BEER CONSUMER BEHAVIOR: TYPOLOGY PROPOSAL BASED ON THE IMAGE AND ON THE INTENTIONS IN RELATION TO ABRAUND

Abstract

This paper has as central subject the beverage consumer behavior, more specifically consumers of the product beer. For the analysis, the following theoretical topics were selected: the consumption habits; the attitude in relation to alcoholic beverages; the brand and product image; and the behavioral intentions of consumption, and of word of mouth. The objectives of the research were: to analyze the habits and the preferences of beer consumers; and to develop a typology of the consumers from their evaluations related with the preferred brands. Data were collected with 151 respondents, proceeding from different contexts of consumption, from Ceará State. The data had been analyzed by means of descriptive tools, and with the use of some multivariate procedures of analysis. With cluster analysis, three different groups of consumers were defined from the three brand related constructs (consumption intentions, word of mouth intentions, and image related to the preferred brands). These groups were submitted to an analysis of variance to analyze and characterize the consumption habits. In the end, some of the limitations of the study are pointed, and some recommendations of new studies are appointed. Key words: Brand image. Behavioral intentions. Beers consumption.