Food that provides health benefits beyond basic nutrition, by virtue of physiologically active food components are known as functional foods. Soybeans contain some of these phytochemical components such as isoflavones. Due to the lack of relevant data, the aim of this study was to assess South African consumers' perceptions towards soy and soy products. Respondents (n=3001) were randomly selected from 9 metropolitan as well as rural areas in South Africa. The questionnaire consisted of 17 food related topics. Four of these sections (which were also used in this study) probed information on soy and soy products. The data of 81 % respondents (n=2437), who were aware of soy, were used for further statistical analyses. There were no practical significant differences between rural and metropolitan respondents' perceptions regarding each statement. Large practical significant differences were found between racial groups regarding most of the statements. In general Blacks were more positive towards the use and taste of soy, as opposed to Whites. More Indians were aware of meat substitutes made from soy than the other racial groups. Marketing efforts in South Africa should focus on those groups that like the taste of soy best and who would consume soy regularly. / Thesis (M. (Consumer Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Please read the abstract (Synopsis) in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Marketing Management / MCom / Unrestricted

Thesis purpose: The thesis purpose is to examine the interrelationship of consumer and brand relation. The main objective is to research how consumers’ perception of brand personalization before and after seeing Adbusters subvertisement ads influences their relation to brands. Methodology: The thesis has deductive quantitative research approach, since it starts from theory to gain more understanding of the research area. The data is collected through an online questionnaire. Theoretical perspective: This study is based upon the general brand and branding definitions, with focus on brand personality, consumer perception and findings within the study of Adbusters. Empirical data: The study is investigated quantitatively. An online questionnaire was used to gather the empirical data. Conclusion: This study provides a broad overview about consumer perception of brand personalized commercial ads and what is their relation to brands after seeing Adbusters subvertisement ads. The research contributes to brand personalization theory and Adbusters studies and demonstrates that Adbusters influence on brand personalization depends on how strong the consumer-brand relationship is. However, it is also shown that consumers are inconsistent in their perception of brand personas and that relation to brands is highly brand-specific.

Titel: Att visualisera identiteter: en kvalitativ studie om hur visuell design relaterar till en varumärkesidentitet. Författare: Paulin Arvola och Johanna Sandborg Handledare: Dan Halvarsson Examinator: Bertil Hultén Insitution: Ekonomihögskolan, Linnéuniversitetet, Växjö. Kurskod: 2FE23E, Inrednings- och butikskommunikation, kandidatuppsats 15hp. Bakgrund: Visuell design kan vara av betydelse för att konsumenter skall uppfatta ett företags utsända signaler. Den visuella designen kan åskådliggöra skillnader mellan olika varumärkesidentiteter. För att företag ska lyckas behövs kunskap kring hur konsumenter upplever företagets utsända signaler. Genom att skapa förståelse för konsumenten kan företag möjliggöra utveckling av starka varumärkesidentiteter som kan öka kundvärdet genom tillämpning av visuell design utifrån ett mottagarperspektiv. Forskningsfråga: Vad gör konsumenter för kopplingar mellan visuell design och en varumärkesidentitet? Syfte: Syftet med studien är att analysera och förklara hur visuell design relaterar till en varumärkesidentitet. Metod: Kvalitativ studie, undersökande forskningsdesign, semi-strukturerade fokusgrupper. Slutsats: Studien visar att det finns en relation mellan visuell design och en varumärkesidentitet om den visuella designen kommunicerar en direkt funktion för varumärkesidentiteten. Endast när visuell design bidrar till att kommunicera direkta funktioner kan kopplingar göras till varumärkesidentiteten. Det har påvisats att samtliga attribut och gestaltningar kan utgöra relationen om de lyckas kommunicera minst en direkt funktion för varumärkesidentiteten. Relationen mellan visuell design och en varumärkesidentitet är beroende av hur respektive mottagare tolkar de visuella signalerna. Nyckelord: Visuell design, Varumärkesidentitet, Konsumentuppfattning, Tolkning. / Title: To visualize identites: A qualitative study about the relationship between visual design and brand identity. Authors: Paulin Arvola and Johanna Sandborg Tutor: Dan Halvarsson Examiner: Bertil Hultén Institution: School of Economics, Linneaus University, Växjö Course code: 2FE23E, Interior Decoration and Visual Merchandising, Bachelor Thesis 15 credits. Background: Visual design can be a useful tool for companies in purpose to increase consumer recognition. Differences between brand identities can be illustrated through visual design. To gain the advantage of visual design companies need to understand how the consumer perceive the effects of visual design. Companies can develope their brand identities by understanding the consumer and create value from a consumer perspective by application of visual design. Research question: How do consumers make a connection between visual design and brand identity? Purpose: The purpose of the study is to analyze and explain how the visual design have a relationship to a brand identity. Methodology: Qualitative research metholgy, explorative research design, semi- structured focus groups. Conclusions: The thesis shows a relationship between visual design and brand identity when the visual design communicates a direct function of the brand identity. The visual design can only be connected to the brand identity when it visualize a direct function of the brand identity. The study shows that attributes and configurations can represent the relationship only if at least one direct funtion manage to communicate the brand identity. The relationship between visual design and brand identity dependens on how each reciever interprets the visual signals. Keywords: Visual Design, Brand Identity, Consumer Perception, Interpretation.

