Implications of the absolute threshold for marketers appealing to seniors
A threshold for a receptor refers to the lowest intensity of a stimulus identified by a sensory channel. The absolute threshold is the least amount of stimulation identified by a sensory channel. The study of how the physical environment integrates into our life is psychophysics (Michael, Judith, and Rosemary 18).
Senses
There are different senses that influence the ability of the seniors to perceive. They hear, touch, taste, vision, and smell. Sensory changes have effects on one’s lifestyle, as one might have issues with communication and social interaction. The threshold is the minimum stimulation an individual requires to feel a sensation—the threshold increases with age as the sensory input for a sensation increases as the individual ages. Vision and hearing are the most dramatic changes affecting seniors.
Hearing
The human ear is responsible for hearing and maintaining body balance. The structures making up the ear weaken with age. The eardrum thickens, and this affects the bones of the middle ear, becoming difficult to maintain balance and hearing, especially of high sounds, declines. Therefore, marketers willing to advertise using Roadshows with loud music may not appeal to seniors. The use of low sounds that is cool may attract the attention of the seniors (Michael, Judith, and Rosemary 24).
Vision
Vision occurs after the eye processes light. The sharpness of the eye decreases with age. Seniors are unable to withstand glare, and they have problems with darkness and bright light. Due to this, marketers should print ads that are largely targeting the elderly; the use of radio and television ads reduces the pace of information dissemination to the seniors. Retail stores, restaurants, and other public places should increase lighting.
Taste and smell
One appreciates food due to smell and taste. The taste comes from odors, and the smell comes from nerve receptors in the membrane of the nose. Pleasant tastes improve our social life and level of interaction. Taste buds in humans decrease with age, which starts with the loss of sweet and salty tastes. Marketers should improve on smell and tastes by having tailored products for the seniors, which may include having scented household items, scented clothes, scented ads, scented cars, and planes.
Touch
Touch involves the detection of pain, vibrations, cold, and being aware of the body position. The brain interprets the sensation as pleasant, neutral, or unpleasant. Studies show a reduction in sensations as one grows. Seniors come across various touchpoints. This may include public places. Marketers should use these places to attract them. The use of social media may not be a perfect point for marketers since the seniors have little interaction with social life on the internet.
Question 3
Use of public places for advertisements
For the majority of marketers, advertising takes many forms, and they use different channels of communication, from adverts in the newspapers, sponsoring stadiums, competitions, and major events, advertising through billboards, and having their adverts in office towers of skyscrapers. This reinforces and delivers the value of their brand. For most of the biggest brands around the world, the strategies they use for advertising becomes part of the brand just as the brand itself. Nike is a good case in point. It has an aggressive advertising strategy that has led to a strong brand for the product. The answer to this question is relevant and more solid by the use of Nike as an example (Michael, Judith, and Rosemary 56).
Nike has a huge advertising budget, and it ensures that its marketing staff has its adverts strategically placed in nearly all public places, though it is not the best strategy to apply. When Nike puts all its adverts in all public places, it, in effect, weakens and dilutes its brand. Nike has the ability to purchase advertising rights in most of the areas where the rights are saleable. This is because they have a strong budget for ads.
Nike might decide not to purchase the rights in order for them to focus on building their brand. This shows that, although marketers have the ability to purchase the rights in all public places, doing so would actually harm the brand rather than helping it. When there are willing buyers and willing sellers for public spaces for ads, there will be a willingness by marketers to use these spaces for their ads. Definite restrictions are required in places of advertising products and services. This is to make sure that marketers with adverts do not overuse public places so that they can retain their intended purpose. Currently, there are very many examples of public places that need intervention to keep them free of advertisements.
There should be a clear-cut line on the usage of public parks, placing banners on bridges, the use of national landmarks as an advertising medium, and the use of natural and beautiful scenic locations. These major public attraction sites require protection from marketers at all costs to safeguard their purpose as places for the public to enjoy being outside. Going outside to a park or a recreational facility and seeing large billboards staring at you is annoying.
When it comes to the content of the adverts, there need be guidelines as to which advertisements to post in public places. There should be restrictions on advertising content and concepts for advertisers who wish to advertise their products in public places. The restrictions are critical due to the heterogeneous demography that has a different perspective on life and due to their religious inclination.
Work Cited
Michael R. S, Judith L. Z, & Rosemary, P. Consumer Behaviour: Buying, Having, and Being, Fifth Canadian Edition with MyMarketingLab. Ottawa: Pearson Education Canada, 2012. Print.