En starkt konkurrerande marknad har tvingat företag att hitta nya vägar att marknadsföra sig på. Att använda förpackningsdesign har visat sig vara ett starkt verktyg för företag att nå ut med sin marknadsföring till konsumenter. Förpackningen har fått en viktig roll genom att få produkten att sticka ut i butikshyllan men den är även ett sista steg att kommunicera ut varumärket. Teorier om förpackningsdesign samt konsumentbeteende har hjälpt till att skapa en överskådlig bild över vad som studerats tidigare men även ge en förförståelse för fenomenet förpackningsdesign. Detta har bidragit till valet av studiens angreppsvinkel, vilken är att undersöka förpackningsdesign ur ett konsumentperspektiv för att få möjligheten att förstå hur en konsument tänker inför ett köpbeslut, samt vad som kan ligga till grund för vad en konsument attraheras av. Vad som var högst påtagligt efter en snabb överblick var att en förpackning påverkar en konsument, men hur mycket och till vilken grad var svårare att analysera. Det är många faktorer utöver förpackningen som även dessa har betydelse för vilken produkt en konsument i slutändan väljer. Efter en mer grundlig analys av data, insamlad med hjälp av fokusgruppsintervjuer samt de tidigare framtagna teorierna kunde slutsatsen dras att konsumenten påverkas av olika faktorer tillsammans vid val av lågengagemangsvara. Dock observerades en antydan till att konsumenter inte påverkas av förpackningen i lika stor utsträckning som av tidigare preferenser, varumärke och pris. Sammantaget krävs ett samspel mellan design och utformning samt pris, positionering och innehåll för att skapa en lyckad förpackningsdesign. / A highly competitive market has forced companies to find new ways to market themselves. Using package design has proven to be a powerful tool for companies to reach out with their marketing to consumers. The package has got a major role as a last step to communicate the brand to the consumers. This study aims to examine and analyse what factors influence a consumer in the decision making process when choosing a packaged product in the FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) industry. Three focus group interviews with consumers has generated qualitative data which is presented in relation to the theoretical framework of the study. The results show that there are many factors in addition to the package that also have a bearing on what product a consumer ultimately choose. A conclusion is drawn that different factors work together to influence the consumers choice of product. However, consumers seem to be less affected by the package than by past preferences, brand and price. Overall an interaction between design and form, price, positioning and content is required to create a successful package design.

Frågeställningar: Hur påverkas konsumtionen av digitala nyheter av individuella preferenser och ålder? Hur påverkas inställningen till digitala nyheter på olika utlämningsformer av individers preferenser och ålder? Syfte: Studiens syfte är att beskriva konsumtionen av digitala nyheter i olika åldersgrupper och att analysera konsumenters individuella preferenser gällande detta. Vidare är syftet att analysera de faktorer som påverkar konsumtionen av digitala nyheter. Ett delsyfte är även att beskriva och analysera olika åldersgruppers preferenser och inställning gällande olika utlämningsformer för digitala nyheter. Det slutliga syftet är att tillhandahålla rekommendationer till digitala nyhetsbyråer som de kan använda sig av för att tillmötesgå individers preferenser vid konsumtion av digitala nyheter. Metod: Studien har genomförts med en en induktiv ansats och en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi. Primärdata samlades genom intervjuer och fokusgrupper. Resultat och slutsatser: Utifrån studiens resultat drar vi slutsatsen att konsumtionen av digitala nyheter påverkas i större grad av individuella preferenser än ålder. Vidare identifierades påverkansfaktorer, där intresse påvisades vara en av de viktigaste. Respondenterna uppvisade en positiv inställning till mobila nyhetsapplikationer och sociala medier som utlämningsformer för digitala nyheter. Teoretiskt och praktiskt bidrag: Studien bidrar med åtta faktorer som påverkar konsumtionsmönstret av digitala nyheter. Vidare bidrar studien med en klargörelse av individuella preferenser gällande utlämningsformer för digitala nyheter. Studiens resultat kan sedan ligga till grund för hur digitala nyhetsbyråer kan tillmötesgå konsumenters preferenser.  Nyckelord: Konsumentbeteende, konsumtionsmönster, individuella preferenser, ålder, digitala nyheter / Research question: How is the consumption of digital news affected by individual preferences and age? How is the attitude towards digital news on different digital channels affected by individual preferences and age? Purpose: The purpose of the study is to describe the consumption of digital news in different age groups and to analyse consumers’ individual preferences regarding this. The purpose is furthermore to analyse factors influencing the consumption of digital news. It is also to describe and analyse different age groups preferences and attitudes towards news on different digital channels. The final purpose of the study is to provide digital news agencies with recommendations that they can use to meet individual preferences regarding the consumption of digital news. Method: The study is based on an inductive approach and a qualitative research method. The data has been collected through interviews and focus groups. Results and conclusions: Based on the study’s results we conclude that the consumption of digital news is affected to a greater extent by individual preferences than age. Furthermore factors that affect the consumption of news were identified, where interest was shown to be one of the most important factors. The respondents showed positive attitudes towards mobile news applications and social media as digital channels for news. Theoretical and practical contribution: The study contributes eight factors that affect the consumption of digital news. Furthermore the study clarifies different age groups attitudes towards news on different digital channels. The study’s results could form the basis for how digital news agencies can accommodate consumer preferences. Keywords: Consumer behaviour, Consumption pattern, individual preference, age, digital news

