MKT3100 CSULA Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and Slim-Fast discussion

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1. Trace how you might go through the steps in the consumer decision process if you were thinking

of going on a diet and using any of these diet programs. At each stage discuss how these

marketers are currently attempting to influence you. (5 points)

2. How have Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and Slim-Fast created value? Your book defines value

to mean “the relationship of benefits to costs” (page 13). Please make sure that you address the

key benefits and costs associated with each program. (5 points)

3.

a. Identify the determinant attributes that set Weight Watchers’, Jenny Craig’s, and Slim-Fast’s

programs apart from each other. (Please make sure that you read what is meant by a

determinant attribute.) Use those attributes to develop a compensatory purchasing model like

the one found in Exhibit 6.2. The weights that you assign represent your own perceptions of

the importance of each attribute. Explain your logic for the weights and explain the

differences in the scores of the three plans for each of the determinant attributes. (5 points)

b. Provide two specific implications your model has for a marketer and support your implications

using your model. Do you see any evidence of any of the three marketers taking your two

implications into account? If so how? (5 points)

4. Which factors examined in the chapter do you think would have the most impact on consumers’

propensity to go on a diet and choose either of these diet programs? Please make sure that your

answer includes at least one factor from each of the three categories mentioned in Exhibit 6.4

(psychological, situational, and social). How do these plans address these specific factors? (5

points)

5. How has mobile technology impacted consumers’ behavior to help them achieve their weight

goals? How are these companies reacting to these trends? (5 points)

