Selecting actors to appear in an advertisement is an important decision which has a crucial impact on the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. The same message, delivered by different actors, produces varying outcomes among consumers. This dilemma concerning the choice of actors occurs particularly in multi-racial societies, such as South Africa, where advertisers have to target different sectors of the community. In multi-racial societies, the choice of actors in advertisements goes beyond the usual commercial reasons. Indeed, two dimensions are generally conferred to multi-racial advertising. Firstly, the use of multi-racial representations allows for the targeting of a wider population that also owns a wider purchasing power. Marketers who want to market their brand use, for example, white and black actors so that white and black consumers can identify with the actors and recognize themselves as the target of the advertisement. Secondly, the multi-racial representations of this type of advertising hold a social role that counteracts the segregated depiction of the society. Consumers who are exposed to a multi-racial advertisement might perceive this social dimension and attribute a social responsibility to the advertisement. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the influence of the above dimensions on the effectiveness of a multi-racial advertisement. On the one hand, this study investigates the Identification Process followed by a consumer exposed to a multi-racial advertisement. On the other hand, it examines how consumers attribute a social responsibility to a specific multiracial advertisement and how this attribution, in turn, influences their responses to the advertisement and brand. Finally, the impacts of both of these dimensions on consumer behaviour are compared and the most persuasive dimension is identified. This thesis draws on Attribution Theory and Identification Theory in arguing that there are strong economic imperatives for adopting a multi-racial advertising approach. The thesis develops a conceptual framework and tests empirically hypotheses regarding the key constructs and moderating variables. The empirical results point out that both dimensions symbiotically influence the effectiveness of a multi-racial advertisement. Specifically, the results highlight that the social responsibility attributed by the viewers to the advertisement influences their behaviour more than the Identification Process.

Abstracts in English, Xhosa and Zulu / This quantitative study explores procedural knowledge, perception of GM food products and factors that influence the purchasing decision of 326 respondents by means of a questionnaire. Recruitment of the respondents was done by approaching various businesses and Schools in Mooi River to which the questionnaire was distributed to their respective personnel. The respondents’ showed that they were not very knowledgeable of GM food products, but were not particularly ignorant either. The results also showed that they did not look for any GM-related information from various sources and believed that scientists were the most credible source of GM-related information. In general, the respondents did not perceive GM food products as having any nutritional benefits; did not perceive GM food products to provide an economic benefit, except to increase food supplies by boosting the economy through the implementation of biotechnology; and perceived longer shelf life as a beneficial GM food product quality. The respondents also feared the susceptibility to cancer, toxicity, allergic reactions, alterations in kidney functions, immune malfunction and especially infertility problems after consumption of GM food products. The respondents did not show particular fear towards the ethical aspects of GM food products, except in that GM food products are produced in an unethical manner. Fear was also not shown towards the consumption aspects of GM food products including scepticism towards the safety GM food products and possible threats to living things. The respondents indicated that increased food supplies through the production of GM food products, possible cancer development after consumption, allergenicity, reduced usage of pesticides and harmful effect on the