| Could buying popcorn in a theatre be a 'conditioned' | | | | Since childhood, people have been 'conditioned' to |
| response? Could it be that people are 'trained' to | | | | associate popcorn with movies. Growing up, many of |
| believe that movies and popcorn go 'hand in hand' - | | | | us enjoyed popcorn with our favourite movies, and we |
| and that one without the other is...."incomplete?" And, | | | | now see a bag of popcorn as an addition to the |
| therefore, price is just not an issue at all? | | | | "overall" movie-enjoying experience. Some of us even |
| What a powerful place to be as a marketer, wouldn't | | | | see it as a 'requirement' to watching a movie. |
| you agree? | | | | Here's how one of my smart subscribers explained it? |
| Of course, there are some customers who fall in the | | | | ?I think cinemas are relying on a very strong emotion -- |
| above group yet still aren't completely happy with the | | | | nostalgia. Many of our happiest memories from |
| experience. They still end up buying the popcorn | | | | childhood probably involve experiencing wonderful |
| because the desire to have popcorn with their movie | | | | movies, maybe Bambi or Mary Poppins. It is likely that |
| outweighs the pain of having to pay the higher price. | | | | popcorn accompanied these life-changing events. |
| Here are more answers that I received... | | | | Whenever we go to see a movie, popcorn will be |
| "It is marketed as all part of the movie going | | | | linked with some of our happiest memories. I'm surprise |
| experience! And they've got a captive audience - you | | | | they can't get away with charging more!? |
| can't get it in there unless you buy it from them. So if | | | | Bingo! We have been conditioned and 'trained' to |
| you want to experience the movie it it's fullest extent, | | | | believe that movies and popcorn go hand in hand. |
| you need to get the popcorn, and it needs to be their | | | | Watching a movie without having popcorn somehow |
| popcorn." | | | | doesn't seem 'complete.' |
| And another... | | | | Eating popcorn by itself may or may not do anything |
| "First off may I say it is the conditioning that the movie | | | | for people. But, having popcorn while enjoying a movie |
| theatres, producers etc have done. Movies and | | | | is the "icing on the cake." It enhances the movie-going |
| popcorn go hand in hand. The movie goer has been | | | | experience. |
| conditioned all throughout life, so that is what is on their | | | | Yet, others are conditioned to want to munch on |
| minds when going to a movie. Once at the movies the | | | | 'something' while they're watching a movie, be it |
| smell of popcorn cooking, the power of the senses | | | | popcorn, a hotdog, or any other snack. Because of this |
| reinforces the thought of movies and popcorn. Once | | | | conditioning, they will buy something from the |
| at the movies you are a captive audience." | | | | concession stand, despite the high prices. |
| Yep. As, you can see, there's more than one | | | | But here's what's really interesting... movie theatres |
| marketing principle at work here. Stacked on top of | | | | didn't create this demand or 'conditioned' response. |
| each other, these strategies produce the overall result | | | | They simply aligned with an 'existing' demand, an |
| that's very powerful and very effective. | | | | existing 'conditioning' and fulfilled it. |
| I'll go over each one below. And...I'll also cover one big | | | | What are the other demands and 'conditioning' |
| mistake movie theatres are making. | | | | mechanisms that exist around you which you could |
| Let's discuss the various marketing principles that are | | | | tap into and profit from? Look around. I'm sure you'll |
| involved in "popcorn marketing": | | | | start to see many of them once you shift your focus |
| 1. Conditioning and Programmed Responses | | | | towards that. |