Consumer Personality

Personality is an individual’s unique, relatively consistent pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that determine his unique adjustment to his environment. Personality is the total quality of an individual’s behavior, including his attitude, habits, interests, thinking, manner of acting, and personal philosophy of life.

Importance of understanding personality in marketing

To know what motivates an individual towards decision-making for a purchase.

To understand the way one may behave during and after the purchase

To know the way to deal with customers

To develop a customer-friendly environment

To retain the customers

Factors influencing Personality Development

Inherited Predisposition and biological factors

Culture and Family

Abilities

Social Learning

learning

Modeling

Theories of Personality: 
1. Trait Theory of Personality: Gordon Allport developed the trait theory which explains that personality is developed based on various stable characteristics, or traits, that direct an individual to act in a particular way.   According to trait theory, personality is made up of five broad traits; they are called the Big Five Model.

Openness refers to the level of open-mindedness of a person and willingness to try new things. People with a high level of openness are Intuitive and like new challenges and dislike the same thing over time. People with a low level of openness dislike new problems and challenges and prefer the same routines.

Conscientiousness refers to the reliability, discipline, and hardworking qualities of a person. People with a high level of Conscientiousness are decisive, good planners, efficient, and organized, and people with a low level of Conscientiousness are flexible, adaptable, easy-going, and careless.

Extraversion: refers to the level of energy a person gets from interaction with others. People with low extroversion are introverts who gain energy from themselves. Extroverts are outgoing, aggressive, dominant, and change seekers while introverts prefer to work silently, focused, with loneliness and pursuit in depth.

Agreeableness: it refers to the level of friendliness, tolerance, and compassion of a person. People with a high level of agreeableness have a ‘feeling’ nature which is awareness about other people and their feelings. People with a low level of agreeableness have ‘a thinking, nature which is unemotional and uninterested in people’s feelings.

Neuroticism: Refers to the emotional instability of a person. People with a high level of Neuroticism are sensitive and nervous, while people with low Neuroticism are secure and confident.

All persons have all these traits to a greater or lesser degree which is composed in different ways to form a person's unique personality.

Applying the Big Five Personality in Marketing

Marketing messages matching the personality traits of the target may be more effective.

 An individual with Openness is more likely to be motivated by marketing communications of products and services which resemble aesthetics and intellectual pursuits, innovation, intelligence, sophistication, imagination, and creativity.

An individual with Conscientiousness is likely is more likely to be motivated by marketing communications of products and services which resembles a desire for order, efficiency, and achievement.  

An individual with Extraversion is likely to be motivated by marketing communications of products and services which resemble self-expression, change, and dominance.

An individual with Agreeableness is likely is more likely to be motivated by marketing communications of products and services which resemble compassion, interpersonal harmony, and a sense of belonging.

An individual with Neuroticism is likely is likely to be motivated by marketing communications that make them feel safe and secure.

Freudian Theory

Freud proposed that the human personality consists of three interacting systems: The id, superego, and ego.

The id is the primitive and impulsive drive for which the individual seeks immediate satisfaction.

The superego is the individual’s internal expression of society’s moral and ethical codes where the individuals satisfy their needs in a socially acceptable fashion.

The ego is the individual’s conscious control over the impulsive demands of the id and the sociocultural constraints of the superego. 

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow developed a pyramid model that elaborated on human needs. The bottom tier of the pyramid is built up of the most basic needs; physiological needs such as water, food, cloth, shelter, and sex. Individuals try to meet these basic needs. Once these needs are fulfilled, individuals move to the second stage of the pyramid; the need for safety, then to the third stage; belonging, then the fourth stage; self-esteem, and the final stage; self-actualization.

Marketing Applications of Maslow’s Theory

Maslow’s hierarchy is a commonly used framework and is adapted for market segmentation and the development of advertising and other marketing communications appeals. Products designed to satisfy the level of needs to effectively target the customers.

Analyze the following advertisements and find the targeted level of need: