York University Consumer Behaviour Final project

1. ADMS 4220 Consumer Behavior
MEASURING MEANS-END CHAINS

2. AGENDA
 Introduction
 Means-end chain overview
 About our survey
 Survey results
 Consumers and marketers standpoint
 Conclusion

3. INTRODUCTION
Among the many marketing research
techniques, one such method that aims to
understand consumer behaviour is the
Means End Chain Model

4. MEANS-END CHAIN OVERVIEW
The model explores the connection
between consumer and product
through the construction of a simple
associative network between concrete
and abstract product attributes,
functional and psychosocial
consequences linked with product use
and, finally, consumers’ instrumental
and terminal values.
Attributes Consequences Core Values

5. MEANS-END CHAIN OVERVIEW
Attributes: “I like this car
because it is
convertible”.
Consequences: “ I feel
young and free when I
drive this convertible
car”.
Core values: “The feel of
youth makes me feel
attractive”.

6. OUR SURVEY
Category product:
Fitness/ sport clubs

7. OUR SURVEY
Method:
Personal interviews with 31 respondents between 18 and 70
years
Respondents:
15 males, 16 females, 13 students and 18 working
respondents
Place:
Greater Toronto Area
3 Focus groups:
18 to 25 year olds
26 to 50 year olds
51 to 70 year olds.

8. QUESTIONNAIRE
Laddering:
Step1: What factors do
you consider when you
are deciding what
brand to buy?
Step 2: Why is that
important to you?
Step3: What does it give
you?

9. SURVEY RESULTS: 18-25 AGE GROUP
Female and male on a total of 10
Similarities:
want to lose weight and look attractive
attributed towards additional facilities to be available at the gym
Differences:
Girls- to develop healthy lifestyle
Men - to use additional facilities as means to socialize
Core Values
Girls: feel to be attractive
Men: feel to be self-confident
Other Findings
Price is the biggest influential factor
Socializing with friends and family takes prevalence over joining a fitness
club on any given day

10. SURVEY RESULTS: 18-25 AGE GROUP

11. SURVEY RESULTS: 26-50 AGE GROUP
Survey of 10 people
5 Females
5 Males
No any significant differences between male and
female perception of the attributes at this group

12. Survey Results: 26-50 AGE group
Healthy High Self- Personal Feel Healthy
wellbeing esteem happiness Attractive Wellbeing
Core Values
Build
Variety of
different
Less germs Reputable Feel exercise
place comfortable muscles
Consequences
Cleanliness Equipment Variety
Attributes .

13. SURVEY RESULTS: 51-70 AGE GROUP
Survey of 11 people
were done:
6 Females
5 Males

14. FEMALES (AGE 51-70)
Core Values
Maintain Reduce Move
Beauty Live Longer Medication
Socialize Dependency
Freely
Improve Skin Reduce
Texture/ Feeling Building Disease pressure on
Complexion Young Confidence Prevention the legs
Consequences
Attributes Body Shaping Weight Loss
.

15. MALES (AGE 51-70)
Core Values
To attract
Enjoy life
Business To become Increase opposite
without
sweating on
promotion well known confidence sex
machine
Relax and Time To feel To look
pass Networking Feel young handsome
important
Consequences
Use of other facilities
Attributes like sauna and pool Body Building
.

16. 51-70 Age Group
Female Female Male Male
3 People 3 People 2 People 3 People
Attributes Body Weight Other Body building.
shaping loss facilities
Consequence Beauty Medical Network Looks
& Core values and looks reasons
Society House Business Hospitality and
ladies wives people show business
executives.

17. CONSUMERS AND MARKETERS
STANDPOINT
Relationships between product attributes and core values
are used to develop an advertising strategy:
1 example : “Get in shape”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytc0fGz3mLo
2 example: “Girl with nuts”
http://viad.tv/video-13013/orange-fitness-girl-with-
nuts/

18. CONSUMERS AND MARKETERS
STANDPOINT
Example 3: Body shaping – Feel Young – Live Long/ Feel
Attractive

19. CONCLUSION
 Means End Chain is a unique marketing
technique to understand and deliver on consumer
behaviour. Why? A simple question coupled with
some intelligent probing can accomplish a pool of
beneficial information that marketers can use to
target anywhere from an entire demographics or
to a particular segment etc.

20. QUESTIONS

21.  Thank you!

22. REFERENCES
1) "Why." The Free Dictionary. Farlex, 2007. Web. 06 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.thefreedictionary.com/why>.
2) Boer, Martine De. "Means-End Chain Theory Applied to Irish Convenience Food
Consumers." Mendeley Research Networks. 2002. Web. 06 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.mendeley.com/research/meansend-chain-theory-applied-irish-
convenience-food-consumers-1/>.
3) Weijters, Bert. "A Means-End-Chain Analysis of Pub Visits in Belgium."
Proceeding of the Beeronomics Conference (2009): 1-10. Web.
<http://https://biblio.ugent.be/input/download?func=downloadFile&recordOId=69
3187&fileOId=967702>.
4) Hawley, Michael. "Laddering: A Research Interview Techinque for Uncovering
Core Values." (2009): 1-7. Web.
<http://http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2009/07/laddering-a-research-
interview-technique-for-uncovering-core-values.php>
5) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytc0fGz3mLo
6) http://viad.tv/video-13013/orange-fitness-girl-with-nuts/