Chapter 4 The communication process

1. Chapter 4 The communication process

2. Learning objectives • To understand the basic elements of the communication process and the role of communication in marketing. • To examine various models of the communication process. • To analyse the response processes of receivers of marketing communication, including alternative response hierarchies and their implications for integrated marketing communication planning and strategy. • To examine the nature of consumers’ cognitive processing of marketing communication.

3. Who Cognitive response What Response Communication process How they work How Whom Elaboration likelihood Response hierarchies Traditional models Central or peripheral Alternative models AIDA Innovation adoption Information processing Hierarchy of FX Standard learning Dissonance attribution Low involvement

4. What’s the buzz?

5. The nature of communication • Communication has many diverse definitions. • Typical definitions involve the ‘exchange of ideas’ between a sender and a receiver. • Marketing communication is a complex process. • Effective communication depends on many factors, including: • the nature of the message • the audience’s interpretation of it • the environment in which it is received.

6. Language and communication

7. The communications process

8. Source factors

9. Verbal Graphic Animation Musical • Pictures • Drawings • Charts • Symbols • Action/motion • Pace/speed • Shape/form • Arrangement • Instrument-ation • Voices • Spoken word • Written word • Song lyrics Forms of encoding Encoding

10. Louis Vuitton

11. Message factors • The message contains the information or meaning the source intends to convey. • Messages must be put into a transmittable form appropriate to the channel. • Messages communicate meaning at multiple levels: • literal meaning (conscious) • symbolic meaning (subconscious). • Marketers use individuals trained in semiotics and cultural anthropology to understand conscious and subconscious meanings.

12. The semiotic perspective Three components to every message Object (e.g. brand or product attribute) Interpretant (e.g. sexy, glamorous, individualistic) Sign or symbol (representing intended meaning)

13. Nicabate Valentines’ Day

14. Personal selling Word of mouth Print media Broadcast media Communication channels Personal channels Non-personal channels

15. Receiver/decoding factors • The receiver is the person or persons with whom the sender wishes to communicate. • Decoding is the process used to understand the message. • Communication is heavily influenced by the receiver’s frame of reference. • Advertisers spend many millions of dollars investigating the audience’s reference frames. • Pre-testing advertisements also provide insights into how messages may be received.

16. High commonality Receiver experience Receiver Experience Sender experience Experiential overlap Different frames of reference Sender experience Receiver experience Moderate commonality Receiver experience Sender experience

17. White noise (signal transmission) Situational factors (distractions) Clutter (competitive messages) Noise factors Noise refers to any unplanned distortion to the message. Sources of noise

18. Response/feedback • The set of receiver’s reactions after receiving a message is known as the response. • Response may include both non-observable and observable actions. • Feedback closes the loop and allows marketers to monitor message effectiveness. • Advertisers spend many millions of dollars investigating the audience’s reference frames. • Pre-testing advertisements also provide insights into how messages may be received.

19. Feedback • Feedback refers to the receiver’s set of reactions after being exposed to an advertising message. • Receiver’s responses can be observable or non-observable • Observable feedback • sales, purchasing or shopping behaviour • Non-observable feedback • advertising/brand awareness; advertising/brand attitude

20. Purchasing behaviours Observable feedback Sales/enquiries Coupon redemptions Non-observable feedback Research-based measures Recall/awareness Message comprehension Feedback (cont.) • Receiver’s responses

21. Analysing the receiver • The marketing communication process begins when the marketer identifies the audience that will be the focus of the message. • Marketing communication may be directed at different audience levels: • advertising—mass markets • personal sales—individual customers • direct response—receptive groups.

22. Levels of audience aggregation

23. Brand touch points • Brand touch points refer to those occasions when a customer (or potential customer) comes into contact with the brand. • Touch points planning recognises that consumers may assume responsibility for initiating the flow of communications. • Mapping consumer touch-points allows marketers to determine when and where to communicate with the customer in an integrated manner.