Background The concept of celebrity endorsement is a constantly growing marketing communication tool. A recent example of when the usage of celebrities within advertising has been successful is the case of Zlatan Ibrahimovic endorsing Volvo. Because of the expansive usage of celebrities in advertising as well as the ongoing increase of competition, the development for further efficiency in celebrity endorsement is essential for creating efficient advertisements. The foundation of this thesis relies upon the meaning transfer model (McCracken, 1989) as well as the source effects model (Ohanian, 1990). Purpose This thesis intends to investigate how the different source effects within celebrity endorsement are appealing to the various consumers based on their age and gender. To be able to further investigate into the nature of the differences between genders, we will observe how gender stereotypical- and gender neutral products are perceived by the consumers and the role that the gender of the endorser plays in celebrity endorsement. Method In order to fulfill the purpose of this thesis, an abductive study was conducted by the usage of both quantitative and qualitative data. The data was collected through a questionnaire, both among the members of Bryngfjorden GK and students at Jönköping International Business School, and focus groups with participants representing the overall population of Sweden. Conclusion We have identified numerous of different characteristics of the consumers that will influence their perception of celebrity endorsers in advertisements, thus depending on age and gender. Mainly we have found is that younger consumers put a large emphasis on the attractiveness effect of the celebrity endorser compared to older people who rather emphasize on the credibility effects of the endorser. Further we have found explanations for how different product types are dependent on the gender of the consumer, as well as the gender of the endorser, for creating an effective advertising message.

The traditional type of marketing is more directed towards big customer segments in specified areas. Due to technological improvement marketing has evolved into an extreme form of segmentation where marketing target the individual consumer based on their personal needs and preferences. This has led to a discussion of whether personalized marketing is something that create privacy concerns or benefits in the eyes of the consumer.     The purpose of this thesis is to explore the consumer perception of personalized marketing and how the perception affects the purchase decision-making process.   A conceptual framework was developed based on earlier research within personalized marketing. A qualitative method with an abductive approach has been used. Our primary data was collected through 8 different semi-structured interviews and consisted of men and women in the age span of 40-59 years’ old who had engaged in e-commerce at least once during the last six months.   Our empirical data has been analyzed out of the literature review, which founds the basis for our findings. Our findings show that the consumer perception of personalized marketing affect the consumer decision-making process in varying ways. A positive perception of the personalized marketing makes the consumer more susceptible to it, which further impacts the different stages in the process.