environment were GM-related factors that would influence their purchasing decision of GM food products. The general GM-related barriers that influenced the respondents purchasing decision of GM food products included not looking out for GM food products in particular, knowing too little about GM food products, not having a particular interest in GM food products and never knowing if a product contains a GM component or not. / Esi sifundo, nesiqhutywa ngokuqwalasela amanani ezenzeko, saphanda ngolwazi lwendlela ebonwa ngayo inkqubo yeemveliso zokutya zeGM (iimveliso ezinyangwe ngobuchule obaziwa ngelesiNgesi elithi genetically modified) kwakunye neemeko eziphembelela izigqibo zokuthenga ezi mveliso, zigqibo ezo zathathwa ngabathathi nxaxheba abangama-326 nabathi baphendula uluhlu lwemibuzo. Ukuloba/ukurhwebesha abathathi nxaxheba kwenziwa ngokucela uncedo kumashishini nezikolo eziseMooi River. Abathathi nxaxheba baveza ukuba abanalwazi kakuhle ngeemveliso zokutya zeGM, kodwa banalo ufifana. Iziphumo zadiza ukuba azange baphande ulwazi olumalunga nonyango lweemveliso kwaye babekholelwa ukuba iingcali zenzululwazi zizo ezaziyimithombo yolwazi ethembekileyo malunga nalo mbandela. Ngokuthe gabalala, abathathi nxaxheba babengaziboni ziluncedo kwisondlo okanye kuqoqosho ezi mveliso zokutya zeGM, kwaye babelindele ukuba ezi mveliso zandise ukutya okuveliswayo ngokukhuthaza ezoqoqosho ngokusebenzisa ubuchwepheshe bezendalo, (ibiotechnology). Babecinga ukuba uphawu oluluncedo lokutya okuveliswe ngeendlela zeGM kukuba kuhlala ixesha elide, akonakali msinya. Abathathi nxaxheba babesoyika ukuba bangasifumana lula isifo somhlaza, bangafumana ukutyhefeka kokutya, ukusoleka (iallergy), ukuchaphazeleka kokusebenza kwezintso, ubuthathaka bamajoni omzimba, okanye ubuthathaka benzala emva kokutya iimveliso zokutya zeGM. Abazange babonakalise uloyiko olumandla malunga nombandela weenqobo zesimilo ezayanyaniswa neemveliso zokutya zeGM, ngaphandle kokuba ezi mveliso ziveliswa ngendlela engenasimilo sisulungekileyo. Kwakhona, abazange babonakalise loyiko malunga nokutya iimveliso zokutya zeGM, bengazange bakrokrele ukungakhuseleki kwezi mveliso okanye ukuba yingozi kwazo kwezinye izidalwa. Abathathi nxaxheba baxela ukuba izigqibo zabo zokuthenga iimveliso zokutya zeGM zingaphenjelelwa kukucinga ngokwanda kokutya okuveliswayo, ukuvela komhlaza emva kokuzitya, ukusolwa, ukucutha ukusebenzisa izibulali zinambuzane kunye neziphumo ezinobungozi kwindalo esingqongileyo. Imiqobo jikelele engqamene nonyango lweGM neyaphembelela izigqibo zabathathi nxaxheba malunga nokuthenga iimveliso zokutya zeGM ziquka ukwazi kancinci ngeemveliso zokutya zeGM, kukungabi namdla kwiimveliso zokutya zeGM nokuba ubani angabi nalwazi lokuba imveliso ethile inalo na unyango lweGM okanye ayinalo. / Lolu cwaningo olugxile kwinani luye lwaphenya ulwazi olumayelana nolwazi lwengqubo, umqondo omayelana nenhlobo yokudla okuguquliwe (GM food) kanye nezinto ezinomthelela phezu kwesinqumo sokuthenga sabaphenduli bemibuzo abanga-326, lokhu kwenziwe ngokusebenzisa umbhalo oqukethe imibuzo. Abaphenduli bemibuzo batholwe ngokunxenxa amabhizinisi kanye nezikole ezihlukahlukene endaweni yaseMooi River. Abaphenduli bemibuzo bakhombisile ukuthi babenganalwazi ngemikhiqizo yokudla eguquliwe (GM), kanti laba baphenduli abazange bakhombise ukungabambisani nalolu cwaningo. Imiphumela iyakhombisa ukuthi abaphenduli abazange bafune ukuthola noma yiluphi ulwazi olumayelana Nokudla kwe-GM kwimithombo eyahlukahlukene kanti baye bakholwa ukuthi ososayensi bayimithombo yolwazi ethembekayo. Empeleni, abaphenduli abazange baqonde imikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM njengokudla okunenzuzo yomsoco noma inzuzo yezomnotho kanti bebelidele le mikhiqizo ukuba yongeze inani lokudla elithunyelwayo ngokuxhasa umnotho ngokusebenzisa uhlelo lwe--biotechnology. Bakholelwa ekutheni umkhiqizo uhlale isikhathi eside emasheluvini, lokho okuyinzuzo kwikhwalithi yemikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM. Abaphenduli baye besaba ukungenwa yisifo somdlavuza, ushevu, ukuguliswa yinhlobo yokudla okuthile, ukushintshana kokusebenza kwezinso, ukungasebenzi kahle kwamasosha omzimba kanti ikakhulu izinkinga zokwehluleka ukuzala ngemuva kokudla imikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM. Abaphenduli