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MKT 3100 Principles of Marketing Extra Credit Assignment THE DIET BATTLE: WEIGHT WATCHERS, JENNY CRAIG, AND SLIM-FAST Due on March 20, 2019 Instructions • First read the case “The Diet Battle: Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and Slim-Fast” and then answer the following questions about it. The objective of the case method is to help develop skills in critical thinking. You are expected to use information from many sources (the case itself, text book, lecture notes, and mainly outside references) to address the questions, and cite these sources accordingly. You should visit the websites for each program and use current information to address these questions. This assignment is worth up to 30 extra points towards your exam 1 grade, based on the quality of your answers. Thus, your grade for exam 1 will be updated to reflect the additional points after grading. Please submit a report of 4-5 pages (double-spaced, 12-point font, one-inch page margins on all sides) by emailing me directly (at achris16@calstatela.edu) by March 20 end-of-day. • • Questions 1. Trace how you might go through the steps in the consumer decision process if you were thinking of going on a diet and using any of these diet programs. At each stage discuss how these marketers are currently attempting to influence you. (5 points) 2. How have Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and Slim-Fast created value? Your book defines value to mean “the relationship of benefits to costs” (page 13). Please make sure that you address the key benefits and costs associated with each program. (5 points) 3. a. Identify the determinant attributes that set Weight Watchers’, Jenny Craig’s, and Slim-Fast’s programs apart from each other. (Please make sure that you read what is meant by a determinant attribute.) Use those attributes to develop a compensatory purchasing model like the one found in Exhibit 6.2. The weights that you assign represent your own perceptions of the importance of each attribute. Explain your logic for the weights and explain the differences in the scores of the three plans for each of the determinant attributes. (5 points) b. Provide two specific implications your model has for a marketer and support your implications using your model. Do you see any evidence of any of the three marketers taking your two implications into account? If so how? (5 points) 4. Which factors examined in the chapter do you think would have the most impact on consumers’ propensity to go on a diet and choose either of these diet programs? Please make sure that your answer includes at least one factor from each of the three categories mentioned in Exhibit 6.4 (psychological, situational, and social). How do these plans address these specific factors? (5 points) 5. How has mobile technology impacted consumers’ behavior to help them achieve their weight goals? How are these companies reacting to these trends? (5 points) THE DIET BATTLE: WEIGHT WATCHERS, JENNY CRAIG, AND SLIM-FAST1 Want to lose weight? For about 71 million Americans and approximately 73 percent of all U.S. women, the answer is yes,2 and for weight loss companies, that's the right answer. The weight loss industry, worth over $60 billion in 2010,3 is growing steadily because lifestyles and food choices keep working against people's desire to lose weight. Many Americans spend their days sitting in front of a computer and their evenings sitting in front of a television. Restaurant meals, prepared foods, and high-fat/high-sugar snacks have replaced home-cooked meals, whole grains, and fresh produce. Exercise is limited to clicking a mouse or turning an ignition key. These habits are fattening (both literally and figuratively) the profits for the weight loss industry as well as expanding belt sizes. By the time we factor in diet pills, specially packaged weight-loss meals and snacks, diet programs, and the whole range of products and services promising bathing-suit bodies, we've got a highly lucrative market. Page 6-4 Three recognized diet aid behemoths, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and Slim-Fast, share a substantial piece of the pie. These companies stress flexibility to fit a wide range of lifestyles and showcase success stories. But they approach dieting differently in their quest for new members. THE BIG THREE Founded in 1963, Weight Watchers International now boasts groups in more than 30 countries worldwide. The program teaches portion control and the basics of good nutrition, allowing members to select their own foods. A point system, based on nutritional value, encourages members to select healthy foods, exercise appropriately, and control portions. 4 Dieters record meals and snacks in a paper or electronic journal. Although members can follow the Weight Watchers regimen without support, the company notes that the most successful members are those who weigh in at weekly group sessions and attend meetings. Weight Watchers members can prepare their own food, dine out, or purchase Weight Watchers–prepared or –endorsed dinners, snacks, and desserts at most grocery stores. To further support dieters in making healthy food choices, Weight Watchers recently changed its point system, increasing the number of points for fat content and reducing them for fiber. 5 Recently rated the top weight loss program by Consumer Reports Health, Jenny Craig promises a unique and comprehensive plan for food, body, and mind. 6 Members eat meals and snacks prepared and packaged by Jenny Craig, supplemented by fresh fruits and vegetables. Jenny Craig's offerings provide portion control and accommodate busy schedules by reducing meal prep time. Members meet weekly on a one-on-one basis with a personal counselor and are encouraged to develop an exercise program. Like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig offers customized programs for men and teenagers and for those who prefer to lose weight on their own rather than travel to a center. Jenny Craig lapped Weight Watchers and other diet programs in the Consumer Reports Health ranking because of members' success in weight loss, the duration of time they remained committed to the program, and the nutritional value of the foods. 7 Slim-Fast, which ranked second in the Consumer Reports Health ratings, offers dieters a combination of three small and healthy snacks, two meal-replacement shakes, and one 500-calorie meal daily.8 By eating six small meals daily, dieters maintain steady glucose levels, and the plan ensures adequate intakes of carbohydrates, protein, and fiber. 9 Other diet programs abound, but even when people lose weight on these regimens, the losses tend to be temporary because the diets are based on unsustainable eating patterns, such as eliminating major food groups (e.g., no carbohydrates). Two of the big diet companies also offer social reinforcement and flexibility, which appears to help people remain committed to their weight-loss programs. DEFINING THE DIFFERENCE Perhaps the most significant difference among Jenny Craig, Slim-Fast, and Weight Watchers is the amount of effort required. Jenny Craig dieters don't have to think about what they eat; everything is prepared for them. Dieters on the Weight Watchers plan must learn how to make the right choices from among the foods that surround them in their daily lives. Slim-Fast combines both ease and education, but it provides fewer choices for controlled meals than Jenny Craig does. Each program competes heavily for members, particularly in the early months of the year, when Americans return to the scales after indulging over the holidays. The diet giants are locked in another battle as well, this one targeted at men. 10 Although a completely different program isn't necessary—both genders need