Peer pressure and stuff...

Let's face it, we've all felt pressured into buying something at one time or another. Like that time your mate told you that multi coloured jacket would "look awesome with some loose fitting jeans and pointy shoes"...no? Just me then...

There are many different groups that people belong to and these groups all play a part in our final purchase decision. These groups of people generally fall into the following titles;

Groups that we are born into - this is our family members; parents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, etc, etc. Our family do play a part in our decision making process but their opinion may not hold the same weight as that of others (particularly when we are in our teens)!

Groups we look to for lifestyle - this is celebrities and people we admire who are in the public eye. This group plays a large part in our purchase decisions; most people look to celebrities and famous people for fashion tips...subconsciously maybe this is because we wish we were in their position?

Groups we join when growing up - these are groups we may have joined over the period of our life. Football clubs and other groups that play a part in our development as a person. When we are younger this group may have more sway over what we buy. For instance, when I was younger I always wanted the newest football boots to impress my team-mates...I generally got them aswell.

Aspirational groups - groups of people that we aspire to be like; people that are thought of as "cool" or popular. This can include celebrities. This group tends to have a bigger part to play when we growing up, in secondary school and in our teens. Teenagers always want to fit in with the "cool kids"...luckily for me I don't have to try too hard.

Groups we don't particularly like - groups of people that we try to avoid at all costs! People that we will go to great lengths to avoid being associated with (including purposely avoiding products that they would buy).

Associative groups - the groups that we actually fit into.

Peer groups - our close friends and acquantances. These tend to have the biggest influence on our purchase decision (as I can prove with that ridiculous multi-coloured jacket in my wardrobe).

It is important for marketers to recognise the different groups that play a part in our buying decision as this enables us to tap into consumers' insecurities and play to what they aspire to be. As a consumer myself, I know that should a product be advertised by a celebrity that I admire and appeal to my peer group, chances are that I will buy it in the end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMI-3DAX-3I

The above advert is a great example of using aspirational groups to our advantage as marketers. The advert has truck loads of "uber cool" celebs in it and is set in a massive houseparty...and I don't know about anyone else but that sounds like my idea of heaven.