Know-How Exchange : Student Questions

Truthteller,

I would expect you will find a fair amount of variety in repsonses, so here's one to get you started.

The postmodern consumer can be defined by these traits:
- They gather information online and frequently make purchases online without seeing or touching the product.
- They have a cynical approach to most marketing messages (yeah!).
- They rely on their social networks and social media for information and opinion before making a purchase.
- They are less brand-loyal than the previous generation.

Hope this helps you
Best of luck, JohnnyB

Dear truthteller,

You might want to begin by reading this:

https://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/qst_question.asp?qstid=7825

Then consider how big brands have, in many cases, let people down in one way or another: Nike and child labor; AIG and the bailout; Berni Madoff and investing; Toyota and safety.

When you look at each of these situations, one major fault underpins their breakdown: a breach of the promise that the
brand represents.

When brands make promises that they then break, consumers become cynical of ALL brand promises, and when brands break promises a certain amount of resonance begins to shake the foundations of specific markets.

When interconnected brands in interconnected markets break their promises the fabric of commerce begins to vibrate and just like a pebble tossed into a still pond waves spread out, in this case, waves of mistrust that wash over consumers and that begin to erode one of the most important aspects of business: customer faith.

I hope this helps.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA