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In a study of 400 people in the United Kingdom half identified themselves as religious and thought that materialism was wrong. The survey found that religious consumers frowned upon advertisements for luxury watches that extolled showiness or desirability. However, when shown advertisements for the same watch that focused on durability and quality, religious consumers were more likely to buy the item.
One of the authors of the study, Dr Ekant Veer, said the research showed that supposedly core and unshakeable beliefs were not as hard to change as previously thought. The research uncovered that either beliefs were not deeply rooted or that advertising with regards to consumerism especially is starting to impact core beliefs and change them more easily, he said.
Dr Veer said the research was “eye opening.” He said it was useful for allowing consumers to understand how easily they could be “duped” and for allowing advertisers to understand their target market better. He said marketing an item to the wrong group could have a detrimental effect to the brand.
Image: National Business Review
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