Claire Covner, David Martinez, Hernan Ramirez, Jessica Timm, Bryton Wildsmith

MKTG 450 Consumer Behavior

November 17, 2015

Profile of Generation Y
Every generation develops a set of distinct characteristics acquired from their
environment and the nurturing they receive during childhood. Generation Y (Gen Y), also
known as the Millennials, is a unique and highly influential group relative to previous
generations that is often discussed by marketers, but is yet to be fully understood. Having grown
up in the 21st century, Gen Y is heavily influenced by technology and the Internet. Thus Gen Y
members value ease of communication, constant contact with peers, and virtually always being
involved in each others decisions and lives (Journal of Consumer Marketing).
Much of Gen Y was brought up by the Baby Boomer generation. The Baby Boomers are
known for their extreme regard of their childrens well being. Baby Boomer parents treated their
Gen Y children as precious and as a result, to an extent, spoiled them. Since Baby Boomers
themselves are more free spending, this is reflected in the way their Gen Y children were raised.
The Boomer parenting style was also centered on the desire to raise self-assured young adults by
inspiring strong self-esteem. All in all, Gen Y members have grown up to be described as selfconfident, optimistic, and questioning (A Demographic Profile).
Gen Y grew up in a society focused on doing good in all aspects of life, with a view
that many factors, both internal and external, impact their lives. One of the major external
factors that Gen Y has become increasingly sensitive to in recent years is the environment. Gen
Y has grown up with a sense of civic duty to save the environment and treasure it as much as

possible, and is the generation most sustainability-conscious (A Demographic Profile,

Rayapura).
In terms of marketing and packaging efforts specifically relating to the advertisement of
health and beauty products, members of Gen Y respond to connections stemming from sexual
attraction, and the high regard associated with being environmentally and socially conscious
(Journal of Consumer Marketing). Gen Yers are also more socially conscious than past
generations and genuinely care about, and are affected by, what their peers think as well as the
products their peers use. Within Gen Y, there is a strong emphasis on feeling a connection to
ones community and peers, as well as being liked and respected by others. Therefore, examples
of effective advertising might show a boy choosing a certain body wash because he thinks a girl
will be more attracted to that certain scent, or a girl choosing a shampoo because its packaging
states that it is all natural and environmentally friendly, because she believes she will be
respected by her peers for this decision (Nahai).
Due to todays enduring success and the saturation of social media, Gen Ys values and
actions are visible by basically all members of society and especially their peers. Consequently,
Gen Y members place a high value on social responsibility, and they question marketing tactics
and purchase decisions more thoroughly than previous generations. However, they rarely stray
from the norm. They are typified as valuing individuality, yet they still make sure to fit into
the group with which they wish to relate.
Marketers also rely on word-of-mouth marketing and peer reviews when targeting this
generation (Nahai). As stated before, Gen Y does not readily trust marketing efforts by
companies and actually often ignore most advertisements. Research William Schroer said that
Gen Y kids are immune to most traditional marketing and sales pitches...as they not only grew

up with it all, theyve seen it all and been exposed to it all since early childhood (Schroer). The
value they associate with certain products comes from the trust they initially place on their peers
opinions and recommendations of products and services via word-of-mouth or social media
(Fallon).
In conclusion, as stated in the assignment, members of Generation Y are particularly
affected by packaging, and are often looking for products and brands they believe match their
lifestyle and values. This lifestyle and these values are focused on social awareness and
responsibility, which includes making environmentally sound purchase decisions and valuing
peers opinions and recommendations.
Description of Research Methodology
In order to evaluate how packaging influences Gen Ys purchase decisions for
health and beauty products, particularly shower products, we conducted ethnographic research
involving the interviewing of subjects in their own homes. We were specifically interested in
learning how the packaging of shampoos, conditioners, and body washes contributed to
consumer purchase decisions. In conducting our research, we interviewed a total of 10 collegeaged students in their early 20s. By observing the variety of shower products that subjects had in
their bathrooms, we were able to understand firsthand what attributes stand out in the packaging
of these products. In addition, this research involved questioning all of our subjects about the
shower products they use. Each subject was prompted to provide further information and
elaborate upon what got their attention on the packaging, what they associated with the
packaging, etc.
From a combination of our observations and face-to-face discussions with six female
subjects and four male subjects, we were able to determine a number of findings in regards to the

