Consumer Behavior
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School
University of the Fraser Valley**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
MGMT 601
Subject
Marketing
Date
Jan 11, 2025
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9
Uploaded by MagistrateLemurPerson1143
1Consumer BehaviorNameInstitutionCourseInstructorDate
2Introduction to the Product, Service, or BrandOur group analyzed consumers’ perceptions about Disneyland, the famous amusement park established in 1955 in Anaheim, California, by Walter Elias Disney. The park aimed to bring Disney characters and stories to life, ensuring that children and the young at heart would enjoy their visit. Over the years, Disneyland has expanded to become a global attraction, inspiring the development of other global parks, all while staying true to Disney's original vision. Given its historical beginnings and ability to adapt to changing customer behavior, new products, and competition, the project focused on consumer attitudes toward Disneyland. Understanding the current perceptions of the park could aid Disneyland in its marketing strategy as it strives to remain relevant in the modern era. Understanding these attitudes will provide some understanding of why Disneyland is a success and how it can maintain guests’ interest.ObjectiveThe research aims to identify the key factors that affect consumers' feelings, choices, and decisions relative to Disneyland. In this case, Disneyland will look for potential attributes, outcomes, and values that make an individual visit it. Identifying these consumer motives can aid Disneyland in making relevant marketing adjustments to enhance customer satisfaction, which explains the significance of this research. The study applies the laddering technique and means-end chain theory to understand how consumers value Disneyland products. These insights shall be helpful to in future market communication strategies to capture consumer segments' consumption trends.Demographics and Psychographics of the Population
3The study's target market comprises a diverse consumer population who visit Disneyland, each with unique characteristics based on demographic variables such as age, income, and frequency of visits. The target tourist demographic includes friends and families with children, couples, and independent travelers, with a diverse age range encompassing children and adults. Visitors' incomes also vary, with both successful businessmen and those on a tight budget enjoying the park. This demographic distribution is essential given that Disneyland has products for low-budget clients, midrange clients, and even luxurious spenders. Furthermore, the equation will only include individuals who visited the park for the first time and those who visited frequently, as frequent park visitors may have developed different attitudes from those who visited for the first time. By analyzing these demographic variables, designers can understand age, income, and how they create attitudes for Disneyland and the overall park experience.From a psychographic perspective, the characteristics that consumers benefit from are their interest in entertainment, their involvement in enjoyable activities, and their engagement in family-oriented activities, all of which are core features at Disneyland. Many visitors to Disney Parks identify with the characters and stories they encounter, and they perceive Disneyland as a place of nostalgia and a chance to reconnect with loved ones. This park caters to individuals seeking quality time with their families and loved ones and those seeking adventure. Some tourists pay genuine visits and are avid fans of Disney, often returning to the parks. Method of Data CollectionThis study employs the laddering technique for data collection through interviews. Laddering, a type of in-depth interview technique, involves asking follow-up questions to reveal the value chain and gain consumers' perceptions. This approach involves posing common, broad questions to the interviewees to elicit a broader response, or following each question with
4probing questions to elicit detailed answers (Sorakunnas & Konu, 2022). For example, the interviewer might ask the consumer why they enjoy riding attractions at Disneyland, which could reveal new information about the emotions or values they associate with the activity. The cycle of probing questions continues until the respondent's core values emerge. Laddering elicits intricate and accurate information about consumer behavior patterns, a crucial aspect to consider when studying perceptions of a brand like Disneyland.The means-end theory, a consumer-centered paradigm, aims to comprehend the consumer's relationship between end product features, personal values, and perceived benefits. This theory closely aligns with the laddering method, which aims to establish connections between the attributes of a product, service, or brand, positive consequences, and the ultimate expression of core personal values (Borgardt, 2020). Disneyland may associate social benefactors such as 'family' or ' happiness' with outcomes like 'quality time with family' or 'joy,' which in turn correspond to personal virtues like 'love family' or 'work towards happiness', among others. By using the laddering technique, the researchers appeal to these means-end chains directly, and the collected data becomes even more meaningful, as it serves to explain consumer motivation toward Disneyland.Laddering is an especially effective technique for understanding consumer attitudes because it goes beyond the consideration of consumer self-interests, as well as the cognitive/affective nature of the behaviors. Although laddering's data collection format closely resembles that of a survey, the resulting data is significantly more comprehensive than merely checking boxes and calculating percentages (Arkadan et al., 2024). While surveys might pose questions about the respondent’s level of satisfaction concerning given attributes of Disneyland, laddering goes beyond simply analyzing how satisfied the respondent is about Disneyland and its
5attributes. Compared to surveys, laddering interviews enable a more comprehensive collection of data from a large sample, while also focusing on more nuanced aspects of consumer behavior, such as why a particular attraction elicits intense pleasure or why Disneyland plays a significant role in a consumer's goals and dreams (Monday, 2020). For this reason, while both techniques may be valuable, laddering provides more detailed qualitative insights into the nature of the consumer's viewpoint.Even though both laddering and surveys are useful forms of data collection, laddering interviews are more useful because they offer depth and context in the consumer decision process. While surveys can give valid statistical information regarding consumers’ behavior and preferences, they do not give the depth and experience of laddering interviews (Monday, 2020). While traditional survey methods strictly adhere to the questions and answers outlined in a questionnaire, laddering incorporates follow-up questions and aims to comprehend personal motivations in a conversational manner. This makes laddering especially effective for personal and psychological characteristics of consumption, which is important when studying a brand related to the customer’s personal memories, such as Disneyland. In sum, by comparison with surveys, laddering gives a richer qualitative result, which can be useful for designing states and developing marketing strategies and appealing to consumers.List of Initial Questions for the Interviews1.What is your overall experience with Disneyland?2.Can you describe what you think about the attractions at Disneyland?3.Why do you visit Disneyland over other theme parks or attractions?4.What emotions or feelings do you experience when you visit Disneyland?
