Determining the 'consumer object'.
For each of us the world is a complex of dichotomous constructs clustering to form objects. Of importance to the marketing psychologist is the structure of 'consumer objects', and his aim is to determine the nature of these. The meaning of stimuli may be categorised into the denotive or functional physical aspects of being, and the connotive or emotive affectional aspects. Both are of importance in meeting consumer need. Denotive meaning is more obvious than connotive, and more covert means are necessary to uncover the latter. Examples are given of the results of such analyses of connotive being and a technique which enables a numerate assessment of the consumer object is described with an illustrative example.
Gregory
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Keir Gregory Research, Pear Tree Farm, Hoton, Nr Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK.