Reference group

Any group with which an individual identifies such that he or she tends to use the group as a standard for self-evaluation and as a source of personal values and goals. Such groups provide consumers with a means to compare and evaluate their own brand attitudes and purchasing behavior. They may be classified as aspirational, membership, and dissociative. Consumers use reference groups as a guide to specific behaviors, even when the groups are not present. Marketers use reference group influences in developing advertisements and promotional strategies.