The advertising has become a field of application and usage of the theoretical psychological knowledge and methods. Any psychological theory is partially subjective, since it studies subjective emotions and motives of humans that motivate them to act.
One of the leading viewpoints of the behaviorism theory, commonly used in advertising, is a belief that a learning experience and a vivid example make a great influence on acquiring new forms and patterns of behavior.
Certainly, forming human behavior and the molding of human habits, including buying habits, have great influence on inner motives as well as outer stimulators, and the advertising uses them.
Outer stimulators serve as motivators to the cognition process. Such advertising, especially TV trailers, demonstrate functions, benefits and uses of products, which increase the customers' level of knowledge about the products.
If customers see how a detergent cleans dirt spots off clothes or takes rust, stain or food rests off the stove or the table with no effort applied by the person using it, they will remember this visual image, even if they forget the text of such ad. This visual teaching can greatly influence the process of choosing products by customers.
The first purchase plays an important role in getting a new experience. If the first purchase confirmed the consumers' expectations and the trade message contained in the advertisement, the consumer may want to repeat the experience. Otherwise, if he had a negative impression with the product, it may not even withhold a person from purchase; however, it may also determine his attitude toward the company and all its products. A trade network and its service may have great significance of the feeling a consumer gets from the first trial purchase. This is the reason why large manufacturers always try to keep partnerships with the trade networks that distribute their products.
Another step in this direction, as well as in the teaching experience for consumers, is the different sales motivating campaigns. They may be conducted at the points of purchase, which are highly welcomed by the trade networks. In addition, they may be carried out in other ways. Such campaigns possess two main goals:
Teaching customers about products' qualities, advantages and usage or providing extra bonuses to motivate their behavior and stimulate to act.
The cognition function is realized through the demonstration of the products' qualities and usage, inviting customers to watch or even take part in it; it is a very effective marketing tool, especially, when it happens at the sales points.
Behaviorism also teaches about bonuses' effect on human behavior and habits. There are various stimuli able to move people to certain actions. Such stimuli can be discounts, bonuses, prizes, etc. Some products are designed with an inside package presents, kinder surprises, for instance, or a Happy meal at McDonald's. Such extra bonuses have a positive impact on the customers' behavior, motivating them to purchase making; thus, they become key managing factors of peoples' buying behavior.
Some companies use charity or social activities to build up positive image about themselves and create certain positive emotional links with the customers and to win their loyalty to their brands.
The advertising, in some ways, tests psychological theories, since it applies them to the real life issues and gets results of such application. In the advertising, only those theories that really work, survive .