Chapter 10 Communication. The process of exchanging information and conveying meaning between a...
-
date post
20-Dec-2015 -
Category
Documents
-
view
308 -
download
9
Transcript of Chapter 10 Communication. The process of exchanging information and conveying meaning between a...
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