Consumers are often influenced by what we call reference groups- groups that we actually belong to, aspire to belong to, or groups that we want to disassociate ourselves from. Many purchasing and marketing decisions can be related back to these groups. For instance, professional sports fans purchase jerseys because they either 'belong' to the group of fans that support a team or they 'aspire' to be like their favorite athlete.
Since completing my first marathon on Sept. 11th, I've noticed that runners in general are a reference group as well. If you really enjoy running, you might consider yourself "a runner". Runners are almost an elite group of individuals that find running not only enjoyable, but necessary in their day-to-day lives --it's more than just being in shape, it's part of who they are. Participating in road races or trail races furthers the notion that you belong to this group- not only do you enjoy it, but you also compete.
Marathoners are a whole other sub-group within the larger reference group. These runners have a kinship with each other because not only have they run a distance that many gawk at, many come back to run it over and over. After running my race, I posted to my Facebook that I am now a 'marathoner', my friend wrote back that "You're now part of the group with all the other crazies". We joke about ourselves while being proud at the same time. Hal Higdon, a famous runner and contributor to Running World Magazine has written several books about marathons including this quote:
"It's an extra special event. It's
like tacking a Ph.D. at the end of your name, getting married,
having a baby. You're special, whether anyone else knows it or
not. You certainly do. Your life will never again be quite the
same, and regardless of what the future brings, you can look back
and say, "I finished a marathon." " -Hal Higdon, Marathon: The Ultimate
Training Guide
I love that movie :-)
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