65.What is the most crucial reason you visit Disneyland?6.How do you feel about the pricing at Disneyland?7.Can you tell me about any specific memories or experiences at Disneyland that stand out to you?8.How would you describe the role Disneyland plays in your life or your family’s life?Interview analysisThe interviews revealed both similarities and differences in their attitudes towards Disneyland based on socio-demographic and psychographic variables. All the participants shared a primary pursuit of emotional benefits and personal pleasure. For instance, Yolanda (62, retired) stated, "It’s important because Disneyland brings happiness to my life, and that’s something I look forward to."Similarly, Brian (28, police officer) mentioned, "It makes me so happy,"emphasizing the fun that the elderly and their juniors relate to the park. The nature of those feelings was, nevertheless, different owing to age and family conditions. Yolanda, a mother as well as grandmother, placed greater significance on "spending quality time with my family,"while Brian, a young adult, emphasized the "quality of the rides"and “customer service”. These differences suggest that Disneyland appeals to family-oriented consumers like Yolanda, while younger, more thrill-seeking individuals like Brian value the excitement and enjoyment of the attractions.The psychographics also had an impact on the perception that the participants had about Disneyland. Yolanda, a retiree with a professional background, and Jason (23, a party rental business partner) both appreciated the ostensive character of the park, according to Jason, "It’s just like being in a different world"and Yolanda sharing, "Disneyland has this unique
7atmosphere."Both of them liked Disneyland as a place to escape, but Yolanda was more interested in the "safe place to enjoy with family,"on the other hand, Jason, a younger guest, was more interested in certain sights like "Star Wars land."This shift in trend creates a distinction between using it for general enjoyment and focusing on specific exciting passions in life. Thus for Jason, Disney World was associated with fun in the world of fantasy and adventure, while for Yolanda, it was associated with peace, tranquility, and enjoying time with family. Marketers should acknowledge these points, portraying the game as an adventurous mission for younger players and a family and quiet zone for older players.Another aspect which was considered from the interviews was how the participants positioned the value of Disneyland, meaning their perception of how valuable Disneyland was to them. Brian, as a Disney pass holder, did not complain about the cost, stating, "I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth out of every visit." This is different from Yolanda, who complained a lot about the high costs by stating, "They should offer more shaded areas." The elevated entry fees are due to the increased comfort. Comparing Yolanda's discomfort with Brian's satisfaction reveals the cost-value equation of consumer satisfaction. Regarding certain aspects of the overall experience, such as weather and seating, lump sums differ, suggesting that more frequent and less expensive visitors, like Brian, may perceive sufficient value. In contrast, Isabelle, a less frequent and more expensive visitor, appeared dissatisfied. Marketers should take this into consideration; they might add new, cheaper services or work on the comfort to satisfy the segment that is very sensitive to price and discomfort.Lastly, the general representation of all the interviews identifies customer segments according to age, preferences, and anticipations. While the characters, such as Brian and Jason,
8who are young, passionate visitors, seek fun, a cost-value proposition, experience validation, and engagement, the unique characters, such as Yolanda, who is an elderly visitor, focus on safety, recreation, and family fun factors within the park. Brian’s statement, "The rides are so great... it makes me so happy,"describes the need for high-quality attractions for young audiences and Yolanda's iconic focus on family fun and leisure time for the older population. That being said, the study implies that Disneyland should segment its marketing strategies by age and interest. To the young audiences, it is best to emphasize high-intensity attractions and new fun experiences such as Star Wars land, whereas to the elders, appeals to a family-friendly environment, hygiene, and emotional contract should work well. This market segmentation better protects Disneyland from market saturation and enables them to implement the necessary strategies to reestablish customer satisfaction in the various consumer segments they serve.
9ReferencesArkadan, F., Macdonald, E. K., & Wilson, H. N. (2024). Customer experience orientation: Conceptual model, propositions, and research directions. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-024-01031-yBorgardt, E. (2020). Means-End Chain theory: a critical review of literature. Prace Naukowe Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego We Wrocławiu, 64(3), 141–160. https://doi.org/10.15611/pn.2020.3.12Monday, T. U. (2020). Impacts of Interview as Research Instrument of Data Collection in Social Sciences. Journal of Digital Art & Humanities, 1(1), 15–24. ResearchGate. https://doi.org/10.33847/2712-8148.1.1_2Sorakunnas, E., & Konu, H. (2022). Digitally Customized and Interactive Laddering: A New Way for Examining Tourists’ Value Structures. Journal of Travel Research, 62(3), 626–643. https://doi.org/10.1177/00472875221077976