CommunicationCommunication

Chapter 10

Communication

The process of exchanging information and conveying meaning between a sender and a receiver through a chosen medium

A unique tool that marketers use to persuade consumers to act in a desired way (e.g., to vote, to make a purchase or donation, to visit a retail store)

Can take many forms: verbal, visual, symbolic (e.g., unique logo)

Types of communication Mass communication

uses the mass media (newspapers, television, magazines, internet) to disseminate information

Personal communication involves two or more individuals interacting

directly with each other face-to-face speaker to audience over the phone

Advantages of mass communication Can reach a larger audience Is less expensive per capita Allows a marketer to do more with less

Advantages of personal communication Feedback is immediate Is more flexible, allowing adaptation of the

message to a specific audience or situation Information is generally considered more

credible

Stages of the communication process1. The source

2. The message

3. The medium

4. The receiver

5. Feedback

1. The source of the communication Decides to whom the message should be

sent (target audience) Determines what meaning it should convey Encodes message so that it is interpreted by

target audience as intended Encoding is presenting an object or idea

through words or visual images

Marketers have many methods to encode their messages: words pictures music symbols spokespersons

Source credibility

Perceived honesty and objectivity of the source influences acceptance of the message

Most important factor determining credibility is the perceived intention of the source i.e., the consumer asks: “what does he or she

stand to gain if I do what is suggested”? The greater the perception of gain by the

source, the more suspect the message

Credibility of formal and informal sources Friends, neighbors and relatives are

considered to have nothing to gain and thus word-of-mouth has great influence on receiver behavior

Formal sources generally have less credibility Exceptions:

Not-for-profit organizations “Neutral” sources (e.g., Consumer Reports)

Since consumers inherently suspect commercial sources, they judge commercial source credibility on other factors: Past performance Kind and quality of service they are known to

provide Quality and image of other products they make Image and attractiveness of the spokesperson Position in the community

Explains why many companies spend money on institutional advertising

Also explains why companies sponsor entertainment, sports and community events

Credibility of spokespersons and endorsers Consumers sometimes regard the

spokesperson as the source of the message That person has a major influence on

message credibility Thus marketers are more and more turning to

celebrities to give testimonials and endorsements

More effective if what is said is within the celebrity’s recognized competence

Credibility of the retailer who sells the product has a major influence on message credibility

Reputation of the medium carrying the message also affects the credibility of the message

Medium’s reputation for honesty and objectivity affects believability of the advertisement

2. The message

Thought, idea, attitude, image, or other information the sender wishes to convey

Critical that the sender encode the message in a way the audience will understand

In order to do so, sender must know Exactly what it is trying to say The personal characteristics of the target audience

Must then design a message strategy that will be perceived and interpreted (decoded) accurately

Verbal vs. non-verbal stimuli

Illustrations attract attention in a way that words do not

Most effective ads combine visual and verbal message in a complementary manner

Research on proportion of verbal to non-verbal messages is inconclusive

However, it is clear that visual stimuli enhance recall of verbal messages

One-sided vs. two-sided messages One-sided messages tell only the good points

about a product Two-sided messages also disclose negative

aspects of the product Effectiveness depends upon

Nature of the audience Nature of the competition

One-sided messages

Are more effective where the audience Is friendly (e.g., it uses the product) Initially favors the communicator’s position; or Is unlikely to hear an opposing argument

When competition does exist and is likely to be vocal, one-sided messages lose credibility

Two-sided messages

Are more effective where the audience Is critical or unfriendly (e.g., uses competitor’s

products) Is well educated; or Is likely to hear opposing claims

In general, are more credible because acknowledge product has shortcomings

Also lower expectations for the product, lessening likelihood of dissatisfaction

Comparative advertising

Widely used marketing strategy in which a marketer claims product superiority for its brand over one or more explicitly or implicitly identified competitors, either on an overall basis or on selected product attributes

Research supports effectiveness, especially when used by an “underdog” brand to compete with a leading brand

Assists in recall of competitor’s name May be perceived as less likable/believable

Sexual appeals

Use of sex in ads has increased dramatically in recent years, beyond traditional categories of fragrance and fashion

While it does bring attention to the ad, research indicates it rarely draws attention to the product

When sex is relevant to the product, it can be extremely powerful

Men and women respond differently Men respond more positively than women to

nudity (both in terms of the ad and the brand) Romantic content is more attractive to

women Men who view ads that stimulate a high level

of sexual arousal cannot remember anything about the product

Fear appeals

A common and effective advertising technique

Three different types of fear appeal1. Physical risk (health and safety)

2. Psychological risk (social approval and security)

3. Financial risk (loss of income and savings)

Mild fear appeals tend to be more effective than strong ones

A number of explanations have been given Strong fear appeals create cognitive dissonance Consumers seek to resolve the conflict by either

rejecting the message or giving up the behavior If the behavior is comfortable/habit, consumers

more likely to ignore the message

A recent study of adolescent responses to fear communications found they are more persuaded to avoid drug use by messages that depict negative social consequences rather than physical threats to their body

High sensation-seekers (personality variable) are more likely to use substances and react negatively to anti-substance messages because of the feeling they are “immortal”

3. The medium

Media strategy is an essential component of any communication plan

Involves placement of ads in the specific media read, viewed or heard by the target markets

To accomplish this, marketers develop a consumer profile of their target market that includes the specific media they read or watch

In considering media selection, marketers must consider the elements of

Reach--total number exposed to an ad in a particular medium at any given time

Frequency--number of times an individual is exposed to an ad

Impact--effectiveness of the medium in delivering the message

Marketer’s goal is to maximize all three

Media effectiveness Numerous studies have compared

effectiveness of various media outlets Findings have been inconclusive Which media is better depends on the

product and nature of the message Print media permits lengthier verbal message Newspapers allow timely announcements Television allows for visual demonstration of what

a product can do

4. The receiver

Receivers decode the messages they receive based on their personal experience and characteristics

Thus it’s critical that marketers understand the experiences and characteristics of the target market

5. Feedback—the receiver’s response The ultimate test of the success of the

marketing communication Thus essential for sender to obtain feedback

promptly and accurately Sender can then adjust message for future

campaigns

Interpersonal v. mass communication Interpersonal communication provides

immediate feedback Feedback is equally important in mass

communication because of the cost It is rarely direct; usually must be inferred Sender infers how persuasive the message

was by the resulting action (or inaction) They then act as quickly as possible to

correct any problems