abazange bakhombise ukwesaba mayelana nokuziphatha kwimikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM, ngaphandle kokuthi nje le mikhiqizo ikhiqizwa ngendlela ephambene nomthetho. Abaphenduli abazange futhi bakhombise ukwesaba mayelana nodaba lokudliwa komkhiqizo wokudla kwe-GM,kuxutshwa phakathi ukuthandabuza mayelana nokuphepha kwale mikhiqizo kanye nalokho okungahle kuphazamise izinto eziphilayo. Abaphenduli baye bakhombisa ukuthi imizamo yokuthi kube nokudla okuningi ngokukhiqiza imikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM, amathuba wokuphathwa yisifo somdlavuza ngemuva kokudla lokho kudla, ukungathandwa wukudla okuthize, ukunciphiswa kwezinga lokusebenziswa kwezibulalizinambuzane kanye nomphumela oyingozi phezu kwemvelo bekuyizinto ezihlobene nokudla kwe-GM lokho okuzoshintsha indlea yabo yokuthenga imikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM. Izihibhe ezejwayelekile ezihlobene ne-GM eziye zashintsha isinqumo sabaphenduli sokuthenga imikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM bekuxuba phakathi ukuphuma bayofuna ikakhulu imikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM, luncane kakhulu ulwazi abanalo ngemikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM, kuxuba ukungathandi imikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM kanye nokungazi ukuba ngabe umkhiqizo wequkethe umkhakha we-GM noma akunjalo. / Life and Consumer Sciences / M.A. (Consumer Science)

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the color preference of Thai and American students for text and background computer color combinations. The primary purpose of this study was to determine if there were differences between Thai and American students' computer color combination preferences.

This research study aims to obtain a holistic view of the area of store atmospherics, which forms part of the retail industry. A consumer-centred response approach was followed. Store atmospherics and its influence on consumers’ buying behaviour has received very little attention in the literature to date. Consumers’ views on in-store atmospheric elements and the influence of these elements on their buying behaviour were obtained. The primary research aim that was derived from the preliminary literature was therefore to explore the influence of store atmospherics on consumers’ buying behaviour in apparel retail stores in the Tshwane region. The type of research design used in this study was exploratory, making use of a qualitative approach and a communicative technique of interviews. The selected method was focus group interviews and naïve sketches. The data gathered was analysed by means of Tesch’s inductive descriptive coding technique, better known as thematic analysis. It was found that atmospheric elements have the ability to influence consumers in either a subconscious or a conscious way. This has a direct influence on the amount of time that consumers will spend in-store and ultimately influences their buying decisions and behaviour either positively or negatively. This had a direct influence on the amount of time that consumers will spend instore and ultimately influences their buying decisions and behaviours either positively or negatively, meaning that the consumers’ will display either an approach- or avoidance behaviour. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Retailers are turning to loyalty marketing to attempt to sustain profitability by encouraging consumer loyalty. This study aimed to explore the factors that influence consumer loyalty towards Edgars, the largest clothing retailer in South Africa. The study found that the strongest influence of consumer loyalty towards Edgars was price, followed by service and then merchandise selection. The effect of method of payment on loyalty was also measured and it was concluded that the more closely consumers are contractually tied to a retailer, the less of an influence price has on their loyalty towards the retailer. The results can guide retail organisations in determining the focus areas of their marketing efforts for consumers that favour different payment methods. