Friendship groups
Friendship groups are typically classifi ed as informal groups because they are usually unstructured and lack specifi c authority levels. In terms of relative infl uence, after an individual’s family,
his or her friends are most likely to infl uence the individual’s purchase decisions.
Seeking and maintaining friendships is a basic drive of most people. Friends fulfil a wide
range of needs: they provide companionship, security and opportunities to discuss problems
that an individual may be reluctant to discuss with family members. Friendships are also a sign
of maturity and independence, for they represent a breaking away from the family and the forming of social ties with the outside world.
The opinions and preferences of friends are an important infl uence in determining the products or brands a consumer ultimately selects. Marketers of products such as brand-name clothing, fi ne jewellery, snack foods and alcoholic drinks recognise the power of peer group influence
and frequently depict friendship situations in their advertisements