Over the next few weeks, consider yourself as the consumer you are but also from the perspective of a marketer. Become aware of your thoughts, feelings, outside influences and decision-making processes as you purchase or choose not to purchase products and services.

Reflect on the following questions, then create a journal entry for each using examples from your personal experience as a consumer as well as what you are learning in class. Journal entries can be written, visual (images, charts, graphs etc), audio/video based or a combination thereof.

1. Choose a category you love and frequently purchase from e.g. sport, fashion, food etc. Pick 3 of the following IDEO method card research techniques and analyse your behaviour for this category.

a. Five Whys?

b. Personal Inventory

c. Scale model/drawing of your ideal brand experience

d. Collage

e. A Day in the life

f. Camera Journal

g. Competitive product survey

(See Week 2, additional resources for IDEO cards)

2. Pick 2 products or services you have purchased or decided not to purchase this week. Using a consumer journey map, map your decision-making process. Highlight your emotions and reasons for decisions.
(See week 3 for journey map examples)

3. Put together a pen-portrait of yourself including attitudes, motivations, insights from your IDEO process, activities, brands you are loyal to and basic demographics (age, gender, job, family unit).
(See week 4 for pen portrait examples and week 5 for tips on motivations and attitudes)

4. Knowing marketers use these tools for communication strategies, comment on the ethical implications of employing psychology to influence consumers’ purchasing decisions? Provide examples from your own experience and consider if this impacts your loyalty/addiction to your favourite brands.
(See week 1 and 3 for ethics and loyalty content)