Final answer:
The marketer is using a C. projective technique to uncover consumers' true opinions by having them make comparisons with other objects. This qualitative research method helps reveal subconscious thoughts that may not be shared directly.
Step-by-step explanation:
The technique that the marketer is using by asking consumers to compare his brand to an automobile, a country, and a person when they are unwilling to express their true opinions is known as a projective technique. This type of qualitative research allows participants to project their subconscious thoughts onto a neutral object, which can be more revealing than direct questioning. In marketing, projective techniques are used to uncover deep-seated emotions, attitudes, or perceptions that individuals might not readily share.
Advertising and marketing professionals use the power of associative learning to create desirable associations between a product and other positive stimuli, similar to pairing an attractive model with a car in commercials. These associations can effectively change consumers' perceptions and preferences. Surveys, both qualitative and quantitative, collect data to inform various aspects of business, from product preferences to voter behavior following political debates.
A survey is a structured interview with standardized questions aimed at discovering attitudes, beliefs, or habits of a population segment. Surveys are an essential tool for researchers and marketers for gaining insights into consumer preferences, such as the proportion of the population that prefers a new laundry detergent brand or a particular political candidate post-debate.