The importance of values and involvement.

Involvement - How much time, thought, energy and other resources people devote to the purchase process.
(taken from, http://www.adcracker.com/involvement/)

Values - "If we believe our values drive our behaviour, then we should be concentrating on the important, underlyng motives that drive consumers to make product or servce choices rather than simply product attributes." (Ries and Trout 1982)

If values are said to drive our behaviour, then in marketing terms, it would appear that we would base all our purchasing decisions on these principals; but is this the case?

For me personally, my values have altered over the years throughout my life, major events, experiences, family and friends are amongst the factors that have the biggest impact on what I base my values on. Family shapes my values on security and sense of belonging, friends impact on my values of warm relationships with others. Major events such as changes in the family home has impacted my values on security, and my experiences of going travelling have changed my values on my sense of acomplishment and self respect. With only being on the planet for 20 years, im sure my values are set to change again and again as I pass through more life stages!

Relating this theory to marketing, my idea that values change over time may suggest that the way in which we make purchases may also change over time. This may be due to values changing with regards to how your money is spent, or with values based on lifestyle.



The VALS test is an online survey used as a marketing and consulting tool for businesses wantng to improve ther strategies. I took the VALS test (Values, Attitudes, Lifestyles test) to look at what type of attitudes I tend to base the way I work on. After completing several questons, I found that I am a striver (trendy and fun loving, motivated by achievement, and always concerned about the opinion and approval of others!). In terms of purchasing, being a striver means that I am an active onsumer. This is because I see shopping as both a social occassion as well as an opportunity to demonstrate to my peers the ability to buy ( is this me?!) I also am as impulsive as my financial circumstance will allow ( No way!!). My "Striver" approach to life is supported by being an achiever.
(To take the test yourself: http://www.sric-bi.com/VALS/5-4.shtml)