role packaging plays in shower product purchase decisions. We then broke down our findings to
differentiate how packaging appeals to each gender because we thought there would be
differences in our findings along gender lines. Therefore, we will be presenting our research
findings and common denominators in strong and weak product packages separately for our male
subjects and our female subjects. This will hopefully allow for more accurate and customizable
recommendations for companies and their marketing plans.
Research Findings
The majority of female subjects we interviewed talked about the importance of products
being all natural or indicating functionality on labels, having bright colors, visual images,
perception of quantity of product for price, and pleasant scents. Specifically, subjects admitted
to buying products because of claims such as voluminous, moisturizing, etc. Amongst all of
our subjects, it was clear that these claims of product functionality were a major factor in their
decision-making processes.
In terms of the physical packaging itself, several female subjects commented on the
functionality of the packaging design. For example, subjects said they would choose a shampoo
based on whether or not the bottle has a pump because of its ease of use and the fact that a pump
usually means a bigger bottle with more product. In addition, bright packaging colors and visual
images seemed to attract more of our subjects than simple font and claims alone. Images of fruit
consistently stood out to the subjects and many felt that this created an association with the
product being natural or smelling good. For example, the body wash of one subject featured
images of pomegranates and mangoes on the packaging. Combined with the claim of having
natural extracts, this packaging was more compelling than just the claim alone. Another
example of the effect of images is including scientific-looking images, such as a protein chain.

These visuals gave many of our subjects the impression that the technology in the product would
actually work.
Finally, the majority of female subjects in our study seemed highly concerned with the
all-natural or environmentally-friendly components in the products they purchased. It
seemed the consensus was that our subjects preferred to purchase products based on whether
they thought it was made from natural ingredients due to claims like sulfate free or lists of
ingredients such as soy, cocoa, and argan oils. On top of these attributes, our female subjects
still highly valued scent in their purchase decisions, and wanted to make sure that their shower
products not only were functional and practical, but also smelled good.
On the other hand, what we learned from the male subjects we interviewed slightly
differed from the views of our female subjects. Our male subjects were much more interested in
the social perceptions behind a product rather than the functionality of the product itself or even
the physical attributes of the product packaging. In particular, our subjects described how they
would not use Axe products because they associate the brand with middle school and high school
and view it as less mature. At the same time, a lot of the males felt as though the Old Spice
brand signified manliness.
The male subjects did have some similar reactions to packaging as the female subjects.
This mostly had to do with being visually attracted to colors that stand out on packaging, such as
the red and cream colors on Old Spice products. They also cared about scent and making sure
that their shower products smelled good for themselves and for others. For the most part, unlike
our female subjects, the male subjects did not seem to pay as much attention to the claims on
packaging. Ultimately, packaging claims and functionality did not seem to play as significant of

a role as it did for females. Rather, advertising exposure and peer influence seemed to be a better
indicator of the types of shower products they would purchase.
Common Denominators in Strong Product Packages
One of the main common denominators in strong product packages for our female
subjects was the utilitarian or functional aspect of the product and the use of product claims. Our
female subjects tended to gravitate more towards products that had visible and attractive product
claims and images. They tended to agree that a product with claims and supporting images
related to qualities it promised to offer, such as a claim of with protein in conjunction with a
protein chain image, amplified their perceptions of its performance and made them think it was
more effective and practical. This is an example of covariation, where, when we have
incomplete product information, we base our judgments on associations between characteristics,
in this case claims and images that support those claims, which may or may not actually
influence each other. It is a heuristic that consumers often use, and is one that makes sense with
our subjects because shower products are not usually high-involvement, especially for college
students. Our subjects, as most consumers do, wanted to make sure they put a minimal amount
of time and effort into their purchase decisions, while still being satisfied with the results.
Another common denominator that we found amongst our female subjects was that they
were more attracted to products that seemed natural, either containing natural ingredients or
some sort of added benefit, and were environmentally sound. The female subjects we
interviewed claimed that if a product indicated it was natural or was made of natural
ingredients, and especially if it had added benefits, it was viewed as more attractive. This
commonality makes sense with our research that says Gen Y is the most environmentally
conscious generation, but also with our findings on our female subjects perceptions about

natural ingredients. This is another example of covariation, in which our subjects associated
natural ingredients with being better for them as well as environmental-friendliness. It is also
an example of the consumers general desire to purchase products based on perceived alignment
with ones values.
Next, we will discuss our findings for the male subjects that we observed and
interviewed. A significant common denominators in strong product packages for our male
subjects was the use of strong and long-lasting scents perceived to smell good. The male
subjects preferred products that claimed to offer a superior and long-lasting scent. They said
they were more willing to buy a product if it claimed all-day protection, stay smelling fresh,
and 24 hour. These scent claims made them believe a product with these qualities to be more
effective and they were, as a result, more likely to buy it. This has to do with Millennials strong
tendency to be respected and liked by their peers, and so smell really played into how our
subjects felt like others perceived them.
Another common denominator that we found amongst our male subjects was attraction to
products with a masculine brand image both in relation to the color schemes as well as easily
recognizable brands with specific reputations. The male subjects preferred packaging with
colors that they perceived to be masculine and mature, which were usually more subtle and not
very flashy. In fact, interestingly, the majority of males we interviewed used the same brand of
body wash Old Spice. They made this purchase decisions based on Old Spices brand image
it was a product they could easily recognize in stores based on its associated color scheme, and
one they were familiar with based on use by other male friends. Because the male subjects
valued the opinions of their male friends, the advertisements and packaging that constantly