O mercado amplamente competitivo, a globalização, a facilidade de acesso às informações são alguns fatores que têm exigido dos gestores ações de inovação e atenção maior aos consumidores de seus produtos. Para que as empresas sobrevivam e se mantenham no mercado é necessário que seus empresários sejam atuantes e acompanhem os desejos dos compradores. Para saciar os desejos do consumidor é necessário que se estabeleça quais são suas necessidades. O mercado de carne bovina representa um importante seguimento do agronegócio e de grande impacto na economia nacional. A carne bovina está presente na alimentação do brasileiro e tem sido objeto de atenção e investimento de grandes empresas. Recentemente, frigoríficos pertencentes a grandes grupos empresariais despertaram atenção estabelecendo estratégia mercadológica de atribuir e valorizar a marca do produto como diferencial ao consumidor no momento de compra. Compreender e entender os fatores que influenciam o consumidor no momento da compra da carne bovina pode se traduzir em uma importante ferramenta de gestão para o empresário do setor. A pesquisa realizada na cidade de Porto Ferreira possibilitou reconhecer os fatores e aspectos decisórios para o consumidor de carne bovina no momento de aquisição do produto. Sexo do entrevistado, faixa etária, nível de escolaridade, área de atuação e renda média familiar possibilitaram traçar o perfil deste consumidor. O preço da carne, corte, marca, prazo de validade, embalagem, preço praticado pelo local de compra, praticidade, características físicas do local, confiabilidade no local de venda e no profissional, são alguns dos argumentos verificados no momento da compra. O trabalho aponta a importância que o consumidor atribui à carne resfriada, às informações nutricionais, a cor a textura e o impacto que a Operação Carne Fraca promoveu no comportamento de consumo de carne bovina. A análise dos dados apurados pela pesquisa e as referências bibliográficas do assunto permitiram estabelecer um diagnóstico comportamental e valorar aspectos e fatores que são perceptíveis ao consumidor, proporcionando ao gestor o poder de estabelecer estratégias mercadológicas e inovações que impulsionem seu empreendimento. / The widely competitive market, globalization, and ease of access to information are some of the factors that have required managers to innovate and pay greater attention to the consumers of their products. In order for companies to survive and remain in the market, it is necessary for their entrepreneurs to be active and to follow the buyers\' wishes. To satisfy the desires of the consumer it is necessary to establish what their needs are. The beef market represents an important follow-up to agribusiness and a major impact on the national economy. The beef is present in the Brazilian food and has been the object of attention and investment of large companies. Recently, refrigerators belonging to large business groups have awakened attention establishing a marketing strategy to attribute and value the product brand as a differential to the consumer at the time of purchase. Understanding and understanding the factors that influence the consumer when buying beef can translate into an important management tool for the entrepreneur in the sector. The research carried out in the city of Porto Ferreira made it possible to recognize the factors and decision-making aspects for the beef consumer at the moment of product acquisition. Sex of the interviewee, age group, level of education, area of activity and average family income provide a profile of this consumer. The price of meat, cut, brand, shelf life, packaging, price practiced by the place of purchase, practicality, physical characteristics of the place, reliability in the place of sale and the professional, are some of the arguments verified at the time of purchase. The work points out the importance that the consumer attributes to the cooled meat, nutritional information, color and texture and the impact that Operation Meat Poor has promoted on beef consumption behavior. The analysis of the data obtained by the research and the bibliographic references of the subject allowed to establish a behavioral diagnosis and to evaluate aspects and factors that are perceptive to the consumer, giving to the manager the power to establish marketing strategies and innovations that boost his enterprise.

Shoppings centers são empreendimentos planejados e gerenciados para atender às necessidades e aos anseios dos consumidores. Assim, quanto mais próximos das expectativas do público alvo estiverem os produtos, os serviços e as facilidades oferecidas no empreendimento, maior será o número de consumidores atraídos para comprar nas lojas do shopping center. No entanto, a escassez de pesquisas sobre os shoppings centers de mix temático confere ao setor um ambiente de grande incerteza, carente de informações de qualidade. Este trabalho pretende suprir parte dessa lacuna ao discutir a percepção dos consumidores quanto à importância de atributos da qualidade utilizados para estruturar o sistema de ancoragem dos shoppings centers de mix temático com ênfase em produtos de alta comparação. O método de pesquisa envolve estudos exploratórios e estudos de caso na região metropolitana de São Paulo. As análises dos dados primários, coletados nas entrevistas semi-estruturadas e nas enquetes, confirmam alguns aspectos identificados na revisão bibliográfica e permitem reconhecer a hierarquia dos consumidores entrevistados, para os atributos pesquisados. Espera-se que este trabalho oriente os envolvidos no planejamento e na administração dos empreendimentos e incentive a continuidade de pesquisas no setor de shopping center devido, entre outros fatores, à dinâmica do mercado e ao volume de recursos necessários para a implantação de empreendimentos dessa natureza. / Theme shopping centers are facilities conceived and managed to meet customer’s needs and expectations. Theoretically, the closer facilities, goods and services are to customer’s needs and expectations, the more appealing and profitable will be the theme shopping center. However, the scarcity of reliable data about theme shopping centers attributes has brought a great uncertainty to their planning and operation process. The current research addresses the above limitation as it analyses customer’s perception regarding theme shopping centers attributes. In this context, the research method comprises semi-structured interviews and exploratory case studies in theme shopping centers located at Sao Paulo metropolitan area. The primary data was collated through semi-structured interviews with facility managers and questionnaires applied to customers. The data analysis confirms some basic assumptions acknowledged in the technical literature, and allows identifying the attributes data hierarchy for theme shopping centers according to customers’ perception. As a result, it is expected that this study may provide guidance for investors, planners and decision-makers during theme shopping centers planning and operation stage. Moreover, it may encourage future developments in this particular research field due to fast-paced changes in the marketplace and to the large capital investments involved in the delivery of these schemes.

