Application of the “Defender” Consumer Model

This paper examines the feasibility, practicality, and predictive ability of the consumer model which was proposed by Hauser and Shugan (Hauser, J. R., S. M. Shugan. 1983. Defensive marketing strategies. (4, Fall) 319–360). We report results in two product categories, each representing over $100 million in annual sales. We develop “per dollar” perceptual maps and empirical consumer “taste” distributions. As a first test of the model, we compare the predictive ability of the consumer model in one category to (1) pretest market laboratory measurement models, (2) traditional perceptual mapping procedures, (3) a hybrid model using price as an attribute, and (4) actual market shares in test market cities. In the second product category, we illustrate the application of the quantitative model to augment managerial judgment. Besides developing an empirical version of the “Defender” consumer model, our analyses raise a number of behavioral hypotheses worth further investigation.