to cut calories and increase exercise to lose weight—marketing specifically to men has the power to bring in new members. While the Weight Watchers' programs are identical for men and women, the men's website is tailored to their interests and concerns, focusing more on working out and less on the eating plan. The men's site also mentions the link between obesity and erectile dysfunction, implying that a man's sex life might improve if he loses weight. To entice men in its program, Jenny Craig uses Jason Alexander, the actor who played George Costanza on the TV series Seinfeld, as a spokesperson (pictured with another Jenny Craig spokesperson, Valerie Bertanelli, teenage TV star from the late 70s of One Day at a Time and Touched by an Angel.) Page 6-5 Jenny Craig's men's program also is very similar to its women's program, but tweaked, to accommodate differences in food cravings and issues with portion control. Men on this program, Jenny Craig promises, can still have a beer and fries once in a while. To further entice men to its program, Jenny Craig uses Jason Alexander, the actor who played George Costanza on the television series Seinfeld, as a spokesperson. The Slim-Fast program tends to appeal to men because they like to lose weight on their own rather than participating in group meetings.11 The company has used male celebrities, including a former New York mayor, to sell its products. TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT FOR DIETERS Dieters have a variety of electronic devices to help track food consumption and exercise. Using any Internet-ready device, Weight Watchers members can check points values for foods, including meals at popular restaurants, and add snacks or meals to their daily journal. Similar services and applications for fitness training are available via cell phone applications. Using a camera-equipped cell phone, for example, dieters can photograph a meal and send the picture to a registered dietitian, who replies with recommendations for modifying portions or food choices. Theoretically this approach is more honest than keeping a food diary because dieters may be tempted not to record full amounts. These services require additional fees though. Questions 1. Trace how you might go through the steps in the consumer decision process if you were thinking of going on a diet and using any of these diet programs. 2. How have Weight Watchers, Slim-Fast, and Jenny Craig created value? 3. Identify the determinant attributes that set the Weight Watchers, Slim-Fast, and Jenny Craig programs apart. Use those attributes to develop a compensatory purchasing model similar to the one in Exhibit 6.2. 4. How can Weight Watchers, Slim-Fast, and Jenny Craig increase the probability of customer satisfaction? 5. Which factors examined in this chapter might have the most impact on consumers' propensity to go on a diet and choose one of these diet programs? • Adding Value 1.2 . The Meaning of Best Value: Whole Foods' Purpose-Based Marketing NAM iii luce and flowers sibly low! The finest produce and flowers are Resonably grown! The pineal alsduce and flowers ale Aanddy Ploowa/ Whole Foods' Responsibly Grown rating program identifies all fresh produce and flowers according to their environmental impact. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Some analysts looking at Whole Foods' dwindling sales numbers and de- creased earnings would feel the solution to these issues is obvious: The grocery chain should lower Its prices so that consumers consider it more valuable. Whole Foods rejects that notion though, arguing Instead that value means far more than prices. And it has several ideas in mind to prove that it is right. To start, it has introduced a new Responsibly Grown rating program, which Identifies all fresh produce and flowers according to their envi- ronmental Impact. The program is stringent In its demands. When ven- dors exert minor environmental Impacts, they are rated good; those producers that go further by, for example, minimizing wasteful plastic usage or ensuring conservation areas for bees, earn a ranking of bet- ter. The producers Identified as the best address a vast range of re- sponsibility Initiatives, from working conditions for farmers to conservation efforts to clean energy to renewable resources and so on. For example, one criterion asks farmers how many earthworms live in the soll on their farms. This produce-orlented Initiative follows Whole Foods' existing efforts such as its eco-scale applied to cleaning products and separate pro- grams to determine the sustainability and responsibility associated with animal and fish products. Furthermore, by 2018, it plans to Introduce labels that Indicate whether any particular food item contains any genet- Ically modified Ingredients. In parallel with these new Initiatives, Whole Foods has developed a re- vised advertising campaign, with a prominent tagline that reminds shoppers that "Values matter." The commercials emphasize that by shopping at Whole Foods, consumers can be confident that their food has been sourced responsibly and fairly. For example, any beef purchased in the stores has been ralsed by responsible ranchers who give the cows “room to roam.” By promoting the idea that "value is Inseparable from values," Whole Foods seeks to remind shoppers of all that It provides, In exchange for a somewhat higher price point. In particular, it promises that they can make their food choices confidently, buoyed by a range of Information that Whole Foods will make available to them at all times. LO 1-2 Describe how marketers create value for a product or service. portfolios; when Nike allows customers to custom design their sneakers, they are cocreating. In the next section, we explore the notion of value-based marketing further. Specifically, we look at various options for attracting customers by providing them with better value than the competition does. Then we discuss how firms compete on the basis of value. Finally, we examine how firms transform the value concept into their value-driven activities. How Do Marketing Firms Become More Value Driven? Firms become value driven by focusing on four activities. First, they share information about their customers and competitors across their own organization and with other firms that help them get the product or service to the marketplace, such as manufacturers and transportation companies. Second, they strive to balance their customers' benefits and costs. Third, they concentrate on building relationships with customers. Fourth, they take advantage of new technologies and connect with their customers using social and mobile media. Progress Check 1. What is the definition of marketing? 2. Marketing is about satisfying and 3. What are the four components of the marketing mix? 4. Who can perform marketing? 5. What are the various eras of marketing? Marketing Analytics Modern marketers rely on sophisticated data analytics to define and refine their approaches to their customers and their markets. CHAPTER 1 | Overview of Marketing 13 value Reflects the relationship of benefits to costs, or what the consumer To understand how marketing has gets for what he or she gives. evolved into its present-day, integral value cocreation business function of creating value, Customers act as let's look for a moment at some of collaborators with a the milestones in marketing's short manufacturer or retailer history (see Exhibit 1.5). to create the product or service. Production-Oriented Era Around the turn of the 20th century, most firms were produc- tion oriented and believed that a good product would sell itself. Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company, once fa- mously remarked, “Customers can have any color they want so long as it's black.” Manufacturers were concerned with product innovation, not with satisfying the needs of individual consum- ers, and retail stores typically were considered places to hold the merchandise until a consumer wanted it. Sales-Oriented Era Between 1920 and 1950, produc- tion and distribution techniques became more sophisticated; at the same time, the Great Depression and World War II con- ditioned customers to consume less or manufacture items themselves, so they planted victory gardens instead of buying produce. As a result, manufacturers had the capacity to produce more than customers really wanted or were able to buy. Firms found an answer to their overproduction in becoming sales ori- ented: They depended on heavy doses of personal selling and advertising because of World War II, became plentiful. And the United States entered a buyers' market—the customer became king! When consumers again had choices, they were able to make pur- chasing decisions on the basis of factors such as quality, conve- nience, and price. Manufacturers and retailers thus began to focus on what consumers wanted and needed before they de- signed, made, or attempted to sell their products and services. It was during this period that firms discovered marketing. Value-Based Marketing Era Most successful firms today are market oriented.20 That means they generally have transcended a production or selling orientation and attempt to discover and satisfy their customers' needs and wants. Before the turn of the 21st century, better marketing firms recognized that there was more to good marketing than simply discovering and providing what consumers wanted and needed; to compete successfully, they would have to give their customers greater value than their competitors did. (The importance of value is appropriately incorporated into the AMA definition of market- ing discussed earlier.) Value reflects the relationship of benefits to costs, or what you get for what you give. 21 In a marketing context, customers seek a fair return in goods and/or services for their hard-earned money and scarce time. They want products or services that meet their specific needs or wants and that are offered at a price that they believe is a good value. A good value, however, doesn't necessarily mean the product or service is inexpensive. If it did, luxury goods manufacturers like Godiva would go out of business. There are customers willing to pay asking prices for all types of goods at all price levels because, to those indi- viduals, what they get for what they give is a good value. This point is central to the marketing strategy adopted by Whole Foods, as Adding Value 1.2 explains. A creative way to provide value to customers is to engage in value cocreation.22 In this case, customers can act as collaborators to create the product or service. When clients work with their investment advisers, they cocreate their investment Market-Oriented Era After World War II, soldiers returned home, got new jobs, and started families. At the same time, manufacturers turned from focusing on the war effort toward making consumer products. Suburban communities, fea- turing cars in every garage, sprouted up around the country, and the new suburban fixture, the shopping center, began to replace cities' central business districts as the hub of retail activity and a place to just hang out. Some products, once in limited supply EXHIBIT 1.5 Marketing Evolution: Production, Sales, Marketing, and Value Turn of the century Turn of the 21st century 1920 1950 1990 Production Sales Marketing Value-based marketing Photos (left to right): ORyan McVay/Getty Images; OCMCD/Getty Images; Lawrence Manning/Getty Images; Ryan McVay/Getty Images, McGraw-Hill Education/Mark Dierker, photographer 12 SECTION 1 | Assessing the Marketplace motive A need or want that is strong enough to cause the person to seek satisfaction. EXHIBIT 6.4 Factors Affecting the Consumer Decision Process Product Price Place Promotion Motives Attitudes Perceptions Learning Lifestyle Marketing mix Psychological factors for most people in developed countries these basic needs are generally met, there are those in developed as well as less de- veloped countries who are less fortunate. However, everyone remains concerned with meet- ing these basic needs.26 Market- ers seize every opportunity to convert these needs into wants by reminding us to eat at Taco Bell, drink milk, sleep on a Beautyrest mattress, and stay at a Marriott. Safety needs pertain to pro- tection and physical well-being. The marketplace is full of prod- ucts and services that are de- signed to make you safer, such as airbags in cars and burglar alarms in homes, or healthier, such as vi- tamins and organic meats and vegetables. Maslow's hierarchy of needs A paradigm for classifying people's motives. It argues that when lower-level, more basic needs (physiological and safety) are fulfilled, people turn to satisfying their higher-level human needs (social and personal); see also physiological, safety, love, and personal needs. physiological needs Those relating to the basic biological necessities of life: food, drink, rest, and shelter. This is part of Maslow's hlerarchy. Consumer Decision Process Social factors Situational factors Family Reference groups Culture Purchase situation Shopping situation Temporal state safety needs One of the needs in Maslow's hlerarchy of needs, pertain to protection and physical well-being. frescomenu Lesslat More laste Psychological Factors Although marketers can influence purchase decisions, a host of psychological factors affect the way people receive market- ers' messages. Among them are motives, attitudes, percep- tion, learning, and lifestyle. In this section, we examine how such psychological factors can influence the consumer deci- sion process.24 When it comes to eating better, there's the bland way. And then there are nine really delicious ways. Fresco Ranchero Chicken Soft Tace with 4g of lot and only 170 calories Motives In Chapter 1 we argued that marketing is all about satisfying customer needs and wants. When a need, such as thirst, or a want, such as for a Diet Pepsi, is not satisfied, it mo- tivates us, or drives us, to get satisfaction. So, a motive is a need or want that is strong enough to cause the person to seek satisfaction. People have several types of motives. One of the best-known paradigms for explaining these motive types, developed by Abraham Maslow more than 70 years ago, is called Maslow's hierarchy of needs.25 Maslow categorized five groups of needs: physiological (e.g., food, water, shelter), safety (e.g., se- cure employment, health), love (e.g., friendship, family), es- teem (e.g., confidence, respect), and self-actualization (people engage in personal growth activities and attempt to meet their intellectual, aesthetic, creative, and other such needs). The pyr- amid in Exhibit 6.5 illustrates the theoretical progression of those needs. Physiological needs deal with the basic biological necessities of life—food, drink, rest, and shelter. Although The Fresco Menu.9 incredible Taco Bell tastes under grams of fat. For a healthier lifestyle, pay attention to total calorie intake and to regular exercise. Taco Bell's Fresco Menu can play a part by offering calorie reduction of between TACO 20 to 110 calories compared to the corresponding product on our regular menu. BELL Taco Bell Frasco Ranchero Chicken Sott Toco contains 4 got fot. For additional information please victobel.com. Cos TACO BE on regarding to content of a loco del tem. In this ad, Taco Bell satisfies the physiological need of food while letting the consumer know that healthy eating can also be delicious. Source: Taco Bell CHAPTER 6 Consumer Behavior 127
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Running Head: PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING

