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Consumer’s Attitude
Attitudes are “mental positions” or emotional feelings people have about products, services, companies,
ideas, issues, or institutions. [8] Attitudes tend to be enduring, and because they are based on people’s
values and beliefs, they are hard to change. That doesn’t stop sellers from trying, though. They want
people to have positive rather than negative feelings about their offerings. A few years ago, KFC began
running ads to the effect that fried chicken was healthy—until the U.S. Federal Trade Commission told the
company to stop. Wendy’s slogan to the effect that its products are “way better than fast food” is another
example. Fast food has a negative connotation, so Wendy’s is trying to get consumers to think about its
offerings as being better.
A good example of a shift in the attitudes of consumers relates to banks. The taxpayer-paid government
bailouts of big banks that began in 2008 provoked the wrath of Americans, creating an opportunity for
small banks not involved in the credit derivates and subprime mortgage mess. The Worthington National
Bank, a small bank in Fort Worth, Texas, ran billboards reading: “Did Your Bank Take a Bailout? We
didn’t.” Another read: “Just Say NO to Bailout Banks. Bank Responsibly!” The Worthington Bank received
tens of millions in new deposits soon after running these campaigns. [9]
KEY TAKEAWAY
Psychologist Abraham Maslow theorized that people have to fulfill their basic needs—like the need for food,
water, and sleep—before they can begin fulfilling higher-level needs. Perception is how you interpret the
world around you and make sense of it in your brain. To be sure their advertising messages get through to
you, companies often resort to repetition. Shocking advertising and subliminal advertising are two other
methods. Learning is the process by which consumers change their behavior after they gain information about
or experience with a product. Consumers’ attitudes are the “mental positions” people take based on their
values and beliefs. Attitudes tend to be enduring and are often difficult for companies to change.
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