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Abstracts in English and Zulu / Airline choice is of interest to both airline product development and marketing personnel and academics. While most of the studies airline choice/service quality only identify airlines service attributes essential to customers, this study employed personal values to extend and provide the reasons why airline service attributes are not or essential to passengers. Personal values are presented in the literature as the ultimate life goals individuals seek to attain in all aspects of their lives; hence, guide their behaviour. Based on this, the main objective of this study was to examine and identify the consumer (passenger) personal values that underpin the evaluation of airline service attributes used to choose an airline within the South African domestic passenger market. To achieve this objective, together with the secondary objectives, a quantitative descripto-explanatory research design was employed to guide data collection and analysis. A sample of 324 respondents was selected using a hybrid technique of convenience, and snowball sampling techniques and data were collected using both an online and hardcopy questionnaire. Data obtained were sorted and cleaned for analysis using the Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS 26) and the Analysis of a Moment Structures (AMOS Version 26) software. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to assess factor structures of observed variables and identify latent constructs. The factorability of portrait value questionnaire (PVQ) items was determined using the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Hypotheses were tested using the backward multiple regression analysis, Whitney-Mann test, Spearman correlation and hierarchical regression with Hayes’ Process Macro. The study identified five of Schwartz’s 19 refined values as significantly influencing the evaluation and prioritisation of airline service attributes. A state of indifference among customers was found when the impact of airline service attributes was tested, with only onboard services found to significantly influence post-purchase outcomes such as satisfaction, loyalty and repeat purchase behaviour. It was also found that passengers did not distinguish between low-cost and full-service carriers. Income only moderated the influence of stimulation and self-direction thought values on airline service attributes while marketing communications effort was found to have a direct than a moderating role. In the main, these findings bring a novel and rich way of explaining airline choice through personal values. The results are essential for airline market segmentation, positioning and the development of airline products or features that match passenger desired life goals (personal values) which are touted as a guide to their choice behaviour. / Ukuqoka inkampani yezindiza ozoyisebenzisa kumayelana nokuthuthukisa umkhiqizo nabasebenzi bokumaketha kanye nabacwaningi. Phezu kokuba ukucwaninga ngezindiza nokuqokwa kwazo/ ikhwalithi yesevisi kukhomba kuphela izimfanelo zesevisi ezibalulekile kumakhasimende, lolu cwaningo lumbandakanye okungamagugu abantu ukunweba nokuletha izizathu zokuthi kungani izimfanelo zesevisi zenkampani yezindiza zingabalulekile noma zibalulekile kubagibeli. Okungamagugu abantu kwethulwe ngemibhalo kwaba ngamaphupho ekusasa ahlonzwayo ezimpilweni, ngakho,ebe eqondisa indlela yokuziphatha kwabo. Kuncike kulokhu, eyona nhlosongqangi yalolu cwaningo kwaku wukuhlola nokuhlonza okungamagugu omuntu ongumthengi (umgibeli) ukusekela ukuhlolwa kwezimfanelo zesevisi ezisetshenziswa ukukhetha inkampani yezindiza azoyisebenzisa ezimakethe zalezi ezihambela ngaphakathi eNingizimu Afrika. Ukufezekisa le nhlosongqangi kanye nezinye izizathu zocwaningo, idizayini yokucwaningo ye’quantitative descripto-explanatory’ isetshenziswe ukuqokelela idatha nokuhlaziya ulwazi. Isampula yababambe iqhaza abangama-324 ikhethiwe kusetshenziswa i hybrid technique of convenience, kanye nendlela yesampula yemihlathi eyazanayo (snowball sampling), kanti idatha iqoqwe ngakho kokubili, ‘online’ namaphepha anemibuzo ebuzelwa ukuthola okuthile. Idatha etholakele ihlukanisiwe yenzelwa ukuhlaziyeka kahle kusetshenziswa iStatistical Product neService Solutions (SPSS 26) kanye ne-Analysis of a Moment Structures (AMOS Version 26) software. I-Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) yenziwe