CHAPTER 2

ANALYZING THE MARKETING COMMUNICATION PROCESS

THE NATURE OF COMMUNICATION

- All elements of the integrated marketing communications program have the function
of communicating

- Organizations send communications and messages in a variety of ways, such as

advertisements, brand names, logos and graphic systems, websites, press releases,
package designs, promotions, and visual images

- Marketers need to understand the communication process and how it occurs

- Communication is defined as the passing of information, exchange of ideas, or

establishing commonness of thought

- Communication process is complex and success depends on factors like the nature of
the message, audience's interpretation, and the environment

- Words, pictures, sounds, and colors may have different meanings to different
audiences

- Language is a major barrier to effective communication

- Basic model of the communication process includes sender, receiver, message,

channel, encoding, decoding, response, feedback, and noise

A BASIC MODEL OF COMMUNICATION

 Source/Encoding

- The sender is the person or organization sharing information

- The sender's choice of communicator influences how the message is received

- Encoding involves putting thoughts or information into a symbolic form

- The goal is to make the message familiar to the target audience

- Universal symbols and recognizable company logos are examples of encoding

 Message
 - It is the actual advertisement containing the intended message

- It's the symbolic expression of the sender's thoughts

 Channel

- The method by which communication travels from sender to receiver

- Personal channels involve direct interpersonal contact (e.g., salespeople, word-of-

mouth)

- Non-personal channels involve mass media (e.g., TV commercials, print and

broadcast media)

 Receiver/Decoding

- The person who gets the message

- They understand the message based on their own experiences

- Effective communication happens when the receiver understands the message like
the sender

- Noise can interfere with the communication process

 Response/Feedback

- The receiver's reaction to the message

- It can be actions or thoughts after seeing the message

- Marketers are interested in feedback to see how the message is received

- Successful communication happens when the message is understood and acted upon
by the target audience

Identifying the Target Audience

- Marketing communication starts with identifying the audience for advertising and
promotions

- The target audience can be individuals, groups, niche markets, market segments, or
the general public

- Different audiences require different approaches from marketers

- Personal selling is used for products like life insurance, financial services, and real
estate to meet specific customer needs

- Marketers also communicate with groups of people who influence purchasing

decisions

- Market segments with similar needs can be reached with the same communication
strategy

- Mass markets are targeted with mass communication like advertising and publicity

- Feedback on audience reactions to messages is often indirect and hard to measure

THE RESPONSE PROCESS

- The response process is important for effective communication programs

- It involves understanding how the receiver responds to promotional efforts

- Marketers aim to create awareness, trigger interest, change knowledge and attitudes,
and influence behavior

Traditional Response Hierarchy Models

- Traditional response hierarchy models depict stages a consumer goes through from
awareness to purchase

- There are different models for this, such as the AIDA model and the hierarchy of
effects model

 AIDA Model: Represents the stages a salesperson takes a customer through in

the selling process

- Attention: Getting the customer's attention

 - Interest: Arousing interest in the product

- Desire: Creating a desire to own or use the product

- Action: Getting the customer to make a purchase commitment

 Hierarchy of Effects Model: Shows the process by which advertising works

- Initial awareness of a product or service

- Sequential steps from awareness to actual purchase

 Innovation Adoption Model: Represents the stages a consumer passes through

in adopting a new product or service

- Awareness, interest, evaluation, and trial before adoption or rejection

 Information Processing Model: Assumes the receiver is an information

processor or problem solver

- Stages include attention, comprehension, yielding, and retention

- Each stage can be measured to evaluate the effectiveness of promotional campaigns

Implications of the Traditional Hierarchy Models

- The hierarchy models help promotional planners understand the steps customers go
through from not knowing about a product to being ready to buy it.

- Different customers may be at different stages in the hierarchy, so advertisers need to

address various communication challenges.

- The response process in these models consists of three stages: cognitive (what
customers know about the product), affective (how they feel about it), and conative or
behavioral (their actions towards the product).

- Although these models assume a specific order of these stages, research has
questioned whether this sequence always holds true. New configurations of the
response hierarchy have been suggested.

Alternative Response Hierarchies

 Standard Learning Hierarchy: Learn → Feel → Do

- Consumers learn about different brands, develop feelings, and then make a purchase
decision.
 - Likely in high-involvement purchase decisions with lots of brand differentiation, like
industrial products, personal computers, and cars.

