal and Ji, 2003). According toClive Nancarrow et al. (1998) : nine out of ten purchasers, at least occasionally, buy on impulse and unplanned shopping articles can account for up to 51 per cent of purchases ( Phillips and Bradshaw, 1993). 2.6 Packaging as an advertising tool Consumers are bombarded with about 3600 selling messages a day (Rumbo 2002). Yet, because of technology allowing TV watchers to omit commercials and declining advertising budgets, there has been an emphasis on influencing the consumer at the store shelf (Furness 2003). For many products, such as seasonal items, packaging design has acquired the responsibility of advertising ( often being the only advertising the product will receive) and has evolved into the â€Å" silent salesman† (Furness 2003; Rettie and Brewer 2000) It is estimated that between 73% and 85%of purchase decisions are made at this point and the packaging design must play a key role because it is often the only factor that differentiates two products on a shelf ( Sutton and Whelan 2004; Wallace 2001; Buxton 2000; Rettie and Brewer 2000). With a new reliance on packaging design to persuade consumers at the shelf, it is important for packaging design to be studied academically as an influence on consumer behaviour. Research in this area of consumer response to packaging design is being encouraged to assist with increased product sales and increased benefits to the integrated marketing communications (IMC) mix (Tobolski 1994). IMC refers to the channels (advertising, packaging, personal selling, sales promotion, public relations and direct marketing) used by companies/manufacturers to communicate product information to the target audience or intended users of the product ( BNET 2004). Packaging is expected to protect and preserve its contents, differentiate from its competitors, grab the attention of the consumer, and persuade the consumer to purchase (Packaging: good shelf image 2003; Product packaging: empty promises 2000). The vast consumer packaged goods industry continually relies upon colour as a method of differentiation. Research has shown colour (especially non-traditional colour) attracts the attention of the consumer. 3) Colour in packaging This research investigates the use of surface graphics colour as a cue by consumers for finding out 1) Perceived product quality 2) Perceived product performance 3) Which colours influence consumer-decision making, on the consumers intent to purchase? 3.1) What is colour? Colour in its basic nature refers to what the human eye sees when light passes through a prism and produces what is commonly referred to as violet, blue, green, yellow, orange and red and is collectively referred to as the spectrum ( Cheskin 1954). In actuality, when people characterised colour, it is perceived colour or reflected colour. Because colour memory changes some individuals perceive colours differently ( Sharpe 1974). For example one person may see a pure red and another person may see that same red as having a hint of blue or yellow. 3.2) The psychology of colour One marketing cue that global managers can use regardless of location is colour (Kirmani 1997; Schmitt and Pan 1994). Colour is one of t

The Mind of Someone Who Uses Drugs :: essays papers

The Mind of Someone Who Uses Drugs In the mind of someone who does drugs there is always a reason to take that hit of acid, that pill of ecstasy, that line of coke or that bump of crystal. Justification is a powerful tool of persuasion, it’s a manipulation tool that others can use on you but more commonly you use on yourself. You don’t have to go to work for ten hours and the acid trip will only last about seven hours so as long as you don’t go to sleep you’ll be fine. You’ll not sleep for twenty-four hours and you’ll be cracked out as all hell at work but hell, it’s worth it. Most people that do drugs will say that they have great will power and only do a drug when they know they have the time and energy. I have heard and said that phrase so many times. The more drugs you do the less will you have to say no and the easier it is for people to persuade you to take that pill with them. Friends don’t persuade you because they want you to be â€Å"bad† like they are or any of that other crap you see on anti-drug commercials on television. Your friends want you to be there so that they can have fun with you while on the drugs together.. It is generally true that I have had most of my drug experiences with friends and it is also true that I have made some true bonds with people while on drugs. The question I use to always ask myself is â€Å"who are my real friends and who were friends that I made simply because we were on a substance†. It is so easy to bond with someone while on drugs, especially ecstasy. On the drug ecstasy it’s possible to bond with someone while that you have never gotten along with and probably never will again. My girlfriend who I dated for about three months, while knowing that I was gay, I met through drugs. Since she and I were generally high on something at all times our relationship was completely ( what does this meanthrough) and because of drugs. I have not spoken to her for over five months and if we did speak we would probably have little interest in each other.