Principles of Marketing
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1

PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING
There are five steps in the consumer decision making process. There are three major
companies in America providing dieters with diet programs to help them loss weight and
remain healthy. The battle is stiff, every company devising an optimal solution to dieters’
problems. The first step in consumer decision making process involves recognizing the
problem (Flekel, 2013). In this case the problem is weight loss.
Secondly, the consumer has to search for the various products or services that may
satisfy the need they have (Flekel, 2013). The products available to the dieting consumer are
those provided by Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and Slim-Fast. These companies have
special weight loss programs available to their consumers.
The third step involves evaluation of the different alternatives available to the
consumer to determine the alternative that fully satisfies the consumers need (Flekel, 2013).
The products that I will evaluate are Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and Slim-Fast dieting
programs. These companies have special weight loss programs available to their consumers.
The forth step comes in after the consumer has evaluated the different alternatives
available to them (Flekel, 2013). They have to make a final decision on the best alternative.
In this case I have chosen the Jenny Craig program. Jenny Craig’s program is ranked as the
best among the three. The program popularity comes from its help to is successful outcome
on a majority of the dieters wishing to lose weight. The Jenny Craig’s program continuously
tries to get inside the dieters mind to influence them in their decision making process (Frey,
2019).
In the Jenny Craig program dieters do not have to keep a record of the components
that make up what they eat (Frey, 2019...

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