 Dissonance/Attribution Hierarchy: Do → Feel → Learn

- Consumers make a purchase decision, develop attitudes, and then seek information
that supports their decision.

- Happens when consumers must choose between similar quality options with hidden
attributes, like complex products.

- Marketers need to reinforce the wisdom of the purchase or provide supportive

information to reduce post-purchase dissonance.

 Low-Involvement Hierarchy: Learn → Do → Feel

- In low-involvement purchase decisions, consumers first learn about the product, then
make a purchase decision, and finally develop feelings or attitudes.

- This happens when consumers are not very interested in the purchase, there are not
many differences between brands, and TV ads play a big role.

- TV ads are seen as not very involving, so consumers don't think too much about
them. They just absorb the information and might buy the product later based on what
they saw in the ad.

- The response sequence is: See ad without much thought → Slight change in what you
know → Buy → Have a good or bad experience → Form an attitude toward the brand.

 Implications of the Alternative Response Models

- Advertising is not the only thing that influences how consumers learn about products
and make decisions. They also consider other marketing info and their own
experiences.

 The Cognitive Response Approach

 - One way to understand how consumers think about ads is to ask them to write down
or talk about what they think while they watch or hear the ad. These thoughts show
how they react and can affect whether they like the ad, the brand, and if they want to
buy it.

- Product/Message Thoughts

- Recipient's thoughts about the product, service, or claims in the communication

- Counterarguments: Thoughts against the message's position

- Support arguments: Thoughts that affirm the message's claims

- Counterarguments decrease message acceptance, while support arguments increase

it

- Marketers should create messages that minimize counterarguments and encourage

support arguments

- Source-Oriented Thoughts

- Recipient's thoughts about the source of the communication

- Source derogations: Negative thoughts about the spokesperson or organization

- Source derogations reduce message acceptance

- Source bolsters: Favorable thoughts about the source

- Advertisers aim to hire spokespeople their target audience likes to enhance message
acceptance

- Ad Execution Thoughts

- Thoughts about the ad itself, not just the product or message claims

- Affective reactions: Feelings toward the ad, such as reactions to creativity, visual
effects, and colors

- These thoughts can be favorable or unfavorable and affect attitudes toward the ad
and the brand
 - Advertisers focus on consumers' reactions to ads, especially TV commercials, as
affective reactions can impact advertising effectiveness

- Attitude Toward the Ad (A→ad)

- Represents receivers' feelings of favorability or unfavorability toward the ad

- Affective reactions are important for advertising effectiveness as they may influence
purchase intentions and brand perception

- People who enjoy a commercial are more likely to be convinced that the brand is the
best

- Importance of Affective Reactions

- Consumers' feelings about the ad are crucial for ad effectiveness

- Affective reactions may be as important as attitudes toward the brand or even more
so in determining ad effectiveness

- Advertisers use emotional ads to evoke feelings and affective reactions, depending
on consumers' involvement with the brand and their likelihood of processing the
message

The concept of source, message, and channel factors in advertising and promotional
campaigns is crucial for marketers to effectively reach and persuade their target
audience. Here's a breakdown of how these factors can be evaluated using the
persuasion matrix:

1. Receiver/Comprehension:

- Marketers need to ensure that their target market can comprehend the ad.
Understanding the audience's demographics, psychographics, and cultural nuances is
essential for crafting clear and understandable messages. This involves using words,
symbols, and expressions that resonate with the target audience.

2. Channel/Presentation:
 - Marketers must select media channels that optimize presentation. Factors such as
coverage, reach, and frequency play a significant role. For instance, a top-rated prime-
time TV program may offer extensive coverage and high reach, increasing the
likelihood of effective presentation to the target audience.

3. Message/Yielding:

- The type of message appeal used is critical in creating favorable attitudes or

feelings. Marketers often aim to develop agreeable messages that elicit positive
emotions toward the product or service. Examples include humorous messages, music-
based ads, and explicit sexual appeals, all of which can influence consumer attitudes
and feelings.

4. Source/Attention:

- Choosing an effective spokesperson or source is essential for capturing consumers'

attention. Marketers often leverage celebrities, athletes, rock stars, or attractive models
to attract the target audience's attention. The choice of source can significantly impact
whether the ad garners attention and resonates with the intended audience.

By evaluating these factors using the persuasion matrix, marketers can make informed
decisions about the selection of sources, message appeals, and media channels to
effectively communicate with and persuade their target audience.