«Influence of Marketing Strategies» - Free Essay Paper

Objectives

As it was mentioned in the International Journal of Consumer Studies, young people are the consumers of tomorrow (1). Consequently, most of marketing strategies should be aimed at the increasing organic food consumption and the methods should address the requirements of this particular group of consumers. Therefore, the main objective of the research is to find the main reason why young people buy organic food and their knowledge of the subject; to show the relevance and importance of young people as purchasers of organic food; to see the influence of college students who buy organic food. In particular, the research will explain the importance of marketing in general, and will show peculiarities of marketing food and marketing organic food. Also, the study will correlate various consumption habits with advertising as such.

Literature Review

The demand for organic food is increasing. It is generally shown by the Organic Trade Association, which found that 78% of U.S. families buy organic food. Moreover, at least 40% of families around the world say that they buy more organic food than they used to buy a year ago. The same survey shows that the consumers of the organic food usually are young and well-educated. People who are over 65 years old are less likely to eat organic food than the younger consumers (12-13). Generally speaking, the popularity of organic food is constantly growing and it actually helps to expand the availability of this product around the world. However, there might be different reasons to buy organic food. Young people understand that food is not only filling the stomach, but also it helps the person to feel stressed or secure, comfortable or tensed (Asp 1999). Young people tend to choose the food according to various emotional cues, or feelings, which provoke various responses to the food (Furst, Connors, Bisogni, Sobal, & Falk 1996). However, the main factor for adolescents is the influence on the health condition. Young people tend to become more responsible for their health. Adolescents get used to believe that organic food is healthier as it does not contain various pesticides (Davies, Titterington & Cochrane 1995). Nevertheless, the rate of organic food’s growth is slowing as the marketing strategies are aimed on traditional consumers, but now it is obvious that the consumers of this product are different and non-traditional. The consumption pattern should be changed. If the market is aimed on adolescents, they will help to change the current behaviour of the parents and relatives they speak with (Stobbelaar 2006, p.2). However, generally speaking, organic food serves as the method of expression of various organic interests to young people. Basically, they can dispose them at educational institutes or music festivals or during out-of-home eating. The organic agenda might only help and support young people to become strong organic consumers (Makatouni 2002, p.347). Young people most frequently allow themselves to express distrust in conventional food. The main reason of this lays in the fact that adolescents are much more critical than older people (Friske & Alvensleben 1997, p.4). A lot of projects show that people currently try to explore main reasons of adolescents becoming interested in organic food. Various projects pay attention to the exploration of adolescent’s understanding of various ecological as well as social influences of organic food on the world, which helps to secure them as future consumers of organic food (IPOPY 2012, p.3). One of such projects is called Innovative Public Organic food Procurement for Youth and its main aim is to research the nowadays implementation of different certification standards for the organic food and the public organic food procurement as such (IPOPY 2012, p. 2). Many projects try to analyse slightly different side of the organic food. Their main objective is to find out the connection between the perception of the organic food and the degree of satisfaction with the organic food. A lot of researchers show that adolescents show higher degree of satisfaction with the organic food and it actually helps to increase the supply chain as such. The main results of such policies are shown in the reports. Global Agricultural Information Network provided the report for United Kingdom. The report showed that the exports of fresh organic production to UK increased in 2012, despite the fact that investments in organic farming declined (2013, p. 1-3). It is important to mention that this has happened even despite the fact that farmers understand that organic food is typically more expensive. Organic soy beans are sold for 200% higher price than conventionally produced soy beans (Zakaria 2012). However, if the purchaser does not understand how these products differ, he/she will never pay higher price than necessary (Solano 2008). Generally speaking, young people can find the information about organic food much easier due to their usage of new technologies. According to the survey, which was done in Turkey, approximately 54% of students in the University Faculty of Health Studies in Ankara said that they buy and eat organic food. The rest of the students explained that they do not consumer such products only because they do no know the places where to find it. About 55% of students will buy organic food if they can find it, because they understand the benefits of it and they feel healthier eating this type of food (Ucar & Ozcelik 2009, pp. 93-94). These students understand that organic food is the one, which helps to enhance the ecological balance of natural systems and it integrated farming as such into the ecological whole (Ballard 2009, p. 1).

Methodology

The research will be conducted on the basis of the interview of 60 students. In this case the population in whole is not of interest. The survey, in this case, should contain people to whom the survey results should be extendable (Boone 2009, p.6). The research will be done in three different colleges, which are the Regent College, Westminster and London College of Fashion. These colleges have both local students and international students. As a result, this will help to understand how the behaviour of international students changes due to the availability of organic products in London. Generally speaking, sampling procedures are classified into two categories, which are probability sampling and no probability sampling. The method here to be used is of non-probability samples such as convenience sampling, which involves choosing responders at the convenience of the researcher. However, this method might lack accuracy (Overview of sampling procedures 2012, p.3). The method of probability sample is the simple random sampling, which allows preparing an executive frame of all members in specific group of interest. This method helps each person to have equal chance of being chosen during each section round. This procedure’s advantage is the reduction of bias and it allows doing accurate statistical calculations (Overview of sampling procedures 2012, p.4). The data collection method to be used is interviewing in depth. This method might be generally depicted as a certain conversation with particular purpose. The main thing here is to interpret the answers objectively and not to impose one’s values through the creation of the questions and the interpretation of the data provided (Spradley 1979, p.18). Generally speaking, all the data which is collected will be both in numeral or quantitative form and in non numerical form, which helps to summarise qualitative analysis. They both will help to understand that two things might be true. In the first case, it will show that there is a difference and in the second case, it will depict null hypothesis and show no difference. The quantitative research will measure the numbers, and qualitative research will help to understand the reasons and provide the answers (Research Methods: Data Analysis 2004, p. 2). These conclusions will relate to validity of the findings. The finding might be limited, because the study might not be carried in a properly controlled way or when the results cannot be applied to everyday life (Research Methods: Data Analysis 2004, p. 2). Whole foods and organic food are issues of everyday usage that is why there should be no limitations in this sphere. The only limitation is the fact that the research will be conducted among students who are the people of the same age. The tendency lays in the fact that people of the same age tend to have similar taste. The reliability of the research might be increased only if the research is conducted several times, which helps to compare the changes and similarities. Generally speaking, the research will encompass experimental validity, which will show extend to which a finding is genuine. However, the research should follow all principles which include standardisation and randomisation (Research Methods: Data Analysis 2004, p.30).