Selective Attention-Examples

1.

 Imagine that we're standing in a crowded room while friends and

acquaintances are socialising all around us.  The sounds of conversations,

laughter, glasses clinking, and music are loud and confusing.  We are attempting

to carry on a reasonable conversation in our little circle but are having

trouble hearing the others speak.  All of a sudden, from across the room, we

hear our name mentioned.  Immediately, selective attention operators spring into

overdrive.  We now find it easier to screen out other stimuli, pick out the

discussion of interest, and overhear it.

2. 

"Every four years marketers bid against each other for the right to be called an

"official product" of the Olympic Games.  In 1984, when the Olympics were held

in Los Angeles, two sets of "official" rights were sold-one for the U.S. trials

(held earlier to determine the U.S. team members) and one for the games

themselves.  In the film product category, the Japanese firm, Fuji, was named

the official brand for the game, while the American firm, Kodak, was named the

official brand for the trials.  Upon arrival in Los Angeles, Fuji sent its blimp

up for a test run over the Los Angeles Coliseum.  However, it happened that at

this time the U.S. trials were in progress.  True to the exclusive marketing

agreements signed with Kodak, U.S. officials were perturbed at this sight.  What

should they do to minimise this disruption?  An amazing decision was reached:

over the loudspeakers boomed the following announcement: "WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT

IF YOU WOULD NOT LOOK AT THE BLIMP PASSING OVERHEAD."  At this point, of course,

everyone shifted his or her attention to the sky and watched the Fuji blimp

being driven away by a helicopter

3.

  "One eye camera research study in stores showed the following facts:

    a.  Brands on an upper shelf received 35 percent greater attention than did

    those on a lower shelf.

    b.  Increasing the number of rows a brand (called "facings") occupies from

    two to four resulted in a 34 percent increase in attention from consumers.

    c.  An ideal shelf position can result in a 76 percent increase in

    visibility.

    d.  The long aisles are dropped in favour of short aisles and arranged as a

    honeycomb then shoppers will more often encounter the aisle ends or

    "windows" that are eyecatchers and will demonstrate increased attention.

    e.  Installing more interior walls to organise products attracts greater

    attention to them.