Orientador: Andréa Rossi Scalco / Coorientador: João Guilherme de Camargo Ferraz Machado / Coorientador: Sérgio Silva Braga Junior / Resumo: Como meio de diferenciar os atributos de produtos orgânicos frente aos produtos convencionais, os selos orgânicos começaram a ser utilizados na década de 1990. Os selos orgânicos são emitidos por instituições certificadoras credenciadas e independentes, as quais atestam que determinado produto é orgânico. No entanto, a identificação e a compreensão das informações agregadas aos produtos orgânicos pelos selos podem não ser facilmente percebíveis aos consumidores. Diante desse contexto, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar a percepção dos consumidores no que se refere aos atributos dos alimentos com certificados de orgânicos no Brasil. Para tanto, os dados foram coletados por meio da aplicação de um survey, utilizando como instrumento de coleta questionários semiestruturado. A aplicação do instrumento foi feita por meio da internet com 148 consumidores em dezembro de 2017 que reconhecem o selo de produto orgânico do Brasil. Os dados coletados foram analisados por meio de estatística descritiva e da Análise Fatorial Exploratória. Os resultados encontrados nesta pesquisa apontaram que o consumidor percebe 24 atributos relevantes no selo orgânico do Brasil (dentre 26 atributos), quando desenvolvida a análise estatística descritiva dos dados. Além disso, a análise multivariada considerou que a percepção dos consumidores sobre o selo orgânico considerou três grandes fatores, "Respeito ao trabalhador", "Respeito ao meio ambiente" e "Bem-estar animal e associativismo". / Abstract: As a means of differentiating the attributes of organic products from conventional products, organic labels began to be used in the 1990s. Organic labels are issued by accredited and independent certifying institutions, which attest that a particular product is organic. However, identification and understanding of the information aggregated to organic products by labels may not be easily perceived by consumers. In view of this context, the present study aims to evaluate consumers' perceptions regarding the attributes of foods with organic certificates in Brazil. To do so, the data were collected through the application of a survey, using semi-structured questionnaires as a collection instrument. The application of the instrument was done through the internet with 148 consumers in December 2017 who recognize the Brazilian organic product label. The collected data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and the Exploratory Factor Analysis. The results found in this research indicate that the consumer perceives 24 relevant attributes in the Brazilian organic label (among 26 attributes), when the descriptive statistical analysis of the data was developed. In addition, the multivariate analysis considered that the perception of consumers on the organic label considered three major factors: "Respect for the worker", "Respect for the environment" and "Animal welfare and associativism". / Mestre

The aim of this diploma thesis is to find out how consumers perceive the chosen advertising tool and to create a proposal to use the obtained information. The thesis is divided in two parts. Theoretical part deals with concepts related to consumer´s attitudes and perception. For the practical part tender sheets of supermarket Terno were chosen as an advertising tool for analysis. Practical part includes the research involving final consumers from South Bohemia region, depth interviews with several consumers and interview with marketing director of the company. This three parts are processed and evaluated together. The conclusion of the thesis is focused on the analysis of results and proposals were created that the company could use.