Editorial

Citation

Leventhal, R.C. (2012), "Editorial", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 29 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/jcm.2012.07729aaa.001

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Journal of Consumer Marketing, Volume 29, Issue 1

If there is one constant in the global marketplace, then we must consider that change is inevitable. But how do you plan for such? With information that can be instantly disseminated, the growth of social media, and environmental occurrences that can affect all societies, what is the best way to approach the consumer in the marketplace? Replicating prior strategies that might have been successful in the past may be one suggestion. However, given the task of competing in a global marketplace means that being sensitive to the factors that affect a consumer’s lifestyle and environment has to be taken into consideration, as well as the individual consumer’s attitudes and opinions to their particular marketplace. This is an ongoing situation that must be addressed in any marketing strategy is to succeed.

Thorsdottir, Sveinsdottir, Jonsson, Einarsdottir, Thorsdottir and Martinsdottir examine attitudes towards fish consumption and several concurrent factors in childhood as predictors of fish consumption among consumers in their early childhood. The author’s found a relationship between fish consumption in childhood and fish consumption in general, but that relationship was mediated by sensory beliefs and attitudes.

Bishop and Barber investigate the influence of self-esteem and self-efficacy on consumers’ selection of sources of information when making a product buying decision. Consumer experiences and expectation will vary during a purchase situation. Understanding how individuals seek varied sources of information based on self-esteem and self-efficacy is pertinent to marketers when creating advertising program, particularly for products that offer potentially socially risky situations, such as gift giving.

Lantos and Craton provide a model of consumer response to music broadcast commercials outlining four variables (listening situation, musical stimulus, listener characteristics and advertising processing strategy) that affect a consumers’ attitude toward the advertising music being used. The authors present factors that can be used to effectively use commercial music to affect a consumers’ attitude toward such music, with special focus on advertising processing strategy. The author’s also present ways in which their model can be used.

Qing, Lobo and Chongguang examine how variables related to lifestyle and ethnocentrism influence Chinese consumers’ attitudes and intentions towards the purchase of domestic and imported fresh fruit. Marketers entering the Chinese market should ensure that both sensory and non-sensory purchase attributes of fresh fruit are given due importance, as this will snowball into positive purchase intentions, customer satisfaction and overall profitability for firms.

Kennett-Hensel, Sneath and Lacey examine how event-induced outcomes impact consumption attitudes and buying behavior by surveying victims at distinct intervals following Hurricane Katrina, the largest natural disaster in US history. The studies conducted by the authors provide insight about the impact of stress and loss on natural disaster victim’s purchasing behavior, both in the weeks and months following the storm, as well as more than three years later.

Birch, Lawley and Hamblin explore the drivers and barriers to seafood consumption in Australia and investigate attitudes toward pre-packaged fresh chilled seafood products. The findings provide important insights for the Australian seafood industry in developing and delivering seafood offerings that will appeal to Australian consumers and thus stimulate seafood consumption. This knowledge will also assist the Australian government and health educators to more effectively campaign to encourage increased seafood consumption.

In this issue you will also find our Book review section.

Richard C. Leventhal