White Road

Impulsivity

“White-road and red-road journeys arequalitatively different. You need the rightmap. On the red road it is about thedestination. On the white road it is aboutthe road. On the white road you must travellight. The white road is quiet. It is aboutsimplicity. It is often adventurous. You needto dig deep. Sometimes there is no road.You have to trust your gut.”

- Gary Erickson, Clif Bar

Impulse

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve spontaneously bought

another tube of lip gloss that I just “had to have.” Although I

have plenty of options in my purse, something tells me I need

just one more. Impulsive, you say? Well, I’m not the only one.

I talked to three other people who also tend to make impulsive

decisions. Let’s see how they justify their actions and what it

means for those of us in marketing.

The Keeter LadiesCasino Patrons

Do you consider yourself an impulsive person?

“Not really. I’m usually very conscious when itcomes to buying things, but I have no selfcontrol at the casino. I have to leave mywallet in the car, or I’ll keep going to theATM!”

How do you justify your impulsivity at the

casino?

“It’s my guilty pleasure. I don’t go that often,and I enjoy making the trip a special occasionwith my grandma. I think – oh, what’s another$20…I won’t eat out next week.”

Do you ever feel regret after gambling?

“Only if I lose!”

Amy Callahan-StillmanInfomercial Addict

Do you consider yourself an impulsive person?

“I guess you could say that. I’m pretty laid backand will sometimes make a decision withoutthinking too much about it.”

What drives your impulsivity with infomercials?

“The amazing results the products claim toprovide. I mean, I’m in sales and know it’s atotal pitch, but I get totally sucked in!”

Do you ever feel regret after making an

impulsive purchase?

“Sometimes when I realize I didn’t really needthe product, but it’s okay. That’s the fun part oflife. That’s what you do before you have kids,right?”

Amy Mastin•New Bride (engaged for just 2 weeks)•Bought a new car during a routine oil change

Do you consider yourself an impulsive person?

“It’s easy to be impulsive if you trust your instincts.When you’re older, you have more life experienceand know what you want.”

What made you decide to get married in only 2

weeks?

“We dated in the past and recently got backtogether. We knew we’d make a great family.”

Do you ever feel regret after an impulsive decision?

“I make decisions easily and don’t live with regret.Once I make up my mind, I don’t look back.”

End of the Road

We are a society that demands instant gratification. Whether it’s onemore pull on the slot machine, the desired comfort of a new redSnuggie or making the commitment to a life partner, when we wantsomething, we want it immediately. Although different people havedifferent levels of impulsivity, everyone has a trigger and can usuallyfind a way to justify their purchase or action. It’s just a matter ofdefining what that trigger is for our target audience in order to reachthem at the right place and right time to satisfy their need. A littlespontaneity is good for the soul, right?

“On the white road, the moment – thejourney itself – matters most.”

- Gary Erickson, Clif Bar

White Road Warrior

Marta Kiser is an Account Planner at MARS, aleading U.S. shopper marketing agency. She’sproud to be a natural on the white road.

As a planner, she’s not afraid to ask each uniquelife traveler she encounters the questions you won’tfind in any survey. As an outdoor adventurer, shedoesn’t need a map to reach her destination.