reinforce a manly and mature brand image were effective, and caused them to choose Old Spice
products.
Common Denominators in Weak Product Packages
In addition to the factors that contributed to strong product packages, we also found some
common denominators in weak product packages amongst both our female and male subjects.
The biggest issue with product packaging that our female subjects indicated was when the
packaging included claims that suggested something negative about their hair or body. For
example, our subjects were turned off from claims such as for damaged hair or for greasy
hair because it implies an association between their hair and negative characteristics. They felt
their hair should not belong in either of these categories, which relates to the idea of self-concept
and self-image congruence where consumers want to purchase products they feel exudes who
they are and their self-identity. While marketers may feel claims of functionality attract
consumers to their products, in some cases such claims can also be a deterrent.
The common denominator in weak product packaging amongst our male subjects was a
little different. We found that with the male subjects, weak product packages instead tended to
lack a manly or mature image. This stemmed largely from the brand image behind the packaging
and the physical appearance of the package itself was a secondary concern. Packaging that, in
association with an unknown or neutral brand image, lacked a clean, modern, and classic feel to
it was not as popular. Overall, because of the emotional attachments and peer influence heavily
affecting our male subjects purchase decisions, product packages that did not appeal to these
elements were weaker and not selected.
Marketing Recommendations for Companies

Based on our research findings and the common denominators we determined in strong
and weak product packaging in shower products namely shampoo, conditioner, and body wash,
we have developed some marketing recommendations for companies aiming to target
Millennials. In order for companies that distribute shower products to appeal to females, they
need to apply an effective mixture of marketing emphasizing products functionality and
claiming environmental consciousness and added health benefits. This means that companies
should use a combination of health benefit claims and ingredient claims alongside images that
support those claims to really make people feel their products will be more effective.
In general, from our findings, we have established that men and women prefer products
that have bigger packaging and therefore provide a larger quantity of product. Consequently, we
recommend companies market bigger bottles. This also means more surface area on the outside
of the packaging for claims and images, which women seem to prefer, as well as a package that
physically stands out more simply because of its size. Packaging should also include a pump
because it ensures the same quantity of product is dispensed in each use and with each press. It
might also be a good idea for companies to add a clear portion with measurements on the side of
bottles so consumers can easily view the amount of product left, as the majority of current
packaging lacks this feature. They could even add an adjustable pump dispenser that disperses
different amounts of product.
Conversely, finding marketing tactics that appeal specifically to Millennial males is more
difficult because they seem to be more brand loyal than females and chose brands in the first
place based on advertisements and what they see their friends using. Companies should make
sure they portray a positive and mature brand image that appeals to the male sense of affiliation
and power and creates a feeling of manliness.

This approach has been very effective for Old Spice recently, however, it has
simultaneously deteriorated Axes image over the years. Axe is currently consistently viewed as
childish, even though it targets males through sensual advertisements with high sex appeal that
are not targeted towards younger men in any obvious way. We found that a lot of young men use
Axe in middle school and high school, as demonstrated by our male subjects, so they might
perceive Axe negatively because of nostalgia. In addition, Old Spice advertises a lot more
heavily, and in novel ways, and Axe has not, which means Axe is probably not as present in
consumers minds. Old Spice has experienced a lot of success because of their advertising
campaign titled The Man You Could Smell Like, in which Old Spice advertised to males and
females simultaneously by explicitly claiming the body wash will make guys smell like men. The
actor in the advertisements spoke directly to females, with his first words being hello ladies.
Males, especially Millenial males, really value the opinions of their friends and peers, so they
care about how other people perceive the products they use.
Companies should therefore take away from a lot of what Old Spice has done: create
advertisements that implicitly target males, but also directly speak to females. This will have a
stronger impact on them, because they want to purchase products that are socially accepted by
everyone, and especially females. Additionally, we recommend that they ensure they are top of
mind for their consumers because of the mere exposure effect. People are more likely to
purchase what they see a lot of and people also slowly forget about brands and products if they
simply are not advertised.

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