Abstract Background <img src="file:///page3image5064" /> <img src="file:///page3image5488" /> <img src="file:///page3image5648" /> <img src="file:///page3image5808" /> <img src="file:///page3image6232" /> <img src="file:///page3image6392" /> Branding is a significant asset for a company, and can provide a firm with sole association and a special meaning for the consumer. Consumer research generally stresses the idea of positive consumption of brands and a gap in the consumer behaviour studies regarding brand avoidance can be exemplified. Subsequently, brand avoidance has recently received more attention, as the importance to identify what brands consumers deliberately avoid is as valuable to recognize. In order to get a more comprehensive image of the market, the relevance to examine the drivers of service brand avoidance has been identified. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the drivers of why people deliberately avoid certain service brands. Based upon the purpose, three questions have been framed: What are the drivers of brand avoidance in the service industry? How can the drivers identified connect to previous research, primarily made by Lee et al. (2009b) and later revised by Knittel et al. (2016)? Is it possible to draw conclusions regarding all services? Method The thesis is mainly exploratory in its nature due to the insights that is required in order to investigate people’s behaviour. The data has been collected through 16 semi- structured interviews where participants have shared their stories connected to service brand avoidance. The data has then been interpreted and in most cases been connected to previous literature. Conclusion Most consumers avoid several types of service brands, both deliberately and unconsciously. The findings from interviews have been connected to previous literature, but also some new conclusions have been made regarding the service industry. Five categories with sub-themes have been identified and linked to earlier studies by Lee et al. (2009b) and Knittel et al. (2016); experiential, identity, moral, deficit-value, and marketing avoidance. The findings show a deeper knowledge of brand avoidance but solely in the service industry.

The behaviour of consumers on the Internet is increasingly a focus of marketing research. In particular, consumers’ behaviour in online shopping, from adoption motivation to post-usage behaviour, has become a major focus of research in the field of marketing, especially within consumer behaviour. Yet it has been acknowledged that while aspects such as adoption and usage motivation are now better understood, there are many questions that remain unanswered, and this warrants continued research effort. In line with the above, this research addresses an issue in online consumer behaviour that is currently under researched and which relates to the role that the consumer’s regulatory focus trait plays in their manifested behaviour in online shopping. The research argues that it is important to understand the role of regulatory focus in online shopping because this psychological trait has been shown to affect other aspects of human behaviour such as in response to advertising, dieting and sports. Drawing upon research from consumer behaviour and the wider fields of marketing and psychology, this research proposes a number of hypotheses relating the consumer’s regulatory focus to her perception of online shopping, motivation for online shopping, and actual usage behaviour in a structural manner. The resulting structural equation model is then tested using empirical data obtained from 306 Internet shoppers in the United Kingdom. The results of the research confirm that regulatory focus has an influence on consumer behaviour in online shopping by affecting their perception, motivation and usage of online shopping. The research makes a unique contribution by demonstrating that regulatory focus is a valid and robust predictor of online shopping behaviour and behavioural outcomes, a conclusion which is relevant to both marketing research and marketing practice. Finally, the research identifies and recommends areas for future studies.