24. Consumer-initiated marketing communications

25. Who Cognitive response What Response Communication process How they work How Whom Elaboration likelihood Response hierarchies Traditional models Central or peripheral Alternative models AIDA Innovation adoption Information processing Hierarchy of FX Standard learning Dissonance attribution Low involvement

26. Models of the response process

27. Models of obtaining feedback

28. Information processing

29. Implications of response models • All response models see consumers as moving through a series of stages (cognitive, conative and affective). • This suggests that advertisers face potential buyers at different stages of the hierarchy. • Each stage of the hierarchy poses different communication challenges. • Research may be useful to determine each segment’s levels of awareness, liking, etc.

30. Awareness

31. Alternative response hierarchies

32. Standard learning hierarchy

33. Low-involvement hierarchy In low-involvement situations: • the consumer engages in passive learning and random information catching rather than active information seeking. • consumers do not compare the message with previously acquired beliefs, needs or past experiences. • the consumer’s perceptual defenses are reduced or absent • advertising results in subtle changes to consumers’ knowledge structure. Cognitive (learn) Affective (feel) Conative (do)

34. IMC implications for low-involvement products Message exposure (under low involvement) Advertisers of low-involvement goods use: • repetition of product claims • copy elements that do not require significant levels of information processing • simple benefits or umbrella concepts • catchy jingles Shift in cognitive structure Purchase Brand experience (Positive or negative) Attitude formation

35. Foote, Cone & Belding Grid

36. Foote, Cone & Belding Grid (cont.) Thinking 1 Informative The thinker Car-house-furnishings-new products Model: Learn-feel-do (economic?) Possible implications Test: Recall diagnostics Media: Long copy format Reflective vehicles Creative: Specific information Demonstration High involvement

37. Foote, Cone & Belding Grid (cont.) Emotional and rational connections

38. Foote, Cone & Belding Grid (cont.) Feeling 2 Affective The feeler Jewellery-cosmetics-fashion goods Model: Feel-learn-do (psychological?) Possible implications Test: Attitude change Emotional arousal Media: Large space Image specials Creative: Executional Impact High involvement

39. Foote, Cone & Belding Grid (cont.) Thinking 3 Habit formation The doer Food-household items Model: Do-learn-feel (responsive?) Possible implications Test: Sales Media: Small space ads 10-second IDs Radio; point of sale Creative: Reminder Low involvement

40. Foote, Cone & Belding Grid (cont.) Feeling 4 Self-satisfaction The reactor Cigarettes, liquor, candy Model: Do-feel-learn (social?) Possible implications Test: Sales Media: Billboards Newspapers Point of sale Creative: Attention Low involvement

41. Cognitive response A method for examining consumers’ cognitive processing of advertising messages by looking at their cognitive responses to hearing, viewing or reading communications. Examines types of thoughts that are evoked by an advertising message. Consumers write down or verbally report their reactions to a message.

42. A model of cognitive response

43. Counterarguments Support arguments Source derogation Source bolstering Thoughts about the ad itself Affect attitude toward the ad Cognitive response categories Product/message thoughts Source-oriented thoughts Ad execution thoughts

44. Counter arguments • Insert Exhibit 4.10

45. Who Cognitive response What Response Communication process How they work How Whom Elaboration likelihood Response hierarchies Traditional models Central or peripheral Alternative models AIDA Innovation adoption Information processing Hierarchy of FX Standard learning Dissonance attribution Low involvement

46. Elaboration likelihood model (ELM)

47. Routes to attitude change Peripheral route Ability and motivation to process a message is low and receiver focuses more on peripheral cues than message content Central route Ability and motivation to process a message is high and close attention is paid to message content Elaboration likelihood model (ELM) (cont.) Focuses on the way consumers respond to persuasive messages based on the amount and nature of elaboration or processing of information

48. Celebrity endorsers as peripheral cues

49. Implications of ELM • ELM is a model of attitude formation and change that recognises two forms of information processing. • Level of consumer involvement is directly related to information processing. • In low-involvement situations consumers may rely on peripheral cues rather than detailed message arguments. • In high-involvement situations consumers are motivated to process detailed message arguments.

50. Filters Motivation, ability, (involvement) Consumer Cognition, affect, experience Consumer behaviour Choice, consumption, loyalty, habit, etc. How advertising works Advertising input Message content, media scheduling, repetition