ukuze kuhlolwe ukuthi izakhiwo eziyizimiso ukuqaphela okuguqukayo kwabuye kwaqashelwa ne-identify latent constructs. I- factorability yeportrait value questionnaire (PVQ) izinto zanqunywa kusetshenziswa iconfirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Umbono ube usuhlolwa kusetshenziswa ibackward multiple regression analysis, Whitney-Mann test, Spearman correlation ne hierarchical regression ene Hayes’ Process Macro. Lolu cwaningo lube nezinkomba ezinhlanu zika’Schwartz’s 19’ ezingamagugu acwengisisiwe abe nomthelela wazo ethonyeni lokuhlola nokubeka phambili kwezinkampani zezindiza izimfanelo zesevisi. Kutholwe isimo sokunganaki kubagibeli uma kuhlolwa izimfanelo zesevisi yenkampani yezindiza, kuphela nje isevisi yangaphakathi endizeni ithathwa njengebaluleke kakhulu enomthelela emiphumeleni yokuthenga kamuva okubalwa kukho ukwaneliseka kwabagibeli, ukwethembeka nokuphinda kuthengwe amanye ngokuzayo. Kutholakele ukuthi abagibeli abakwazanga ukwahlukanisa phakathi kosizo olusezingeni eliphansi nalolo olusezingeni eliphezulu. Inzuzo ibe nomthelela kuphela ekukhuthazeni isiqondiso ngasinye ngokwamagugu okuziphatha ezinsizeni zesevisi yenkampani yezindiza ngakolunye uhlangothi ezokuxhumana kwezezimakethe kuyimizamo etholakele kube neqondile kuneqhaza elisezingeni elilinganayo. Ngokwesidingo, lokhu okutholakele kwethula indlela entsha ecebileyokuchaza ukuqokwa kwezinkampani zezindiza ezisethenziswa abantu abawuhlobo oluthile. Imiphumela ibalulekile emakethe yezinkampani zezindiza ukuze kwahlukaniswe, kubekwe endaweni, kuthuthukiswe imikhiqizo yezinkampani zezindiza noma izinto ezithandwa abagibeli nezidingo zabo zempilo okuyizona eziwumhlahlandlela wokuqoka inkampani abazoyisebenzisa / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Our connections to the digital world are invoked by brands, but the intersection of branding and interaction design is still an under-investigated area. Particularly, current websites are designed not only to support essential user tasks, but also to communicate an institution's intended brand values and traits. What we do not yet know, however, is which design factors affect which aspect of a brand. To demystify this issue, three sub-projects were conducted. The first project developed a systematic approach for evaluating the branding effectiveness of content-intensive websites (BREW). BREW gauges users' brand perceptions on four well-known branding constructs: brand as product, brand as organization, user image, and brand as person. It also provides rich guidelines for eBranding researchers in regard to planning and executing a user study and making improvement recommendations based on the study results. The second project offered a standardized perceived usability questionnaire entitled DEEP (design-oriented evaluation of perceived web usability). DEEP captures the perceived website usability on five design-oriented dimensions: content, information architecture, navigation, layout consistency, and visual guidance. While existing questionnaires assess more holistic concepts, such as ease-of-use and learnability, DEEP can more transparently reveal where the problem actually lies. Moreover, DEEP suggests that the two most critical and reliable usability dimensions are interface consistency and visual guidance. Capitalizing on the BREW approach and the findings from DEEP, a controlled experiment (N=261) was conducted by manipulating interface consistency and visual guidance of an anonymized university website to see how these variables may affect the university's image. Unexpectedly, consistency did not significantly predict brand image, while the effect of visual guidance on brand perception showed a remarkable gender difference. When visual guidance was significantly worsened, females became much less satisfied with the university in terms of brand as product (e.g., teaching and research quality) and user image (e.g., students' characteristics). In contrast, males' perceptions of the university's brand image stayed the same in most circumstances. The reason for this gender difference was revealed through a further path analysis and a follow-up interview, which inspired new research directions to unpack even more the nexus between branding and interaction design.