Increasing economic, social and environmental problems around the world have shown that current models of economic development cannot be sustained. Thus, new patterns of consumption are needed. According to the literature, global companies are well placed to attempt leveraging sustainable consumption, as their production lines; supply chains; products and services extend across many continents, and as such the cumulative effect of their actions are wide reaching. This research sets out to better understand the intertwined factors that companies in two different contexts (Mexico and the UK), need to consider in order to leverage sustainable consumption. Through the literature review it was seen that sustainable consumption requires a multitude of changes, which have to occur at a systems level. In response to this, user-centred design (UCD) principles were seen as a valuable approach to give a broader account of the complexities around consumption and consumer's behaviour that could be communicated to higher management. A series of interviews, a focus group and a document analysis was undertaken to collect qualitative data. The findings led to the construction of a theoretical framework supported by UCD principles. The theoretical framework was then translated into the Sustainable Consumption Leveraging (SCL) Model and its toolkit. The SCL Model is a mechanism that takes into account the interaction of elements in a specific business context to identify areas of opportunity to leverage sustainable consumption through a consumer-focused approach. During a series of workshops, the SCL Model and its toolkit were tested to distinguish further opportunities of improvement and to understand where global companies stand with regards leveraging sustainable consumption. The research concludes by saying that companies need to work in collaboration with other actors to build a strong sustainability and innovation strategy that could help them to find new ways of doing business that can enhance more sustainable lifestyles.

Αναμφισβήτητα διανύουμε την εποχή μιας νέας οικουμενικής ψηφιακής πολιτείας, όπου τα Social Media προσμετρούν πάνω από 1 δισεκατομμύριο χρήστες παγκοσμίως. Μέσω της ανάπτυξης και της αυξανόμενης δημοτικότητας των Social Media, η ικανότητα των τελευταίων να επηρεάσουν την καταναλωτική συμπεριφορά των χρηστών, έχει γίνει ένα σύγχρονο αντικείμενο μελέτης στο πεδίο του Μάρκετινγκ, το οποίο όμως βρίσκεται σε νηπιακό στάδιο. Η παρούσα Διπλωματική εργασία πραγματεύεται την ικανότητα των Μέσων Ηλεκτρονικής Κοινωνικής Δικτύωσης (Social Media) να επηρεάσουν την πρόθεση για αγορά προϊόντων και υπηρεσιών και εν γένει την καταναλωτική συμπεριφορά των χρηστών. Σε πρώτο επίπεδο, με γνώμονα την Διεθνή βιβλιογραφία, εξετάζονται ενδελεχώς οι λόγοι χρήσης και η στάση των χρηστών απέναντι στα Social Media, ενώ γίνεται ειδική μνεία στις αλλαγές που έχουν επιφέρει σε κοινωνικό, πολιτικό και οικονομικό επίπεδο. Αμέσως μετά ακολουθεί εμπειρική μελέτη μέσα από την οποία, ο βαθμός της επίδρασης των Social Media στην καταναλωτική συμπεριφορά και στην πρόθεση για αγορά των χρηστών προσεγγίζεται πολυδιάστατα, κυρίως μέσω της εξέτασης ενός μεγάλου αριθμού παραγόντων, με έμφαση στο eWOM, στις διαφημίσεις και στην επίσημη παρουσία των επιχειρήσεων μέσα σε αυτά. Τα στοιχεία της έρευνας από 179 συμμετέχοντες χρήστες των Social Media οδήγησαν στην διεξαγωγή σημαντικών αποτελεσμάτων, που αποδεικνύουν πως τελικά η ενασχόληση με τα Social Media φαίνεται να επηρεάζει την συμπεριφορά του καταναλωτή. Σημαντικό είναι το εύρημα ότι η κάλυψη των κοινωνικών αναγκών των χρηστών μέσα από την χρήση των Social Media έχει αντίστροφη σχέση με την ενθάρρυνση της πρόθεσης για αγορά. Τα ευρήματα αυτά επιφέρουν σημαντικές θεωρητικές και κοινωνικές συνέπειες, ενώ παρέχουν χρήσιμες κατευθύνσεις για μελλοντική έρευνα. / Undoubtedly we live in the era of a new universal digital society where Social Media have been adopted by one billion users world-wide. Through their development and growing popularity, the ability of Social Media to influence consumer behaviour has become a contemporary topic of study in the field of Marketing, which is in its infancy. This thesis deals with the ability of Electronic Media of Social Networking (Social Media) to influence the users intention to purchase products and services and their general consumer behaviour. On a first level, guided by International literature, we examine in detail the reasons for the use of Social Media and user attitudes towards them, while we make specific reference to the changes they have brought on a social, political and economic level. We proceed with a multidimensional examination of the impact Social Media have on users' consumer behaviour and purchase intentions; we examine a large number of factors, through an empirical research, with an emphasis on eWOM, advertising and the formal business presence within Social Media. Our survey data from 179 participants -all users of Social Media -led to significant results, showing that, ultimately, using Social Media seems to affect consumer behaviour. A key finding is that fulfilling the social needs of the users through the use of Social Media has an adverse relationship with the encouragement of their intent to purchase. These findings have significant theoretical and social implications, and provide useful guidance for future research.

