Classical Conditioning

Pavlov's Classical Conditioning 

Classical conditioning also known as Pavlovian conditioning was first discovered by Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov in the early twentieth century. 

Classical Conditioning is where two stimuli are linked together in order to produce a new learned response this can be by an animal or person. 

Pavlov first came across Classical Conditioning when he noticed that his dog started drooling while it were eating. The dog drooling was called Unconditioned Response as the dog had not learnt this. However later on he noticed that his dog would begin to drool when he brought the dogs food into the room. As a result of this Pavlov began experimenting with different forms of stimuli. He began ringing a bell before feeding his dog and overtime the dog began to drool after hearing the sound of the bell even when there was no food present. The bell became a Conditioned Learned Stimulus and the dog drooling became a Conditioned Response. 

Pavlov's Terminology - 

• Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) using Pavlov's dog this is the food as this caused the dog to drool naturally and this was unlearned behaviour.
• Unconditioned Response (UCR), the dog drooling while eating.
• Conditioned Learned Stimulus (CLS)- the bell.
• Conditioned Response (CR), the dog drooling as a result of hearing the bell even when food is not present.

Classical Conditioning in Marking and Advertising

Classical Conditioning is now used within both marketing and advertising, organisations use Classical Conditioning so that the viewer will both feel and react positively to their product. Many organisations use celebrities to endorse their products so that the consumer associates the products with the celebrity. Almost all industries use Classical Conditioning within their marketing and advertising, one example is the fragrance industry. Keira Knightley and Brad Pitt both endorse products for Chanel. Consumers associate the attributes and qualities of both Pitt and Knightley with the Chanel fragrance they are promoting. Both celebrities are viewed as successful, attractive and likable and as a result of this consumers who like Pitt and Knightley associate there attributes with the products they are endorsing, in this case Chanel perfume and aftershave. This in turn convinces consumers to buy the product. 

Another example of an industry using Classical Conditioning is the Tourism industry with Thomas Cook having celebrity couple Jamie and Louise Redknapp promoting Thomas Cook Holidays. Both are viewed as successful, Jamie for his successful football career and as a pundit on Sky Sports and Louise as a singer and presenter both are seen as attractive, likable and down to earth as a result of this viewers see their Thomas Cook advert and associate their attributes to it.

  

References

http://www.marketing-schools.org/consumer-psychology/marketing-with-celebrities.html
http://ccima.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/classical-conditioning-in.html?m=1
http://www.marquisoffashion.com/brad-pitt-chanel-5/
http://stylefrizz.com/201103/keira-knightleys-chanel-coco-mademoiselle-perfume-ad-campaign/