The purpose in this thesis is to analyse which information about the sustainable impacts in fashion supply chain is the most important for the consumer. To find out how the eco-label can be designed with information and messages about the sustainable producing process, and to make the consumer more safe and satisfied with the fashion industry’s communication about sustainability and their sustainable products. - How to define sustainability in fashion supply chain? - What information about eco-labeled clothes does the fashion consumers require? - What are the conditions for creating and designing sustainable messages on the clothing’s eco-labels? In the final definition of sustainability according to this study, the focus falls on four distinctive expressions, which are, good working conditions, profitability, comfort and human needs. To explain this further, the good working conditions and the human needs have to do with wellbeing and health for the consumer and workers. Profitability has to do with the economy for both companies and consumers, and comfort is something both consumers and workers strive for. So the finally definition of sustainability in this thesis is to strive for better health, economy and comfort for all people. The information about eco-labeled clothes that the consumers require, have actually nothing to do with sustainability. However, the consumers require information about price, quality, and comfort. Moreover, if the product would be eco-labeled, the consumer should wish to get reliable information about the working conditions and chemicals, which gives the consumer a chance to know what they are paying for. To be able to create a message the focus should be on significances that increases the consumers self-interests, which in this case would be long lasting quality, health and price. These significances are similar to the earlier presented definition of sustainability, which is to strive for better health, economy and comfort for all people. Here comfort can be a part of the long lasting quality or a part of the good working conditions in the supply chain. Therefore, a sustainable message with reliable information about price and quality should be the symbol that explains how it affects the health, economy, and comfort for both the consumers and the employees in the fashion supply chain.

<p>Background:</p><p>During the last years, the boom of the Internet has carried along with it new possibilities for communication, in addition, other technological developments of society together act to form a new reality in which companies have to rethink their means for com-municating with consumers.</p><p>Problem and Purpose:</p><p>In a new reality where consumers seem to reap all the benefits of the technological changes, how then, should companies adjust to the changing environment? The authors first investigated the modern media environment and found some trends in how it is evolving, and after listening to what some experts within the field think about the future and of what should be done, they them-selves endeavoured to generate some guidance for companies in this matter.</p><p>Method:</p><p>This thesis is somewhat of a Delphi study, which means that it heavily relies on the statements of experts. What they have said has played a crucial role in the authors’ own formulation of guid-ance. The experts were interviewed either face-to-face, or through the exchange of e-mails.</p><p>Conclusions:</p><p>Major trends in how the media environment is transforming are; technology as an enhancer to rather becoming a determinant, segmentation to fragmentation, decreasing- to increasing returns to scale, an opening for entirely new business concepts and an in-creasing value of intangible assets as a complement to traditional, tangible assets. The authors then presented some elements that would be of crucial significance in this new environment, and they also formulated some more specific guidance in how these ele-ments could be instigated in companies. They were; Speed and flexibility, customization and sustainability. Advice in how they could be instigated where then summarized and illustrated in the “New Digital World Market Communication Diamond”, which basically emphasizes the need for updating the values and the cor-porate culture, the need for streamlining supply chains, the need of truly finding and using information about consumers, and fi-nally, the need for adaptive experimentation.</p>

Colour influences the human mind and body through physical as well as psychological reactions to specific colours. These reactions are conditioned by previous experiences leading to certain preferences, associations and perceptions regarding certain colours. There are various aspects within a firm where colour may be utilised to the benefit of its marketing efforts. Marketers must realise that colour may be very influential and it is important to pay close attention to the associations and preferences of the firm’s target market(s) the influence of colour on human perceptions has been widely studied in many research fields. Most marketers recognise the importance of colour within the marketing environment (Section 1.1). Colour has different meanings for different people and these differences need to be acknowledged to ensure success in marketing efforts. If colour is used strategically within the marketing mix (product, place and promotion) of a firm, it may influence consumers positively (Section 1.2). This study endeavoured to determine the colour preferences, associations and perceptions of Generation Y students in South Africa. The findings of this study will be of value to those marketers who target this cohort and may utilised by them to use colour more effectively within their marketing mix. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of colour on the consumer behaviour of Generation Y students in the South African market. The research study investigated the following aspects: • The colour preferences of Generation Y students. • Emotions Generation Y students associate with different colours. • How Generation Y students perceive various colours. • Product colour and product packaging colour preferences of Generation Y students. • Consumer behaviour patterns of Generation Y students regarding specified products. For this study, the target population comprised of Generation Y students registered at South Africa’s public higher education institutions (HEIs). The sampling frame consisted of a list of South Africa’s 23 public HEIs, as stipulated by the Department of Higher Education and Training (2011). This study made use of a non-probability convenience sample of two HEI campuses located in the Vaal Triangle region of South Africa’s Gauteng province that was drawn from the sampling frame. Thereafter, a convenience sample of 500 under-graduate students was drawn from these HEI campuses - 250 students per campus. A structure self-administered questionnaire was distributed to the respondents. The questionnaire requested respondents to rank colours according to preferences, on a four- and seven-point Likert scales were used respectively to determine colour associations and perceptions. The questionnaire also contained questions using a four-point Likert scale designed to determine product colour and product-package colour preferences as well as questions designed to determine consumer behaviour patterns of Generation Y students regarding certain products. In addition, the respondents were asked to provide certain demographic data. The findings indicate that Generation Y students have distinctive colour preferences, associations and perceptions. The respondents also indicated a number of notable product and product package preferences as well as particular consumer behaviour traits. When comparing male and female respondents as well as black and white respondents respectively, the results depicted various statistical significant differences (p < 0.05). Cohen’s D statistic was computed to determine the level of practical significance of these differences. From this, it is evident that colour do influence Generation Y students’ consumer behaviour and perceptions to some extent. Colour is present in every aspect of marketing. If used strategically, colour may be used by marketers to influence their target market’s perceptions and preferences. The findings emanating from this study should be used as a guideline to incorporate colour into the design of the marketing mix (colour) in such a way as to appeal to Generation Y students. / MCom, Marketing Management, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

The common view of brand choice in consumer marketing is that brands compete against each other within a specified product category. For example, different coffee brands are compared and evaluated by consumers and the most preferred brand is selected. Is this the only adequate way of demonstrating how consumers make brand choices? This thesis challenges the common view on brand choice and brand choice determinants in consumer markets on several accounts. First, brand choice is made in goal-derived categories (e.g., "foods to eat while on a diet"), and research on goal-derived categories and consumption goals suggests that consumers often choose between brands from different product categories. For example, a consumer may choose between brands of coffee, tea, and soft drinks to fulfill a consumption goal. Second, there is the question of complementarity. Are brands always chosen one by one? We argue in this thesis that consumers often choose brand constellations from complementary product categories in goal-derived categories (e.g., hamburgers and soft drinks when on a short lunch break). The thesis consists of four articles based on empirical studies. The articles cover single-brand choice and brand constellation choice in goal-derived categories, and the use of goal-derived categories by marketing practitioners. The general conclusion is that consumers evaluate more aspects than just brand-related ones when they choose brands in goal-derived categories. Product category associations (i.e., how typical a product category is perceived in a goal-derived category) are a more important determinant of brand (constellation) choice than brand associations. Also, in brand constellation choice, complementarity (i.e., perceived fit between brands) is more strongly related to brand choice than attitude towards individual brands. / <p>Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögsk., 2003</p>